Who in this world does not want to know how to successfully cope with stress? I am quite positive that nobody in this world enjoys feeling stressed out all the time. I don't think there is anybody who would like to feel frazzled, overwhelmed and drained. But in this hectic society that we are living in, stress has become a normal part of most, if not all of our lives. Everyday, everybody handles their own share of deadlines, annoyances and pressure--office workers, health workers, students and even housewives.

Regardless of what you do, there is just no way that you can entirely steer clear of stress; what you can only do is lower it to healthy levels.

If you think you could use some suggestions on how to keep your stress levels down, then you would find the R-E-L-A-X technique of coping with stress really valuable.

R- Recognize. Recognize the presence of stress in your life. This is your first step towards managing stress effectively. If you do not take this step, you will never be able to free yourself from the bonds of stress. Along with recognizing that you are stressed, you also have to recognize which things are actually causing you stress. Doing this will enable you to find specific antidotes to each stressor.

E- Exercise. Exercise to divert your thoughts from stress and relinquish negative emotions associated with it. It is well known and understood that exercise is an essential element in keeping a person physically healthy. But, not a lot of people are aware of the fact that exercise also plays a vital role in a person's mental and emotional health. Exercise has the ability to naturally relieve stress. Try exercising when you are feeling particularly stressed and you will see how relieving it can be.

L - Letting Go. Letting go of things that are beyond your control. Many of the things that are stressing people out are actually things which are beyond their control or things which have already happened. For example, long waiting lines, bad weather, jammed traffic and deadlines which have not been met. Take a look at all the things that are causing stress in your life and let go of those pointless stressors. Learn to accept that things will not always happen according to your plan and be open to failures.

A - Attitude. Your attitude is a powerful sentiment. It affects every part of your life--self-image, relationships, business, and even your health. So having a negative attitude won't do you any good. You should view failures and obstacles as important elements of the success that is yet to come. Give your best in everything but know your capabilities and limits. Know your weak spots and ask help from other people whenever necessary. Often times, our stress comes from the fact that we push our boundaries too far and fail to ask help from others.

X- Xtra sleep. Sleep is a crucial part of everybody's life. It is just as vital as physical activity, nutrition and other vital activities in life. You should give it utmost importance. Sleep serves as the fuel of your mind and body. If you do not get enough sleep, you are likely to feel tired very easily and won't be able to adequately conquer the challenges that life will throw your way. So make sure you do not deprive yourself of enough sleep everyday.

Other than the fact that stress makes us feel terrible, it also has also been revealed to give rise to the development of various mental and physical problems. Even though stress in moderate amounts can help push you to do your best, being constantly stressed out can have dangerous effects to your mind and body. If you want to entirely rid yourself of stress, then you are aiming for the impossible. A more realistic objective would be to keep stress within healthy levels.

Would you like to know more about stress management and other self-help related subjects? This post on coping with stress will be helpful for you.