In Honor of Stress Awareness Month, Here Are 5 Ways We Cope With Stress

Let's get one thing straight: Life is hard.

We encounter numerous stressful challenges every day, and although it feels like there's nothing we can do to lessen our burdens, there are plenty of steps and methods we can employ to reduce the pressure and reclaim control of our minds.

At Distractify, we experience stress just as much as anyone else. Although it's an inevitable and natural part of everyone's lives, it's important to keep in mind that stress is manageable.

Below, some of our staff members have shared their tips and tricks on coping with stress. Keep reading for various suggestions on how we cope with our stress, and you may learn a thing or two!

One of our favorite ways to cope with our stress is through journaling. There are several therapeutic benefits to this practice, like clearing our minds of any negativity, improving our physical health, and encouraging us to be more open about our feelings.

As for prompts and topics to journal about, there's an infinite amount; nevertheless, our favorites include listing three things for which we feel grateful and writing down the good things that happened during the day.

Another way we cope with stress is by being active. Gabrielle Bernardini, the Senior Entertainment Editor at Distractify, revealed that she copes with stress by practicing "hot yoga and pilates a few days a week." She added, "For me, exercise and meditation really help me to get out of my own head, feel good about myself, and cope with everyday stress."

The third and perhaps most valuable way to cope with stress is by making time for our hobbies. We have to make sure to take breaks from our stressors, and what better way than by indulging in something we enjoy?

For us, this means seeing a movie, listening to music, testing out a new recipe, taking 10 minutes to walk outside, immersing ourselves in the world of a captivating book, or pampering ourselves with a bit of skincare.

Amber Garrett, the VP of editorial operations for Matters Media and a reporter for Market Realist, explained that she is "somewhat obsessed with mindfulness [and] meditation expert Tara Brach," and often tunes in to her podcast. Amber added that she also has this gif saved on her devices, which she uses when she needs to de-stress.

Since 1992, April has marked a month-long effort to inform people about stress and healthy coping strategies. According to the Stress Management Society, Stress Awareness Month aims to "raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic," often through an annual theme.

The 2022 theme for Stress Awareness Month is "Community," the reason being that a "lack of support can cause loneliness and isolation, which in turn lowers people’s wellbeing, impacts mental health, and can lead to mental illness."

Seeing as the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our world more than ever before, we must emerge as a community because "people need support now more than ever as they adjust to a new way of living."