How to Handle Stress When Life Feels Hard?

Remember to Laugh—At Yourself.

Here’s a question from Kim—

"I keep finding myself overwhelmed when life throws curveball. How do I stop the spiral and get back to feeling grounded?"

It's true. Life can be tough. Sometimes being in open acceptance of life is easier said than done.

Align Your Inner Truth

The next time life happens, remember the 4 R's of Realignment, the OAM way.

The 4 R’s of Realignment

These steps will help you meet those tough moments with self-acceptance, kindness and grace:

1. Recognize

When overwhelm hits, the first step is to stop and recognize it.

Stop what you’re doing—seriously.

Take a moment to notice what’s happening inside you.

• Are you feeling tightness in your chest?
• Is your mind racing with worst-case scenarios?

By recognizing the signs of stress in your body and mind, you interrupt the pattern before it takes over.

Why? 

Because awareness gives you a choice.

2. R — Reflect

Now that you’ve paused, ask yourself:

• What’s actually triggering my stress right now?
• Is it an agreement with love?

• Or is it the fear of disappointing someone?
• The feeling that you’re not enough?
• Or simply that life isn’t going as planned?

Reflection helps you bring clarity to the situation, to listen and see things another way. Because when you see the root cause clearly, you begin to take your power back from the chaos of the Trickster within.

3. R — Reset

Next, it’s time to reset yourself.

Begin again. 

This step is all going back to zero—checking in to align your system with the peace and calm within.

I like to call it your baseline. 

How? 

Ask yourself—what can I learn from this?

This takes you out of the World of Fear (effect) and places you back in the World of Love—by accepting your responsibility as the cause of your life. 

Alignment is a 2 step process: 

1. Mental (use your head to be quiet and listen to your heart) 

2. Physical (action—from your heart)

You could do things like: 

• Take 3 deep diaphragmatic breaths
• Drink a big glass of clean water.
• Connect your feet to the earth
• Ground yourself with fresh air
• Listen to the sounds of your environment

These small actions help your nervous system shift from fight-or-flight (fear) to love, peace and presence.

4. R — Respond

Finally, respond to the moment with intention.

Instead of staying stuck in the problem, do something to accept the end of something and start again. 

1. Ask yourself: what do I need right now?
2. Listen to the answer

Listen to your heart, by quietening your head.

This step isn’t about fixing everything—it’s about meeting yourself with love and kindness, while listening to your heart and moving forward one small step at a time.

That’s it!

The 4 R’s of Realignment help you shift from the ego's tricks and chaos—to calm, peace and love, not just when life is "going well", but especially in moments when stress arises.

Now it’s your turn:

→ What’s your go-to reset?

Breathing, water, or something else?

Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for the question, Kim. 

"Let’s leads with love—starting with ourselves.”

*And remember to laugh. Change is a decision away.

Much love,

Renier Jooste

Open Acceptance Method (OAM) Founder, Certified Master NLP & Hypnotherapy Practitioner, Firewalking & Breathwork Instructor, Strategic Intervention Specialist, Body Language & Micro-Expression Expert, Human Behaviour Specialist, Core Human Needs Therapy Practitioner and Reiki Level 2 Practitioner

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