Space Invaders: Eliminating Stress From Your Life
In the 1980’s, an Atari game “Space Invaders”, was a fan favorite. The popular arcade “alien shoot ‘em up” video game was developed in Japan in 1978 by Tomohiro Nishikado. As a kid (well, also as an adult), playing Space Invaders was a thrill. I remember pressing buttons on the controller vigorously to eliminate the fast-encroaching space aliens as they moved left to right across the screen and downward before they could reach the bottom. Failed attempts resulted in immediate ending of the game (and a very sad kid).
The aliens invading the space at the bottom of the screen combined with the thought of facing a possible end to the game created an interesting reaction in my body: sweaty palms, heart racing, frustration, clinching the joystick - that felt like…stress.
Eliminating Stress From Your Life
Visualize this: you jump into the “Space Invaders” game. The aliens in the game are the external stressors of your life, barreling down towards you. Your quest is to eliminate as many as you can.
How would you do it?
There are many physical, emotional, mental and social symptoms of stress that one can experience including, changes in eating and sleep patterns, digestive disorders, muscular tension, anxiety, frustration, low productivity and feelings of loneliness. Eliminating or reducing the stressors in your life may seem like a daunting task when you feel the obligations of every day life pinning you down.
Well-known methods of reducing stress include meditation and relaxation techniques which are beneficial and work very well. Even more so, incorporating ways to eliminate stress in your life through improving your nutritional intake, regular physical activity and making the space in your life to focus on your well-being is certainly possible with daily practice and intention.
Making Space.
There is power to saying “no” to the things in your life do not bring or add value. Overcommitting is very common and, in my experience, can lead to a level of un-necessary stress and burn-out.
Make the space in your life to focus on your wellness, reduce stress and perform at optimal levels.
Below are actions that have worked for us:
Eat Well.
Being intentional about our nutrition and choosing nutrient-dense foods greatly improved our ability to eat well during times when external stress was inevitable. We noticed a remarkable change in our bodies’ response to stressors when consciously eating well during high-pressure times. We did not feel the typical physical symptoms of stress (headaches, digestive issues, etc). The American Heart Association provides excellent ways to choose nutrient-dense foods here and recommends a diet high in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, healthy sources of protein (mostly from plant-sources such as legumes and nuts if you are plant-based or vegetarian) and limiting red and processed meats, sodium, sugar and alcohol.
Physical Activity.
We have a small home “gym” that is very simple: weight bench, resistance bands, adjustable weights (2.5 lbs. to 50.0 lbs.), yoga mats, 12 lb. weight bar, weighted medicine balls (3 lb. and 10 lb.) and a pull up bar. It is recommended to get 150 minutes of physical activity per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (cardio) and add muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days per week. Other physical activities we have enjoyed to relieve tension include basketball, taking daily walks, and mountain biking on trails.
Saying “no” to the activities that do not contribute to your physical fitness will make space, allowing time in your day to workout. Tip: find someone (a friend, family member or co-worker) or a 4-legged furry friend to share your physical activity interests with you and join in on the fun!
What’s The Worse Thing That Will Happen?
We ask ourselves this question often when making decisions in situations that could lead to stress. It has greatly helped us focus effort and energy on the outcome versus stressing over the process of achieving the outcome. Accept that mistakes, failure and setbacks are all a part of your process.
Prioritize Your Macro-Life.
At some point, we have all found ways to prioritize our daily life (the “micro”) through organization techniques, daily planners, tasks lists, etc. After some reflection we’ve elevated the “micro” to a higher level and prioritized our “macro-life”. The big picture. Wherever you place the bulk of your energy and effort in your life determines the relative value of your time. Yes, there are obligations in your life that are a must-do. However often times we conflate the “must-do” of life with the expectations of others. Prioritize for living your life.
Be Present and Mindful.
Whether you are eating a delicious (and nutritious!) meal, working out, taking a walk, watching a sunset or having a conversation with friend - be present. Focus on the way you feel while doing. We have found that being present avoids ruminating over situations and allows us to truly enjoy what is in front of us. During times of external stress factors, it is important to remember where you are at that moment and stay centered. Just be.
A book that we refer to often to help us stay in the present moment is Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth”.
What can you do today to keep the stress from invading your space? Here are 3 of our favorite tips:
Observe how you respond to stress and write it down. Just 10 min a day. “What symptoms of stress did I feel?” “What activities was I doing?” “What internal self-talk did I have?” “What did I eat during, before stress symptom or after experiencing the stress?”
After a week, review your responses and notice any patterns. Think of ways to incorporate some of the stress-reducing methods above and make small changes daily.
Take action. Observe yourself with the small changes and note how you felt. “What worked well and why?” “What didn’t work well and why?”
While we can’t control what happens around us, we can control how we handle what happens around us by equipping ourselves with techniques to reduce or eliminate stress.
Stay fit and green!
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