Stress management is a common issue that I see my patients and many others struggling with regularly. Stress is a natural part of life that can impact us in a positive or negative way. To help develop a stress-resilient attitude try to concentrate on the following six tips for stress management:

  1. Promote optimistic thinking.
  2. View change as a normal part of life.
  3. Realizing that "people need people" OR pets! (Our family has a dog named Ted! He brings so much joy to us and having him around helps us relax at the end of the day.)
  4. Don't expect perfection.
  5. Practice empathy and forgiveness.
  6. Put things into perspective.

Giving back and showing kindness towards others is another way to improve mood and reduce stress. I've included a "Pay it Forward" label. I encourage you to print out a few and practice some random acts of kindness. (If you don’t have a printer available, you can make your own.) Just a few examples include; taping a dollar to the vending machine with a note saying to ‘enjoy a drink on me’ or write an encouraging note on the back of the label and put it on someone's desk. Just a little random act of kindness can really brighten someone's day, especially if they receive it when they're feeling down.

I hope you all have a great week.

Allison Collins, RD

Major Health Partners

Wellness Coordinator/Registered Dietitian

e-mail: acollins@majorhospital.org

phone: (317) 398-5315