Stress is one of the most common feelings among teens. We all have the pressures of managing school, activities, work, and relationships with friends and family. Here are some tips, that can be used anywhere, to manage your stress.

1. Identify why you are stressed

Overwhelming feelings can lead you to a very narrow mindset. You will get stressed but you may not understand why you feel that way. When you are feeling stressed think about what led to the overwhelming situation you are in. Simply coming to terms with stress can help you calm down.

2. Speak up about how you feel

Simply talking to someone about how you are feeling can drastically change your mood. If you are a person who bottles up emotion it may be hard to speak to someone. Talk to somebody you trust and feel comfortable. If you find you are stressed with a certain person, speak up and tell the other person how you are feeling. They might not realize how their behavior is stressing you out and they can change.

3. Try deep breathing techniques.

Deep breathing is great for calming your body and mind. This is a very useful way to destress because you can breath anywhere. A technique used by many soldiers in the military is box breathing. Box breathing is simple: close your eyes, breath in for four counts, hold your breath for four counts, exhale, and repeat.

4. Listen to your favorite music.

Take a moment to focus on the rhythm and lyrics of the song. If you feel like dancing, do it! Music is an excellent way to distract yourself from whatever stress you are feeling.

5. Draw or Write

Drawing and writing are great ways to relieve stress. Expressing how you feel through art is a fun and healthy way to release negative emotions. Your art and writing is not supposed to look pretty, you are releasing negativity. Do not be ashamed of your work.

These tips have helped multiple people destress and hopefully can help you too!