Mood Boosters & Mantras: 5 Tips for Handling Stress

So often when we feel overwhelmingly stressed, we don’t know what exactly we’re stressed about, leading to more thoughts of stress. This is the perfect scenario to step aside, write down a list of possible stressors, and identify which ones are taking up the most space in your brain. Simply organizing the stressors can help them seem less scary. An easy practice is to write down everything you perceive as a stressor at the moment, highlight which ones you can actually control, then number them in order of which ones can be accomplished or faced first. Writing down the stressors and looking at them on paper can help us realize that we are bigger than the things on our to-do list and can provide perspective into what we’re actually stressed about. 

Communication is Key 

Whether you are a verbal or internal processor, talking about stress can actually be a key way to release it from your head and out through your mouth. Key trick here? Identify a circle, a list of 3-4 people, that you can call on when anxiety hits—those who will sit and listen judgement free and even offer words of wisdom and encouragement in return. This can include a counselor, family member, or a few close friends. 

Mood Boosters 

Identifying mood boosters is one of my favorite parts on the journey to overcoming stress and anxiety. A counselor once told me to do something small that engages each of my five senses to achieve greater mindfulness. After identifying small things that brighten my mood, I incorporated them into my go-to mood boosters for when anxiety and stress hit. 

Touch – Hug a friend, change into comfy clothes, wrap up in a weighted blanket  

Taste – Cook a favorite meal, sip some warm tea or coffee 

Smell – Light a favorite scented candle, put on some essential oils 

Sound – Play a go to mood booster playlist (so good to have on hand—mine includes mostly jazz and French music with a good mix of early 2000s bops)

Sight – Change locations. Step outside, shut down the laptop screen, look out the window or cozy up in your favorite corner spot. Looking out at nature or the New York City skyline helps me visualize how big the world is and puts my thoughts into perspective 

These simple and small things can be so healing when life seems overwhelming. At the end of a stressful day I’ll try to create an atmosphere in my apartment where I can do all of these. But even in the midst of a busy day, taking 5 minutes to do just one of your mood boosters can change your mentality about what’s happening externally. 

Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body 

Movement during times of stress may as well be the best medicine. Our bodies are powerful and know when our minds are running wild. When I get stressed, I can feel the stress-inducing thoughts manifest in my body—the anxiety in my arms, knots in my stomach, shakiness in my hands, etc. 

Stress is like a storm cloud in the brain, gathering up all the negative energy to eventually release it in a downpour if we bottle it inside long enough. When I choose to shut my laptop, step on my yoga mat or head out for a walk, it’s as if the storm cloud gently releases a light rain that washes the stress-filled tension out of my system and away from my body. 

Depending on the scenario and how your body copes with anxiety, calming your stress might look like sitting up straight and taking slow, deep, focused breaths. Other times it might look like shutting down all screens, leaving your phone inside, and going for a jog or walk around the block to absorb the fresh air and sunlight. There are other moments where stress can feel so overwhelming that the best way to get the jitters out is to hit the gym with weights, an upbeat spin class class, or circuit workout where you can engage with your body in the present moment. Connecting with your body through movement during times of stress is another key tool for pulling the attention away from your head and onto what is present and physical. 

Memorize Some Mantras 

This takes us back to tools one and two. When we are dealing with feelings of stress or anxiety, the reason we can feel increasingly overwhelmed is based on how we process our thoughts and what we do with them. Unfortunately, there is no magic cure for stress. It’s a part of life we are all going to face, and it can sometimes even be used as motivation for success. Stress is inevitable, so it’s how we choose to use the stress that matters. 

It may sound cliche, but we’ve all heard the success stories that come from those who say daily declarations. There’s a reason for this. After evaluating where the root of your stress is coming from, it’s key to take inventory of these thoughts and know how to turn them into something good. I am a big journaler, to-do list maker, write-it-down type of person. Once I’ve mentally processed what my stress is about, written down the root factors, and established a game plan for how to move forward in order to be productive and mindful, I have to offset any lies with truth. In a work environment, I may find myself getting stressed about a deadline, but the stress becomes overwhelming when the root of this stress is really about my fear of failure and imperfection. Once I’ve acknowledged this, I write it down and write a replacement thought next to it. “I am not a failure. I am skilled at my job and in this role for a purpose.” Or, “I have the ability to get this task done, and I am capable of doing it with excellence.” 

These are some of my truths. If you need help thinking of some, maybe talk out your stressors with trusted friends, family, or a counselor and think of some opposing phrases that can be your truths to combat anxious thinking. 

Stress is inevitable, but what we do with the stress is one of the most powerful things we can do. Explore what works best for your mind and your body. Talk through it with people in your circle you trust. 

If you are experiencing an increasing amount of negative thoughts and feelings of anxiety or depression and would like mental help, please reach out to speak to a licensed therapist. 

SAMHSA which has a free, national helpline (1-800-662-HELP (4357)) will be able to support you through some next steps. Or contact your doctor and schedule an appointment to see if you are in need of any medical assistance. 

If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis–where they are presenting themselves as a danger to themself or somebody else–then please call 911 or your local emergency hotline number. If you are in NYC, you can visit NYC Well for free, confidential crisis counseling, or call 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355).