10 Ways to cope with stress other then substance abuse

#1. Figure out where the stress is coming from.
Often times when someone is stressed it seems like a big mess. We start to feel like were playing a game. Ducking and darting so we don’t get smacked by more stress. We sometimes take a defensive position, and not a good on at that. Instead of letting yourself feel like your flailing day to day, identify what you’re actually stressed about. By getting specific and pinpointing the stressors in your life, you are one step closer to getting organized and taking your own action.

#2. Consider what you can control- and work on that next.
You control you and how you react, how you accomplish work, how you spend your time and what you spend your money on. The worst thing for stress is trying to take control over uncontrollable things. So after you’ve thought it through what’s stressing you out, identify the stressors that you can control, and determine what ways to take action. Stress can be paralyzing.

#3. Do what you love.
It’s much easier to manage your stress when the rest of your life is filled with activates and such things you love. Even if your everyday life is stress central you can find at least one hobby or one thing in a day that enriches your world.

#4. Manage your time well.
One of the biggest stress causers is lack of time. Create a Things-to do list. Or even mark important events in your calendar. There are many ways to manage your time but many don’t try. Managing your time lowers your stress tremendously.

#5. Create a toolbox of techniques.
Figure out the ways you calm down best. Breathing, listening to music, going for a walk. Whatever your calm down spot is figure it out. That way when you get worked up over something or whatever it is, you can do your thing and calm down.

#6. Pick off the negotiable from your plate.
Review what your daily and weekly activates are. To see what you can pick off your plate. Reducing your stack of negotiable tasks can greatly reduce the amount of stress on you. Negotiable means open to discussion or modification.

#7. Are you leaving yourself extra vulnerable to stress?
If you’re not getting sufficient sleep or physical activities during the week, you may be leaving extra susceptible to stress. When you’re sleep deprived, sedentary and filled to the brim with coffee even the smallest bit of stress can have a huge impact.

#8. Preserve good boundaries.
If you’re a people pleaser, saying no feels like your abandoning someone, have become a terrible person or are throwing all civility out the window. Those few seconds of