Module 3: Anxiety and Stress

Think of the last time something that made you feel bad, nervous, or worried. What did you do? What made you feel better? When something happens that makes you feel bad, nervous, or worried, what do you usually do that helps you the most? What do you do that doesn’t help much, but you do it anyway?

Now think about the three things that stress you out the most and write them down. Think about and write down what you could do to feel better and lower your Stress Scale when you are in this situation!

Exercising as a family is a great way to stay in shape and help manage stress. Even just 15 minutes of running or walking a day can make a big difference in both physical and mental health. Exercising helps to release endorphins that make you feel better and energized. According to a study by the American Psychology Association, 37% of teens say they exercise specifically for stress relief. Try activities that the whole family can participate in, such as going for a walk, hike or bike ride.

In our fast-paced world, even young people need to take some time to slow down and self-reflect. Meditating as a family is a great way to take a breath and spend quality time together. Meditation can look different for each person, and many studies have shown its benefits for mental health and stress-relief, according to Mental Health America. Find a quiet corner or area in your home and design it specifically for meditation practice by keeping it clean and away from home clutter. Creating a family meditation space at home can be beneficial as it can keep that space reserved as a place for all family members to relax and clear their heads.

Being outdoors, in general, helps to alleviate stress and anxiety, but participating in a family activity such as gardening can help even more. In a study conducted in the Netherlands, participants reported being in a better mood after gardening and showed lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Not only is gardening a fun family activity, it can bring about other healthy habits such as healthy eating if your family plans on growing their own fruits and vegetables. These steps toward a healthier lifestyle in both hobby and diet can lead to reductions in stress and anxiety for families.

While physical activity has shown many positive results when it comes to stress-relief, taking on creative and mental activities as a family can also help with managing stress and anxiety. A family art project, even something as simple as a scrapbook or making a collage, is a great way to bring your family together and focus on making something creative and meaningful.

Reading is a great way to combat stress. According to a study by the University of Sussex, reading for only six minutes can reduce stress levels up to 68%!  Getting your child to enjoy reading may seem like a difficult task but reading with them can help encourage them to enjoy the activity. Consider starting a family book club and decide together what books you can read. Reading is a great individual activity but can also turn into a meaningful family discussion.

You have heard more than once that you must “enjoy life’s simple pleasures,” which may seem a bit trite. However, we are swayed by research that says actively savoring the good things that happen in our life — no matter how small — can indeed drive more happiness, both in the moment and in the long run.

What is savoring? Savoring is more than pleasure. It means having positive feelings while simultaneously focusing awareness on them. Savoring entails deliberately focusing one’s full attention on the present and bringing the whole experience of pleasure into one’s awareness as it is happening, with as many of the senses as possible. Since our minds have an extraordinary ability to remember sights, sounds, tastes, smells and feelings, savoring pleasurable experiences locks away the positive feelings so that we can recall them to evoke positive emotions at a later time.

The next time you feel a big emotion — maybe a wave of pride, or even a flash of anger — slow down. Noticing your reactions can shift your perspective and help you find things to appreciate in every kind of moment, even ones that don’t seem outwardly joyous. Try this savoring practice to build up a habit of noticing the small moments you might otherwise skip over.

In this activity, you will spend 10 minutes writing about a happy, joyful or pleasant event that happened this week. For example, you could write about a good conversation you had with your child about how excited are they about their new school project.

• Write about the people, sounds, physical sensations and sights that you experienced at the time of the event.
• Focus on the positive emotions that you felt during and right after this event.
• Focus on how this event occurred and how you created this situation for yourself.
• Write about anything else that makes you feel good about this event.