Tips for handling stress and personal wellbeing

Let’s face it, life can be a rollercoaster at times. As parents to four young children and the owners of two property companies, Alice and Caleb Pearson understand more than most the pressures of a hectic lifestyle.

Together they’ve developed tried and tested ways to ensure they’re in the best place possible to manage life’s tough times. While Alice has a list of mental health practices she turns to every day to keep her on an even keel, Caleb’s go-to stress-buster is getting outside and going for a run.

“Just go for a run!” Alice will say if she can see Caleb is having a tough day.

“Running allows me to take some time for myself in the fresh air to actually think things through, process them and shift my perspective if I need to,” says Caleb. “After a run, often I've kind of cleared my head so I come back feeling refreshed and re-energised.”

Alice, meanwhile, incorporates wellness into her everyday life in several different ways. Firstly, she’s careful to be kind to herself, trying to ensure her inner voice is not negative.

“I’ve learnt that when I have thoughts like ‘I'm not good enough’ or ‘I'm not doing this well’, to talk to myself like I would a friend. To be encouraging and to have a lot of grace, and to understand that how we talk to the people that we love is how we should talk to ourselves.”

She also works hard to manage her expectations, keeping them in check so she’s not disappointed in an outcome. Gratitude is also a big part of her life – each night in bed she’ll list the things she’s thankful for.

“The benefit of gratitude is that it keeps your perspective healthy and it allows you to see the good in every situation.”

Alice is also committed to open communication with Caleb, so they always know how the other is feeling. 

“So the more that we communicate, the more we know one another, the more trust is built, and the happier we are.”

And as a couple, they do everything they can to support each other.

“Often it’s just making sure the other knows that you’re here for them in those difficult times. It’s lifting them up and showing kindness.”

And lastly, Alice finds it incredibly helpful to acknowledge and remind herself that life has seasons, that everything happens for a period of time, and nothing lasts forever.

“This is particularly helpful if you’re in a season that’s hard and challenging. You can speak to that situation and say, ‘This is a season, it’s got a beginning, but it actually will have an end’. So winter is cold and dark. The good thing about it though is that it comes to an end and there’s something different in the next season.”