Dealing with failures and disappointments in our everyday life can be hard enough but then having to deal with them in the gym too, can really set us back when trying to reach our goals. Instead of trying to avoid and hide stress, it’s good to learn how to react to it instead and whilst that doesn’t sound very helpful, it is way more powerful than you think! For example if you train for months for a running race and on the day you fall a few minutes short of your goal you could react one of two ways. You could beat yourself up and bring yourself down, doubt your abilities and give up, or you could learn from your mistakes, look at what went wrong and how you can improve for next time. It can be really hard bouncing back from falling short of fitness goals or failing at a diet. However there are tools you can put in place to make you more resilient to stress and setbacks.

Below are 5 strategies you can put in place

Have self-compassion

Simply treat yourself and talk to yourself as you would to a friend or family member. We are our own worst critics and the first to put ourselves down. Be kind to yourself , when doing this the stress hormones like cortisol levels will drop and your feel good hormones like oxytocin will increase instantly making you feel calmer and able to deal with any situation

SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP

Sleep should be high on everyone’s list, especially if you are working towards a fitness goal or are stressed. As when we are tired we tend to make the wrong choices. Being well rested will eliminate these and you will find you day to be more productive.

HAVING THE RIGHT MINDSET

If you continue to think positive you’d be surprised at how much you can move forward through a situation which once looked impossible. By believing you will achieve something is the best way to set yourself up for success.

SWEAT IT OUT

My favourite way to deal with any stress full situation is to work it out, whilst is may not help the situation at hand it will clear your mind or any negative thoughts, fill you with extra energy, and just generally make you feel good.

TAKE MINDFUL BREAKS DURING THE DAY

By taking time out during the day for you is so important especially when you are under a lot of stress This doesn’t have to be long a time either, it could just be 2 minutes where you sit and listen to soothing music or just take some deep breaths. Stretching is also another great way to de-stress.