MICHELLE KEENAN empowers people and organisations to achieve optimal well-being by providing customised wellness coaching programmes tailored to their unique goals.

Having a certain amount of stress in our lives is completely normal, but if it’s overwhelming, then it’s time to make some changes to the things within your control.

Maybe that means adjusting your workload, setting clear boundaries, or asking for support.

But even with all the right things in place, life can still throw curveballs.

We all have moments where it just feels like too much, so when that happens, you can try one of these proven techniques to centre and ground yourself:

• Breathe – properly!
  It might seem ridiculously simple, but a few deep breaths in through your nose, with a long exhale through your mouth, can reset your nervous system, taking you out of fight-or-flight mode and bringing you back into a space of clarity and control.
• Get outside
  Even five minutes in nature can help lower stress hormones. Step outside, feel the sun on your face, listen to the birds, and breathe in some fresh air. If you can take a short walk, even better.
• Use the 3-3-3 technique
  Notice three things you can see, three things you can hear, and three things you can feel in your body. This pauses your racing thoughts and brings your attention back to the present moment. You can do it anywhere, anytime, because nobody else will even know you’re doing it!
• Move your body
  Stretch, dance, go for a walk, or do some star-jumps. It doesn’t matter how you move, just move! Movement helps release built-up tension and stress hormones and gives your mind a chance to reset.

Stress is part of life, but how we respond to it makes all the difference. Keep these tools in your back pocket, and when things feel too much, you’ll know exactly what to do.

• www.michellekeenan.com