WoVeN Week 4: Stress Relief

Life can become very stressful and managing that stress can become very overwhelming, especially when you don’t have very many strategies and/or techniques on how to cope with the stress. In week four we focus on the theme “stress relief” this theme helps the group to identify their stressors and what strategies we use be it good or bad to manage stress and to also pick up some new strategies from one another. The thermometer handout is what we use in order to take our “stress temperature” recording our stressors from low to high on the thermometer helps us to realize one how many stressor we have and two if we have a bit too much on our plate. While doing this exercise we realized that there are many different stressors for example: crowded stores, family issues and being uncomfortable in your skin.

“Much of the stress that people feel doesn't come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they've started.”
– David Allen

One of the first and important steps in managing stress in our lives is to recognize what are the things causing you the stress. Then, as a group we can determine strategies that are most helpful in recognizing these stressors and also apply stress management techniques to help manage the overall stress in our lives.

“Doing something that is productive is a great way to alleviate emotional stress. Get your mind doing something that is productive.”
– Ziggy Marley

I like breaking this activity into three steps. Step one: On the thermometer list your stressors from low to high. Step two: We take turns giving one stressor from low to high. Step three: We discuss different techniques that we use that may help with managing or reducing some of our stressors. Stress relief is one of the best weeks theme because I learn so many new techniques on managing stress from the ladies that I have reduced a lot of stress and worrying in my life because of these beautiful ladies.

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
– William James

Another great technique is the discussion questions. The discussion questions are not only great to keep the conversation, but they help us become aware of our stressors and how much stress we have in our life and if we are properly balancing the stress in our life. Some question examples would be:

1. Are you always aware when you’re feeling stressed? What do you notice that cues you in (physical sensations, emotions, how you interact with others)?
2. In what ways are stressors similar and different from the stress you faced when you were younger?
3. What were you taught about stress and/or stress relief in the military? How were you expected to manage stress? Are those same strategies helpful in the civilian world?
4. Are there things you do when you are stressed that probably aren’t that helpful or healthy? For instance, withdrawing from people, ignoring or denying that you are stressed and unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, drinking too much and overeating.

Life in general can be stressful, it being you having to decide what’s for dinner or something that is out of your control. Listening, sharing and applying the strategies that we discuss in group I have found has helped most of the women in group. We respectfully listen and help one another by way of giving such techniques as breathing, yoga, meditation and exercising just to name a few. Helping one another and becoming deeper connected is what we are all about. We love to see one another smiling and happy; we all share our joy so we do our best to help one another with our stressors.
“It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.”
– Bruce Lee

Read weeks 1&2 here: http://rly.pt/3vSR8QZ
Read Week 3 here: https://rly.pt/3vQfWZL
To check out more information and other tools visit: https://www.wovenwomenvets.org/