• Talk to someone about how you are feeling – Just talking to someone about how you feel can take so much weight off your shoulders. Make sure you trust the person, then decide on what you want to say to them.
• Focus on the present – Have you ever noticed that feeling stressed or anxious often coincides with dwelling on the past or worrying about the future? Simply focusing your mind on the present moment can help you feel a little more relaxed.
• Take some time out – A fully packed schedule can make you feel very stressed out. Make sure you fit in at least one thing you enjoy each day, whether it’s a hobby, a Netflix show, or a chat with a friend. It can also help if you schedule the enjoyable activity into your day, so that you don’t feel guilty about not doing something else. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to things that will just add to your stress.
• Challenge your thoughts – If your head is full of negative thoughts, of course you’re going to feel stressed or anxious. But even though your thoughts might feel true, it doesn’t mean they reflect what’s really happening. Try to write down what you’re thinking, then add facts that support or disprove each thought. You might be surprised by how many of your thoughts are not reality.
• Face your fears – If you always avoid situations that make you anxious, this might be stopping you from doing things you want or need to do. It sounds weird, but facing the things that make you anxious can reduce your anxiety. You can test whether the situation is as bad as you expect, and learn to manage your fears.

If all of the aformentioned fail, and your stress/anxiety are taking a debilitating turn, please seek professional help from a mental health/wellness facility.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime

As I watched this video, I realized that I was this person Shonda describes,  just a few weeks ago.

Like many of us who tend to reach for the stars, there comes a point where life forces you to pause and take stock. This is a scary time because reflection can make or mar you. You might find that you’ve performed absolutely terribly in the past months or year and may allow the knowledge of this to propel you forward OR you might find that it discourages you. On the flip side, you could also find that you’re doing great and allow the knowledge of this to make you rest on your laurels or the reverse, to keep pushing. For Shonda, it was the former.

There’s only so much of kicking down doors and conquering of obstacles that a person can participate in where your body doesn’t eventually give way. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your physical body gets ill although, this is the case in some instances, but, it could be either mental or emotional. Hence the recent awareness being raised on ‘self-care’ for girl bosses like you and I.

About two months ago, I began to have anxiety attacks. I couldn’t really place it, as I had never had them before  – at least not pertaining to my career or my business.  Actions I knew I needed to take for my own growth became extremely scary. I was afraid of talking to the necessary people, putting myself out there or even networking, which wasn’t always second nature but I would do anyway. The easiest tasks began to seem like a dead weight. If you find that this is you right now, you’ll definitely want to watch this video.

Uncertainty, self-doubt, insecurity are all factors that come to play in perpetrating fear and allowing for it to blossom. Shonda speaks on saying yes to everything that made her afraid. If she didn’t feel like doing it, she did it anyway. I personally took this stand before coming across this video and what a difference it has made in my life.

Watch Shonda Rhimes’ really get into conquering Fear in this TEDTalks video below:

Photo Credit: NPR