There are big-picture challenges all around us: a difficult economy, a heated national election, impending holiday gatherings, holiday shopping, and holiday cooking to look forward to.

Then there are everyday challenges – the difficult colleague you’re working with on a project, your child’s difficulties in math or spelling, that occasional clunk you hear when you put your car in gear.

Life is filled with stressors – and today’s the day to recognize that fact, and consider how we handle the stressors that come our way.

• Step one: figure out how much stress you’re really living with. Try this Stress Screener from Mental Health America.
• Understand where your stress is coming from. Are you overwhelmed by thoughts of how the election results will impact your life, the nation, the world? Try taking a step back. Reduce your news intake and take a break from social media for a week. Focus on the positive aspects of your life, and on enjoying healthful activities like preparing a fun meal or going for a walk. Re-calibrate your focus!
• Add some new items to your to-do list – activities that will help you relax. Some suggestions: set a reminder on your phone to do a breathing exercise morning, mid-day, and evening; watch a guided meditation video on YouTube; make time before bed to do a series of gentle stretching exercises; start a gratitude journal to shift your focus to all the positive things happening in your life; make time for gentle exercise or simply spending time outdoors; make time for another activity that you enjoy!
• Keep an eye on your sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time each day – and aim for at least seven hours of sleep. (This also means you need to keep an eye on your caffeine and alcohol intake, which can interfere with your sleep.)
• Focus on nurturing existing relationships, and potentially starting new ones. A network of caring friends and family with whom you can chat about your good and bad times, and with whom you can relax and be yourself, can make a huge difference.
• Talk with your supervisor about initiating some stress reduction activities at your job. What about a voluntary lunchtime yoga gathering, a casual potluck of healthy dishes, or a regular message to the team inviting them to take five minutes for a breathing exercise or series of stretches?
• Remember, stress can be a good thing! When missing a fear component, stress can push you to try something new and get out of the comfort zone. Once that activity – asking for a raise, planning a party, preparing for a trip – is behind you, you may want to feel that “high” of positive stress again. So don’t turn stress into a four-letter word! Focus on managing your negative stress, and enjoy the positive stress that helps you grow!

For more than 25 years, Beall Financial and Insurance Services, Inc., has been helping corporations and individuals protect their most important assets. The agency’s client base covers a spectrum of niche businesses, such as craft breweries, that require specialized insurance packages and knowledge. With California offices in Redlands and Newport Beach, Beall Financial and Insurance Services serves clients nationwide.