Regularly reflecting on your emotions will aid your ability to recognize indicators of stress, and as we have learned, identifying and labeling your emotions will help you manage them. This, in turn, will help you to regulate your emotions during stressful periods.

At the end of each day, take a few minutes to reflect on any stressful moments you experienced or anticipated by using the journal below. Record what happened, how your body reacted, what strategies you used to manage stress, and how effective they were. Complete the daily sections each day for one week, and at the end of the week, review your entries to identify patterns, such as which situations caused the most stress, how your body responded, and which strategies were most helpful.

End-of-Week Reflection

1. What situations stressed me most this week?

    

2. How did my body react to stress?

    

3. Which strategies helped reduce my stress?

    

4. What patterns do I notice about my stress and responses?