We all get stressed from time to time, and some times are worse than others. In this episode Shannon and Janine discuss some stress-relief techniques, as well as some ideas for keeping stress levels low.

Discussion topics include:

• Janine's litany of things that are stressing her out right now

• Shannon's husband's recent surgery and its resulting stress

• How we feel stress in our bodies

• Chronic vs acute stress

• The terrific talk on stress relief that Janine heard from Kathy Willis of Lewis and Clark Community College

• Kathy's Stay or Go stress assessment tool

• The power of recognizing those things you can change and those you can't

• The physiological changes in your body created by stress and relieved by breathing

• Kathy's breathing-while-counting technique

• The importance of hydration, healthy eating and a good night's sleep for relieving stress

• Another stress reliever: Moving your body

• Becoming aware of the stressors in your life and changing the way they affect you

• The value of talking or writing about the things that stress you

• Releasing yourself from perfectionism and being kind to yourself in order to lower your general stress levels

• How keeping your stress levels low makes it easier to handle acute stressors

• Recognizing that you do have a choice about things that stress you and letting that recognition relieve some of the stress