What I Learned from Trying to Heal My Stress
Jessica reflects on a month of experimenting with stress-reduction tools. By journaling daily stress levels and practicing box breathing and the 4-7-8 technique, she shares why stress isn’t something you “fix,” it’s something you tend—day by day. The big takeaway: consistency > perfection.
Key takeaways
- Stress care is ongoing tending, not a one-time fix.
- Micro-practices work: even 5 minutes can reset your day.
- Keep experimenting; consistency beats perfection.
Try this
- Box Breathing (4x4x4x4): Inhale 4 • Hold 4 • Exhale 4 • Hold 4 (repeat 3–5 rounds).
- 4-7-8 Breath (for sleep): Inhale 4 • Hold 7 • Exhale 8 (repeat up to 4 rounds).
Chapters:
00:00 — Welcome & Context
October theme recap and why this reflection episode matters.
00:20 — What the Data Said
Daily journaling + 1–10 stress ratings; noticing spikes without obvious triggers.
01:05 — Mindset Shift
“Stress isn’t something we fix—it’s something we tend.”
01:35 — Tools That Helped
Box breathing for shoulder tension resets; 4-7-8 for falling asleep.
02:20 — Consistency > Perfection
Five minutes of presence can change the day.
02:45 — Reflection Prompt for You
“What’s one experiment that helped you stress a little less this month?”
03:05 — Stay Connected & Next Steps
Share your experiment; newsletter invite; how to reach Jessica.
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingismyhobby/
Transcript
Hi friends, I'm Jessica Colarco and welcome back to Healing Is My Hobby. This month we've been talking about
how it shows up in our minds and our bodies and what it takes to truly heal from it. Since all of our October episodes dropped earlier this month, I wanted to pause and reflect on what I actually learned.
from trying to heal my own stress.
over the past few weeks I journaled every day and rated my stress on a scale of one to 10. Some days I felt centered and calm, other days it spiked for no obvious reason. But the biggest lesson was that stress isn't something that we fix. It's something we tend to.
Meditation wasn't perfect for me every day, but box breathing helped me reset when I noticed my shoulders tensing.
I also engaged in the 478 breathing technique when I was having trouble falling asleep. I learned that consistency matters more than perfection. Even five minutes of presence can change my whole day.
Take a moment right now to ask yourself, what's one thing I've experimented with this month that has helped me stress a little less? Remember, healing is practice, not performance. I'd love to hear from you. Share your favorite stress relief experiment with me on Instagram at Healing Is My Hobby I love hearing what's working for you.
can email me info at healingismyhobby.com. You can check me out on YouTube. And as always, when you go to healingismyhobby.com, you can sign up for the newsletter to stay in the loop on what's going on.
