You know that feeling you get when that thing you’ve been stressing over finally resolves? That instant relaxation you feel in your shoulders and chest, like a massive weight has been lifted.

Isn’t it just the best feeling? (I mean, there are better feelings, but after a period of stress, that feeling is arguably da best!)

But it doesn’t seem to happen too often now, does it, mama?

We have so many things to stress about that most of what we stress over will probably never be lifted off our shoulders. Like how we’ll always worry and stress over our children’s safety and well-being. Always.

What if I told you that right now, I could help you release some of that weight you’ve been carrying?

Would you want to know how?

Well, mama, if your looking for an easy way to reduce stress, this post will outline four hidden sources of stress that you should avoid (like I do) and, after you’ve done some avoiding of these, you’ll most likely feel much, much lighter.

Avoiding these four things has helped me significantly drop my stress and anxiety levels so that I can spend more energy focusing on my health and well-being.

Are you ready to release some stress? Alright, then let’s go.

1. Avoid consuming news before bedtime

Winding down before bed should be a peaceful experience (bedtime tantrums aside). The last thing (I mean LAST thing) you should do is watch the news. The fear, panic and anxiety it produces will flood your system with cortisol, the stress hormone responsible for increasing your adrenaline so that you can run from danger. Instead of consuming news, you’ll want to do things that bring down your stress levels (meditation, bedtime yoga, coloring, etc.). It’s better to just catch up on the news during a different time of your day. Or, you can do what I do and take it a step further by checking up on the latest stories about twice a week (if that!).

2. Unfollow friends who’s posts always stress you out

I know you know what kinds of posts I’m talking about here, so I won’t give any examples. You know your triggers. Now it’s time to actually do something about it. Here’s the best part: You don’t have to unfriend someone from Facebook just because they post stressful stuff.

If you don’t want to see their posts in your newsfeed anymore but you still want to remain friends, just go to their profile and Unfollow them (see pictures below to learn how). After you do this, your newsfeed will be cleaner, more positive and less stress provoking.

3. Avoid burnout by saying no to stressful things

Do not over think this: What are you saying yes to that you really should probably be saying no to? I’m talking about taking an honest look at what you do everyday and noticing when you feel stressed out the most. Is it that trip to the grocery store with your crying baby? Or is housework stressing you out? Think about all the things you are responsible for and see what you can do away with or delegate to others.

I stopped doing my own grocery shopping two years ago. For me, it is totally worth the $5 fee to have someone else walk around a crowded market (using services like Target Drive-Up or Instacart). It’s a HUGE weight off my shoulders.

Also, think about your commitments. Are any of those stressing you the f out? Is there a way that you can cut back or reduce them to allow for more breathing room? Remember, this is about creating an intentional life that will support your desire for more peace (versus feeling like your life is spinning out of control).

4. Avoid energy vampires

As an empath, I have to be mindful – extremely mindful – of the types of people I surround myself with. In my world, the term energy vampire is used to describe a person who will suck the energy out of me. Think of it as if I were a tall glass of water. Someone who is an energy vampire will want to drink all my water from my glass, leaving me empty.

Do you have people in your life who tend to take, and take, and take, from your full cup and never attempt to help you fill it? Whatever that relationship is, avoiding them all together or minimizing contact with those individuals is in your best interest. Right now, as someone who wants to master stress, you’re focusing on keeping your cup from drying out so that you can be the best mom possible to your kiddos. Energy vampires are not your peoples.

Remember: You can’t avoid all stresses.

Here’s a quick recap of the four hidden sources of stress that you can easily avoid:

1. Avoid consuming news before bed.
2. Unfollow friends who’s posts always stress you out.
3. Avoid burnout by saying no to stressful things.
4. And avoid energy vampires.

Remember that you’re never going to fully be able to cut out all the stress that is thrown at you on a daily basis, but by making a conscious effort to avoid the ones I’ve listed here, you’ll be well on your way towards creating a life that’s significantly less stressful.

So start avoiding these things TODAY and see how it makes you feel. Not everyone is equally affected by the same stressors, so there might be some things not on this list that you should also avoid.

Regardless whether you think one of these four hidden stresses is harming you or not, I highly encourage you to commit to avoiding the stuff I’ve listed here for a period of time. Try it for a few days or weeks. If anything, it will be a nice detox if you can’t commit to permanently making these changes.

And I’d love for you to report back to me how this exercise worked (or didn’t work) for helping you reduce stress!

Love & light,

Let’s discuss!

What sorts of life stresses do you intentionally avoid? How has your life changed as a result?