3 Ways to Retrain Your Brain to Reduce Stress
You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who'd argue that they want to experience more stress. However, it's often difficult for many people to reduce their stress levels. It can be futile to try to eradicate stress entirely as well as counterintuitive, as stress can be good. However, a brain fixated on stress isn't of much use. If you want to retrain your brain to reduce stress, these three methods will definitely help.
Cognitive Reframing
One way to not get stressed is to avoid stressful situations. However, that's beyond wishful thinking, as stressful situations are inevitable, and the more you try to avoid them, the worse they may become. Sometimes, the stress is not actually coming from the situations themselves. It's usually how we're viewing them. Cognitive reframing involves looking at a stressful situation from a different angle and seeing how you might be exaggerating a problem or avoiding a solution. Instead of just seeing what's bad about the situation, you look on the bright side, no matter how dim it might be.
Neurofeedback Therapy
Have you ever wondered why you think the way you do? Our brains are so fascinating, and we've barely scratched the surface in terms of understanding about its capabilities. Neurofeedback therapy provides insight on how the brain processes information, how decisions are being made, and where breakdowns are happening. In a session, you can get a better sense of your brain and what makes it tick. Should there be any alarming trends, you can work to retrain your brain for better functionality. You might think that you're stuck in a certain mindset for the rest of your life, but that is by no means the case.
Mindfulness
Stress is exacerbated by living in the past and future. This isn't time travel but an unwillingness to accept the present. Mindfulness is the act of keeping the mind fixated on the present moment. This has been shown to dramatically reduce stress and lead to happier and healthier people. It starts with putting your attention on a constant, like the rise and fall of breath. With enough practice, you can instinctually shift into mindfulness whenever stress arises.
The less you identify with stress, the more freedom you can find. You can recognize stress, but you can avoid being controlled by it. Stress isn't inherently bad, but it can be a problem when we let it run amok. Do your best to confront stress and see how much better it makes you feel.
For other ways to retrain your brain and reduce stress, individual counseling can help!
