Having experienced losing both parents within three months of one another this year and having lived through a profound betrayal a few years back that left me moneyless and homeless with three children in tow, I understand the havoc stress can wreak. An over-thinking monkey mind and physical stress symptoms are no fun! Stress can be debilitating to making powerful decisions for ourselves, and it can keep us from progressing purposefully through our lives.
Since we don't always have the opportunity to plop into a yoga pose and repeat our mantras, having the right tools on hand can be our saving grace during times of overwhelming stress and the key to minimizing stress in our day-to-day living.
My daily practice of the four steps below helps me experience far more moments of peace than moments of stress in my life. They changed my life and they can change yours, too.
4 Steps to Decrease Your Stress and Regain Your Peace
1. Get radically present with your body and surroundings.
Where are your feet? How do they feel? What sounds do you hear around you? What do you see? Is your breathing shallow or deep? Count your breaths: Inhale -- one, Exhale -- one. Inhale -- two, exhale -- two. Up to 10 and back down to one. There is no suffering (stress) in presence. By focusing on something outside your fearful thoughts, you will regain your center. Practice for five minutes or longer.
2. Remember God.
The majority of the world's inhabitants believe in a Higher Power but do not live the fruits of true faith. Refresh your mind and soul to the Superpower of the Universe. Reconnect and ignite your faith! You are taken care of. There is no lack, only abundance. You are not alone, not now, not ever! Believe in the power of second chances and restoration. Repeat this powerful prayer as many times as possible throughout each day.
Holy Spirit, allow me to exude Love to everyone I come in contact with today. Allow me to see everything through Divine eyes. I open my heart and mind to the abundance of the Universe. Amen.
3. Surrender. Let go, let God.
Release control by relaxing into the Divine Perfection of life. The Universe has your back. When you are in a quandary, the Universe is already conspiring to line up your next best step(s) that will lead you to victory. Let go. Allow for the graceful unfolding. Do not let your need to control interfere with what the Universe is trying to do for you. Get ready for your signs. They are coming!
4. Give your worries to God.
Picture yourself putting each worry in a beautifully adorned box and releasing it to the atmosphere just like a helium balloon. Watch it sail farther and farther away until it disappears from your view. As you watch your worry gain altitude say a prayer, mantra or affirmation of release. For example: God, I am giving this worry over to your capable hands. I have faith that you can handle this problem far better than I ever could. I'm grateful for the solution you will provide. Thank you for taking care of this for me. I am ready to follow your lead. Amen.
Our worries are better in the hands of the Divine than in our own. God is the Best Life Manager! Open your heart to Divine healing and solutions and they will be yours.
It is proven that stress and anxiety are affected by our thoughts. When we slow our thoughts down and focus elsewhere for moments or longer, we will clear our minds and regain our center. All 4 of these methods can be described as forms of meditation. They can be practiced anywhere at any time! Here's to living a peaceful life!
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HuffPost's GPS for the Soul app is based on two truths about human beings. First: We all have a centered place of wisdom, harmony and balance within us. Second: We're all going to veer away from that place, again and again and again. What we need is a great course-correcting mechanism -- a GPS for the Soul -- to help us find our way back to that centered place, from which everything is possible.
Because no one knows better than you what helps you de-stress and tap into that place of peace inside yourself, it's important for you to create your very own GPS guide -- a personalized collection of whatever helps you course-correct. Email us at GPS@huffingtonpost.com and we'll set you up with your very own HuffPost blogger account to share your guide on the site. If you're already a blogger, we encourage you to upload your personal guide today. We can't wait to see what you have to share.