Following my most recent stress and burnout workshop, I am reflecting on some of the key takeaways.
1) We all sometimes need help when processing large emotions like grief, anger/rage, despair, and feeling helpless. This help could come from your inner circle, through love and kindness, or it may require going outside of your circle to speak with a coach. For more traumatic emotions you may wish to speak with a counsellor/psychotherapist.
2) Bottling things up, being passive, passive-aggressive, and not speaking up when you feel strongly called to can lead to stress turning into chronic stress.
3) At the point of chronic stress or burnout it's too late to rely on self-care alone. Something fundamentally must change in your life to help you out of this scenario.
4) Before stress ever appears and before stress turns into chronic stress or burnout there are some things you can try to help keep stress at bay or under control. Things like movement (no matter how big or small, whatever works for you, listen to your body), meditation and breathwork, affection like a hug (this can be platonic or romantic), creativity like drawing, colouring, painting, music, journaling, writing poetry and story writing. Laughter, and I mean proper belly laughing, also helps.
5) When you feel signs of chronic stress and burnout like lashing out over trivial things, changes to your body (like pain, recurring illness, skin issues like eczema, digestive issues like IBS), self-destructive behaviour, or feeling like you want to withdraw, self-care will not be enough to help. Reach out to those around you for help. Make them aware that you're struggling and if there are things they can do to help you, ASK!
6) The power of social connection - loneliness has been proven to make you more vulnerable to disease and illness. Connection is not just about romance; it can be a friendship too. It is about the quality of your connections rather than the quantity. Trust is key to ensuring you feel comfortable being fully authentically you.
7) Sleep. The power and importance of sleep cannot be overemphasized. Sleep is particularly important in helping you process new information, and emotions and for your body to recover after physical activity
I have worked with numerous clients experiencing stress and burnout. I understand first-hand the negative impact they can have on your body. If you would like to hear about how I can help you manage stress and burnout, please reach out to me at elma@elmacarew.com
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything”