If you find yourself wondering about your stress symptoms, begin with some reflection. Every week, for a few weeks, there will be questions to help you analyze what’s going on with you. I will also give you ideas for further analysis — books, a CD, a video. If you have time, grab a notebook and record your answers.
By writing, you build a history to help you understand what is bothering you, and then you are better prepared for developing a plan to act – to take really good care of yourself by reducing your stress!
If you have trouble focusing or relaxing, try the One Minute Meditation that you can log onto on my website. Just see if it is difficult, or perhaps, easy to relax for a minute. Then try the questions.
-First Do you think about or worry about your stress level two or three times a week? If you do, that may mean some of your symptoms are serious — because the concern stays in the foreground of your mind — it worries you. Talk to someone you trust and are comfortable with. And if you have a physical symptom that is persistent, call your doctor and get it checked. Try not to talk yourself into believing it is not serious. Find out.
-What are your symptoms? Physical — headaches, trouble sleeping, pain or muscle tension, agitation or heart palpitations; emotional — persistent sadness, fear, anger; intellectual — trouble with focus or concentration, difficulty making decisions; spiritual — feeling disconnected, rootless or not grounded in any beliefs. If you have a long list of things you identify as symptoms of stress, it is important to talk to someone.