Stress - how to deal with it your own way and in your own time

Stress is a killer - alot of people say 'oh I am so stressed' and 'this is SO stressful' but actual stress is consuming, negative and takes alot away from you and you don't even realise what it is doing to you. 

Lately work has got to me, big time. My job is pretty stressful anyway, it is demanding, hard work and sometimes not very appealing - a negative outlook I know, which I am changing! 

Anyway this went really wrong at work about 5 weeks ago and it has been weighing down on me ever since. 

The only thing was I didn't realise how much it had got to me, until last week I got the good news I had been waiting for and it was all over and the nightmare had finished.

I suddenly felt happy again, almost like I could breath and this cloud had gone away from over me. 

I didn't even realise how much it had effect me until it had gone. I will be honest I have slept soundly for the first time this weekend, and for a long time - 12 hrs on Friday night! I never sleep that soundly because something is always bothering me, I always find something to stress about, and after this at work I have found that actually nothing is worth stressing over that much, to make your self sick and have so much anxiety you don't even want to go in! Nothing is worth that. 

It is a running joke in my family that I will always find something to worry about, so I am changing this. 

I am working really hard to be at peace with everything in my life and have a more go with the flow attitude and we will worry about that if it ever happens, rather than saying when it happens, and little my little I have stopped stressing about the little things - my last goal is to fully stop stressing about my body and I am getting there but this is the biggest hurdle! 

So how to stop stressing - over the small and the big things in life. 

1. Exercise - I know, obvious coming from a fitness blog right? But treat exercise like your therapy session, put your head phones in your ear and focus on nothing but achieving the best you can. By taking on this attitude the gym becomes fun, something you look forward to and also you feel amazing afterwards
2. Have a drink and enjoy it. I am not a big drinker, in fact I probably only drink about 5 times a year if that! But I find that sometimes that a nice glass of white wine is the perfect way to relax and unwind, and yes get a little buzzed or even drunk! Sure you wake up the next morning feeling hungover maybe, or a little tired, but did you have fun the night before? Then that is all that matters
3. Treat yourself! Go shopping, pamper yourself, relax! Easter weekend I spent Good Friday having a selfish day - I went to the gym, did some chores than relaxed for the rest of the day, I watched trashy tv, did my nails and dyed my hair, and it was bliss! Sometimes you need days like this to spend with yourself and get in a good frame of mind.
4. Spend time with family and good friends - the positive kind, I love talking things out with my mum, she is my best friend and my go to person for any advice. Once I speak to her I feel 100 times better, equally spending time with my parents, extended family, boyfriend and friends I feel better, sometimes I don't even want to talk about the problem in hand I want to talk about them or anything else, the distraction always works
5. Don't be scared to admit you are not coping or want to change - this was the biggest thing for me. I told my parents I wasn't happy doing what I was doing and that I wanted to change my life for the better - I want to be a business owner and open my own gym with my partner, and once I explained everything to them and the plan I had, I had their full support, I was scared they would be disappointed in me because I hadn't achieved what I wanted to and that I wanted to retrain - then I realised it was me who was disappointed and afraid - once I had embraced this feeling I knew all would be ok and that change is good and scary but if it gets me to where I want to be, then the fear is worth it. 

Believe in yourself and you can achieve anything. 

Follow my personal journey on Instagram - Rhiannonangharad22