Stress Management in NYC
Let’s face it: Living in New York City can be really hard. 
Most people come here for the arts, the constant din of lively energy, to find success and excitement, and, well, because NY is truly one of the greatest cities on Earth. All that activity and pressure, however, can quickly take a toll if you’re not careful.
Stress management is a part of life in NYC. At the same time, there are real possibilities for actually decreasing your stress so that you don’t have to have yet another thing in your life to manage!
There’s a lot of talk in them media and general health community about self-care, just do yoga, meditate, or get some lavender. While all of these can be, of course, helpful aspects of an overall healthy lifestyle, rarely are they the simple answer that they are often offered as. These suggestions also seem to indicate that the actual stress is not the problem, you just need to learn how to ignore it, er, relax.
People need people. We need space to be heard, guidance to heal, and a holistic mind-body perspective that takes into account how stress affects our whole system. And, we need to reevaluate the role that so much stress plays in our life.
There’s an idea that feeling stressed or overwhelmed is synonymous with success and growth. It isn’t. The only thing that tends to go hand-in-hand with stress is disease. While some amount of stress is inevitable, even necessary, our acceptance of what is healthy is a bit skewed.
A better work-life balance, refocusing on what is most meaningful in life (hint: it usually is not your job), and discovering truly joyful activities can help us decrease, rather than just manage, stress.
Something that many people seem to be surprised by?
YOU CAN STILL BE SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE LESS STRESS IN YOUR LIFE!
Yes, it really is true. Granted, there are times and certain demands of some jobs that can’t be changed or escaped. And, you need tools to get through those tough times. But, that shouldn’t be the norm. Too often when 16 hour days, digestive issues, constant heartburn, irritability, and lack of sleep become the norm it’s because the person is perhaps avoiding some deeper issues: feelings of inferiority, past trauma, fears of intimacy or vulnerability, or a history of frequent criticism.
Therapy is about both gaining the tools to help relax the mind and body as well as addressing some of these deeper underlying issues. It’s an opportunity to learn how to feel safe without the stress. Over time, it can be a space to learn how to be comfortable with vulnerability and painful emotions. It’s not the quick fix offered by a 5 minute daily meditation or spritzing some scented oils, but it does pay off.
There’s no need to live a life of constant stress, worry, and bodily breakdown. Most people don’t really want this at all. You just need to give yourself permission to take the risk of letting some of that stress go.
