6 Tips to Less Stress and More Smiles

There are a lot of factors that make up our dreaded word and feeling as we grow up that we will never ever escape from. STRESS!

And yes, overdue bills, work, school projects, heartbreaks, fights with loved ones, and especially traffic! These are the common things in life that we always face in life. It's inescapable and will always be a part of life as a challenge. Like any other challenge, there will always be a way to overcome those challenges and make life brighter and happier.

And more like any other sickness, stress manifests in our lives both physically and emotionally. The indicators are:

Tired and Puffy Eyes

Our eyes are the portal to our souls. Bright and glistening eyes means that you are happier and healthy. But stress diminishes that sparkle and make you look, well, ugly. Puffy and tired eyes among the first signs that manifest physically when you are stressed. Simply because you are losing and not getting enough sleep. And when you don't sleep for the right number of hours per day, this becomes more and more evident.

Bad and Dry Skins

The second manifestation of a stressed life is your delicate and sensitive skin. There are a lot of different ways your body will react to your stressed life and it differs from person to another person. Some will get eruptions on the face, oily skin, bad odor even when you are not exercising or moving around. That’s because stress throws your hormones all out of whack. This fact, coupled with the lack of sleep, is the perfect recipe for fine lines and acne, as well as other skin eruptions like rashes and hives.

While I am at my most stressful days because of being a working student, both at full time, I learned that you should not be afraid of it. Accept that it is a part of your life. The more you accept the fact, the more that you will be able to manage it. And managing stress is one of the key factors on leading your life to the fullest.

Why is it Important to Manage Stress?

You see, effective stress management helps you break the hold stress has on your life so you can be happier, healthier and more productive, not only at work but also in life. Having your stress managed can balance your work, social, and fun life. Not only that, it will also give you the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet more challenges head on with a smile.

Tip 1: Get Physical

For me, after work, I have school, and after school, I still have to study for tomorrow's lessons and prepare for another day at work. So, before doing all that, what I do is put down the yoga mat and get down to it. A series simple stretches make my body more relaxed, and after sweating and a hot shower, makes me feel lighter.

In connection with that, do something that will make you sweat. You see, it is already scientifically proven that getting exercise will lessen up your stress and make you more energetic and stronger to face life. And it makes you healthy in case you forget that.

Tip 2: Take a Break

If you are a tea person, then you already know the benefits of drinking tea when you are stressed. But for those who are yet still to appreciate tea drinking, then let me explain to you as a tea person. 

• Drinking tea can relieve stress and boost your mood due to its aroma; the pleasing scent of tea, herbs or cacao nibs can tickle your senses in a positive way
• Drinking green tea can help reduce stress in that it contains an amino acid that produces a calming effect, and the act of drinking tea can be a relaxing ritual. 

Among others, these are the effects when you are taking a break from your stressor and drinking tea while relaxing. Try it, and feel it for yourself. You won't regret it. I promise!

Tip 3: Get Social

With Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and a lot more at our disposal, we can get social anytime we want. A simple talk to your friend or a long conversation with whom you really like or love can have a positive outcome to your mood and releases stress.But it’s important that the person whom you talk to is someone whom you trust and whom you feel can understand and validate you.

Tip 4: Smile and Laugh

Open up your youtube or your Tumblr, and search for something funny. There are a lot of compilations in there that will make you laugh or at least smile. But for me, the most effective way for me to smile and laugh is to have a good and nice joke session with your friends.

Our brains are interconnected with our emotions and facial expressions. When people are stressed, they often hold a lot of the stress in their face. So laughs or smiles can help relieve some of that tension and improve the situation.

Tip 5: Manage Your Time Better

I couldn't agree more with this one. Managing your time and sticking to it can be a real hassle, and it needs to be flexible for any changes that might happen. But ones you are able to correctly manage your time to suit your needs and ends, then you are one step away from stress and the pains it can inflict to you. Breaking projects into small bits, prioritizing tasks, ridding of unnecessary schedules, can all help to manage your time better.

Tip 6: Eat Healthily

I always try to have greens and fruits in my table no matter what happens. Canned goods as dinner? No problem! For instance, corned beef, I always add a lot of ginger and onions on it so that I could still eat nutritious food as much as I can.

Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.

At the end of the day, the tip that I can give you is that, don't be afraid of Stress. It will always be there. Accept it as a part of who you are. Living the life isn't how happy you are, but how you handle your life. Remember, stress is a challenge, and if there is a challenge, there will always be a way to overcome it.