3 Steps to Relieve Stress in 10 Minutes

Do you ever have those moments where there’s so much going on at once you can barely hear yourself think? Your mental to-do list keeps rattling off in your head, and you don’t know how to make it stop. This happens to me all to often. This 3 step process I use to relieve stress works for me 99% of the time, and I know it can help you too!

Step One to Relieve Stress:

The first thing I do is journal. I have a list of go-to journal prompts, but sometimes I just write a list of things I’m grateful for or get out everything that’s bothering me. Journaling not only forces you to unplug and recharge, but it helps you begin to problem solve.

You can either use journal prompts or freehand. I really like to do the “Morning Pages” as a morning ritual to prevent stress in the first place. If I can’t shake it, then sometimes journal prompts help.

Related: I Am Enough

Step Two to Relieve Stress:

Next, I take a few moments to quiet my mind through meditation. I personally recommend doing this every single day to prevent your brain from overloading. It only takes a quick 3-5 minute meditation to completely change your mood. Remember, it’s called a meditation practice so you may not be perfect at first. If you have thoughts or feelings come up, acknowledge them and let them go.

There are other practices that are also helpful and meditative to me, but aren’t necessarily meditation. For example, I really like to take a long shower and imagine the water washing away my stress. I shower basically all the time because it relaxes me so much.

Step Three to Relieve:

You’ve gotten everything out and on paper and you’ve enjoyed a few minutes of silence. Already, you should be feeling 80% better! So lastly, what I do is write down an affirmation to keep in mind throughout the day in case things get tough again. Stand in wonder-woman pose, and repeat your affirmation 3 times out loud! It sounds so silly and so ridiculous, you’ll at the least have a little laugh. Studies have shown that by standing in wonder woman pose, we instantly feel more confident. So, get in position and confidently declare your affirmation for the day!

Now, when it comes to creating an affirmation – you have to believe it. It has to create an emotion within you. If you say some words that you don’t believe your subconscious brain is going to say “BULLSHIT!”, which is useless.

Why this works for me:

I tend to get stressed frequently throughout the week. Sometimes, I am guilty of sweating the small stuff. Using this quick sequence helps me snap out of the stress quickly! It only takes 10 minutes, but by the end of it I feel level-headed, confident, and ready to take everything on!

Becaue this process has been so helpful for me, I created a bundle for anyone who struggles with daily or weekly stress. You get a huge list of affirmations, lots of journal prompts, and a relaxation meditation. It’s only 5 minutes, so anyone can do it!