It’s no secret that selling or buying a house—or simply living through an ongoing global pandemic—can stir up a storm of emotions. Anxiety, fear, frustration, and grief can all rush in like a tidal wave, leaving even the calmest person overwhelmed with stress.
If you’re feeling stressed, here are some helpful tips and coping mechanisms to help get you through.
1. Remember to Breathe
Just taking a few deep breaths when you feel yourself getting wound up can make a major difference! Breathing helps more air to flow into our bodies and facilitates the physical release of tension and stress. It’s pure science. When you feel like your shoulders are up to your ears, practice breathing exercises to help realign the mind and body.
2. Practice Mindful Thinking & Meditation
According to Dan Harris, the New York Times bestselling author of 10% Happier, mindful thinking is “the skill of knowing what’s happening in your head at any given moment without getting carried away by it.” In other words, acknowledging your thoughts in the moment and using this awareness to stabilize your emotions is an effective way to stay grounded. Life is one incredible pitcher that throws us all kinds of curveballs and there’s no way to hit them all! However, we can control our thoughts, and Jay Shetty’s Think Like a Monk is a wonderful read on doing just that.
3. Exercise More
I know this one is obvious but very overlooked! Exercise itself is a meditative act. It requires mental focus and the willpower to stay in motion—whether that’s going for a jog in your favorite park, popping into a candlelight yoga class at Motiv Fitness, or taking the dog for a long walk. Exercise also helps us to produce more endorphins, or “feel-good” chemicals that relieve stress and pain. So if you’re feeling out of sorts, get moving to get your mind into a good place!
4. Sleep Better
This one may be easier said than done, but getting a good night’s rest is paramount to our abilities to manage stress. Sleep is the time when our brains and bodies recharge. Not getting enough quality rest can negatively impact so many things—particularly our moods! If you’re someone who struggles with getting enough rest, here are some tips on how to practice good sleep hygiene and enjoy quality time in la-la land.
5. Eat Well
Stress can really throw our eating habits out of whack. If this is happening to you, be gentle with yourself! Eating is something that naturally gives us pleasure, so it makes sense that we may overdo it when we’re experiencing overwhelming stress—which doesn’t make anyone feel good. So don’t beat yourself up if this is true for you. Just try to incorporate more fresh fruits, vegetables, water and calming teas into your everyday diet.
6. Trust Your Realtor
Whether you are selling or buying, your realtor is there to help you navigate this crazy market! It’s the essential reason why you hired them in the first place. So when your mind starts to wander and worry, trust that your agent has all of the moving parts behind the scenes under control.
