10 Key Steps to Manage Stress and Anxiety

1. Assess your current lifestyle patterns. Some questions to ask yourself include: Am I overwhelmed? Am I under-challenged? Am I engaging in enjoyable activities? Am I avoiding dealing with necessary problems?

2. Learn to identify and experience your emotions.

3. Assess your thought patterns. Replace negative thoughts with more positive and realistic beliefs.

4. Attend to your body. Ask yourself, "How can I physically identify when I am stressed?" Eating right and exercising will also help you feel better.

5. Face your fears and deal proactively with your problems. Questions to ask include: In what areas of my life do I seem to always have problems? How do I deal with these problems?

6. Find meaning in your life. Ask yourself, "When do I come most alive?" and intentionally implement these times into your daily life schedule.

7. Step outside yourself. Help a friend, look for volunteer opportunities, try something new...

8. Have fun and play! Ask yourself, "What was it I enjoyed doing as a child?" Recapture the child inside of you.

9. Relax and breathe. Practice deep breathing, progressive relaxation, meditation, yoga... whatever works for you!

10. Remember that stress is a natural part of life, and an inevitable aspect of all changes. Without some stress, action is impossible.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, HANG OUT WITH A FRIEND!