My older brother and his wife just moved to Georgia. Upon arriving in Georgia, my brother and sister-in-law surprised me with an appointment with a well known reflexologist. Let me start off by explaining what reflexology is: Reflexology, known as zone therapy, involves the application of pressure to the feet and hands. The idea is that the pressure in pivotal parts of your hands and feet have an effect on other parts of your body. Reflexologists believe blocking of energies can prevent healing. I’m not going to lie, when I went in to see that little viejito, I had an open mind but was also nervous & a little skeptical. I’ve been curious about Reflexology but I had never actually tried it. My advice to you is don’t knock it before you try it. Try everything! In that 2 hour consultation, I felt like my little foot was going to fall off; those pressure points hurt! However, I learned a great deal more about holistic practices and myself. This gentleman made me aware of my subconscious stress levels and sugar cravings. As humans, we try to do the most! As a result, we neglect self care, internalize our problems, and attempt to be super humans. Perhaps we get too caught up in routine, finances, or the stressors that come with a 9am-5:00pm.

Adulting and dealing with stress is something that we all go through. When life throws us these curve balls, we have the power to allow it to take over ourselves, or take control of the situation. Babal’s article couldn’t have stated it any better, “We can eliminate the stress, escape from the stress or change how we respond to stress. There are no stressful situations-only stressful reactions.” (Babal, December 2017) This week, for several reasons, life became heavy and subsequently, I had a nasty ass fever, nausea, and fatigue. You know what that is? THE FLU! Hahaha. I didn’t let these setbacks take over me. I combined the majestic wonders of western medicine and holistic practices into my life. That meant taking my sick ass to work, drinking ginger tea, consuming westen prescribed drugs, and getting lots of rest. I had to recuperate for my Atlanta weekend trip and our company’s fabulous Christmas party. I was playing no games!

There are several ways that you can cope with and manage stressful situations. This is something that we have to be mindful of, because if we do not deal with trauma, obstacles, & other stressors that life throws at us, it will take a toll on your body, mind, and soul. When stress is prolonged it can invite diseases and in extreme cases, it can kill! I don’t want to worry you mi gente. Below, I will list a guide to help you manage stress, stay healthy, and live in harmony. Follow these simple rules and do what makes you happy. What I am asking you to do is not easy, hell, it might even be considered selfish. I am begging you to take that leap of faith and be selfish. Put yourself first once and for all.

Practice Self-Care

Before we dive into this, have you asked yourself if you have forgotten to take care of you, the person who matters most? If you’re thinking that the answer is yes, I encourage you to take a step back and reflect on what really makes you happy. Self-care can mean different things to different people. Common practices include but are not limited to: prayer, meditation, breathing exercises/techniques, physical exercise, dancing, manicures, pedicures, ect. While writing this, I understand that self-care is a privilege, and not everyone has the time, money, or ability to do this. Am I right? I am also conscious that the holidays are extremely hard for some people who do not have loved one’s present in their life. As difficult as it may be, a part of self-care is checking in with your emotions and knowing, it’s okay to not be okay. Channeling those emotions allows us to heal and gives us the power to take care of ourselves. Faith can move mountains when we find ourselves battling these baggages.

“When you change your mind about stress, you can change your body’s response to stress.”

– (McGonigal, 2013)

Don’t let stress control you, you control stress.