Alex Martin - F*ck Stress Tips and advice on how to banish anxiety from your life

F*CK STRESS

Copyright Summersdale Publishers Ltd, 2019

Text by Poppy ONeill

All rights reserved.

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INTRODUCTION

Stress sucks. From the minor irritations to the big daunting responsibilities cant they all just f*ck off? Well, no. Stress cant f*ck off entirely, but you can change how much it gets to you by working on resilience, self-care and cultivating a no-f*cks-given attitude.

No matter what the circumstances are, everyone gets stressed every now and again. A bit of stress can be useful, however; it helps you to prioritize and keeps you motivated. In fact, without a healthy amount of stress it would be hard to do anything productive at all. Wed be in our PJs all day, ignoring bills and eating frozen yoghurt. But stress that sticks around and brings you down is detrimental to your health and well-being, causing potentially harmful health issues like high blood pressure, fatigue, depression and anxiety.

Stress will always be a part of life, but you have the power to change the way you respond to it, and how much it affects you. Read on for a veritable smorgasbord of genius ideas to help you take control and make stress your b*tch.

YOU DONT HAVE TO CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS. YOU JUST HAVE TO STOP LETTING THEM CONTROL YOU.

DAN MILLMAN

Write a to-do list

Instead of worrying about what you need to do, write a list of your priorities and stick to them by creating realistic deadlines. These will include lists of what needs doing today, this week, this month as well as long-term goals. Once you have completed a task, cross it off your list and take a moment to congratulate yourself. By transferring your chores and goals from your mind to paper, you will instantly feel less pressurized and, in turn, more productive. Try keeping a running log in your journal of any achievements or milestones that feel significant to you. Look back on this list whenever you doubt yourself.

F*CK
perfection.

BEING NEGATIVE ONLY MAKES A DIFFICULT JOURNEY MORE DIFFICULT. YOU MAY BE GIVEN A CACTUS, BUT YOU DONT HAVE TO SIT ON IT.

JOYCE MEYER

Think Positively

Choosing a positive outlook over a negative one isnt always easy, but itll reduce your stress levels dramatically. The key is to look for abundance everywhere. For example, if you catch yourself worrying that there isnt enough of something, tell yourself there is always more. You can apply it to anything: money, friends, inspiration, love, time, donuts the list is endless. Perhaps your friend gets a great new job, while youre still looking. You can either sulk and stew in jealousy, seeing one less job available to you or you can cheer for your friend, appreciating the undeniable proof that jobs are indeed out there and your peers are being offered them. The situation hasnt changed, but you now have a calmer, more positive way of looking at it.

F*CK OFF, STRESS.

STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS

This ones a biggie. When we fail and even when we succeed, its human nature to look for someone whos doing better than us and find ourselves lacking in comparison. Or we might be feeling down on ourselves and look for someone doing worse than us, for an ego-boost that quickly fades. Thinking less of someone else does not improve your situation, nor does feeling inadequate make you inadequate.

Try to recognize when you compare yourself to others but, and this is very important, under no circumstances must you beat yourself up about it. We all do it. Simply remind yourself that we all have different hurdles, skill sets and privileges. Life is not a competition, theres plenty of happiness out there for everyone.

RELEASE THE STRESS. YOU WERE NEVER IN CONTROL ANY WAY.

STEVE MARABOLI

Set intentions and act upon them

Instead of dreaming and planning and wondering about what you might achieve, change your mindset and decide what you intend to achieve. Once youve set an intention, take small steps toward it, and dont get distracted by anything thatll take you away from your intended goal.

For example, if you intend to write a novel, start with one page a sustainable and achievable goal you can aim for every day. Let go of any procrastination, self-doubt and comparison that might arise. Say yes to reading widely, meeting other writers and seeking inspiration. Keep writing your one page per day and in just one year youll have a 365-page first draft of a novel. Whatever your intention, focusing on steady progress in the right direction will get you there sooner than you thought possible.

NO IS A COMPLETE SENTENCE.

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN

It can be scary to tell the truth sometimes, especially if it means disagreeing with others. Agreeing and conforming often feels much more comfortable.

But pleasing others in this way often leads to us taking on too much, doing things we dont really want to do and denying our own feelings, all of which lead to increased stress.

Next time you give your opinion or take on something new, take a moment to quickly check in with yourself before speaking up whats your gut telling you? Go with that.

Youll respect yourself and others will respect you too and if they dont? F*ck em.

You probably wouldnt
WORRY
about what people
THINK
of you if you could know how
SELDOM
they do!

OLIN MILLER

CELEBRATE EVERY ACHIEVEMENT

Exercised this week? Good job! Asserted yourself at work? Youre an amazing badass warrior! Resisted pettiness and took the high road? Gold f*cking star!

Everyone struggles with different things, so what might look easy on the outside can be a big challenge. Its OK to feel proud of yourself if an accomplishment is significant for you, even if it might seem small to others. Even when you stumble you can learn from your setbacks and look for progress in your reactions.

Allow yourself to celebrate the quirky personal hurdles that only make sense to you theyre a big deal!

F*CK THE PAST AND THE FUTURE LIVE IN THE MOMENT.

TIDY UP

This sounds like another chore to add to your to-do list, right? And sometimes, it is but tidying up can be so much more. Choose a corner, a shelf, a cupboard nothing too ambitious and empty it. Move anything that doesnt belong there. Recycle, give away or throw away anything you no longer want or need. Clean the surfaces, then put everything thats left back. Mmm, satisfying.

Just looking at that spotless, organized space will lower your stress levels, because a calm environment is more conducive to a calm mind. Having clutter in your environment will stress you out every time you see it because you know it represents a task that needs doing. Plus, the act of cleaning and tidying gets you out of your head, naturally reducing stress while you work.