When the feeling of stress is beginning to overtake you, it is vitally important to not approach it passively as that will quickly turn into an unwinnable game.
A game that is dangerous and potentially deadly. When stress shows up, you must decide to win and go full throttle. An active method for winning against stress is to indulge in activities that will divert your mental focus away from the stressor(s). This stress management technique is practically the most popular since this method promises a win with many positive results.
Engage in sports
One of the most recommended methods for reducing your stress is to engage in sports. There are plenty of ways to find the peace of mind you need to release yourself from problems that crop up during your daily routine. Go for a jog, maybe a couple of rounds on the heavy bag, or swim a few laps.
In addition to solo activities, team sports are a great way to beat stress and improve your social skills. You can gather your friends and shoot some hoops, or sweat it out in tennis or a friendly game of flag football. These games help you focus on your team winning the game rather than putting all your energy into worrying about your stress-related problems.
I enjoy hiking, boxing, and mountain biking to name a few. But you can decide what best serves your mind and heart space. Sports not only improve your health with a good dose of exercise, but you can also take in the scenery by hiking and taking photos of nature. Fishing is also a good sport for relieving stress. If the fish aren’t biting, you can enjoy the scenery and take time to reflect on life’s blessings.
Board games are well and good
My family loves board games. Although I am not that into them, they are an enjoyable way to relieve stress without the need for sweat and next-day soreness. Plenty of games can divert your mind from stress and leave a lot of room to think about winning.
Chess is a great way to relieve stress since you need to think of strategies on how to outwit your opponent and not much on your problems. Board games like scrabble and monopoly are fun to play with your friends and family because they usually bring about laughter and great memories to later reflect upon.
Internet games
Internet gaming may be a good source of games that suites your taste. But beware of the distractions and manage them accordingly. Otherwise, you can go for online crossword puzzles and Sudoku if you crave intellectual activities and brain stimuli. If you prefer to release stress by blasting space aliens, then look for flash games that are popping up on many websites.
It’s not all about the game
Despite the sports and games you already play and how you play them, to beat stress, you must intentionally play to beat stress. The first step is to decide to beat stress by utilizing your chosen game or sport. Then with laser focus, you must commit to winning and only winning. That means if during the game, sport, or match, you find yourself engaged in crap talking to the point of raising your blood pressure, you must quickly disengage and refocus on the assignment at hand, beating stress.
These activities would be counter-productive if you find yourself thinking about new problems in place of old problems rather than beating stress. The goal is to walk away stress-free or with minimal stress. Besides, you might end up losing if you don’t focus on the game.
Remember, you can lose the game and still beat stress. So do not stress if you lose the game, because the real game is not against your opponent, it is against stress. Your opponent is just a piece in your process. So, should you lose, you still win.
If you like this strategy and wish to learn more about the practice of mindfulness as a means to beating stress, I invite you to connect with me for a free Mental Fitness Coaching Consultation.
