This is National Stress Awareness Month in the United States with April 16 ^th strategically designated as Stress Awareness Day, the day after tax deadlines. This makes me giggle a little. Frankly, an awareness day or month isn’t really needed to remind us that we’re experiencing chronic levels of stress.

As researchers sound warning bells that stress may become the number one public health crisis in America, women already ‘get it.’ The Main Street women I interviewed across the nation shared real concerns about how their physical and emotional health, relationships, work performance, and even their longevity is being negatively impacted by the chronic stress that comes from living like do-it-all Superwomen. No doubt, many American men ‘get it’ too.

So together, let’s imagine this:   April 16 ^th is like July 4 ^th , a day we stop and declare ourselves independent from toxic stress, free from the shackles of expectations to ‘do-it-all’ and look good doing it too.

Let’s Say Its True

Let’s say its true and April 16th is more than an awareness day — it is a day of celebration:

What will you allow yourself to do differently on the 16th?

What will you begin practicing from that day forward?

There are literally millions of strategies to reduce stress, so many in fact that it stresses me out. So how about this, let’s keep it really simple, cost-free, and incorporate doable strategies into our daily lives.

No-Cost, Quick Stress Reduction Strategies

Belly Breathing . Our bodies respond with quick, shallow breaths when we’re stressed. Deep breathing from the diaphragm, our main breathing muscle, helps. Use belly breathing in the moment to reduce unwanted stress responses. This will tell your mind and body to let go of the stress. (And hey, this practice will get you ready for a stellar night of karaoke singing too.)

Tense & Release . Our brains are hard-wired to get our bodies ready to fight during stressful situations. This can serve to protect us but being in fight-mode most of the day can also lead to chronic health issues. Try this! Clinch your fists for 15 seconds and then release. Notice the feeling? Try it for other muscles in your body and then add belly breathing.

Eliminate Secondhand Stress . Did you know that University of Hawaii researchers found that stress is as contagious as colds? If there is someone spreading stress germs to you, can you break out the metaphorical vitamin C to protect yourself? It could be taking a walk, putting a smile on your face, or even eliminating that person from your life completely!

Okay, eliminating people who trigger our stress may not always be possible. But I heard myself saying to two women friends this week, “I get so stressed when I have to have lunch with X.” One asked, then why do you do it? I had several reasons (important to my business being my chief excuse). Then I realized how silly I sounded, that alternatives were entirely possible. I changed the lunch date to a morning coffee and felt my blood pressure lower immediately.

Phone Fast . Your smartphone an appendage? Put it away, well out of eyesight for designated periods of time; a mini-phone fast is detoxifying! I love nothing better than turning my phone off and tucking it in a drawer with the alarm set to remind me to pull it out at intervals. Amazingly, calling people back the next day or even 2 hours later, rather than answering it when they call, gives me focused time to produce or just think and get creative – and the world (and my business) doesn’t fall apart.

Forgive Yourself . Are you hanging onto hurt or anger about something you did or didn’t do? There’s nothing like forgiveness for stress reduction. Practice letting yourself off the hook.  Try using these sentences every morning while you’re brushing your teeth:

(Say your name) I forgive you for … I’m letting that go today. Today, I commit to being more compassionate, more loving with myself.

Whoosh! How quiet did your inner voice of criticism become? (Now, if you literally murdered someone yesterday, please turn yourself in. But if you got sharp with your colleagues, partner or kids, or you didn’t accomplish everything you wanted to, or you didn’t bring your best self to any situation – let it go!)

Need a little more support to free yourself from deeper anger that is putting you in constant fight mode? April 15-19 Amazon is offering a free ebook, The Art of True Forgiveness:  How to Forgive Anyone for Anything, Anytime You Want by Doc Orman, MD. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXZMTJ6/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb This book helps us learn what causes emotions, especially anger, and how anger functions (and causes problems) in our bodies. It can help if you want to understand what it takes to truly “let go” and forgive in your heart.

Welcome!

I welcome your ideas for no-cost, easy-to-use stress reduction strategies. Have terrific practices in place? I promise I’ll try them and, I’ll share them!

Meanwhile, Happy De-Stress Day next week to all you women and men who keep this nation moving forward. I’m grateful to you and hope you…

Breathe from your belly and declare yourself free!