I’m sure that none of you out there are ever stressed. I bet things always flow smoothly at work, at home, and with the family all the time, right? Ok, ok, I’ll stop with the jokes. Let’s assume many people at any given moment are “stressed out”. Now, that isn’t always bad, in fact some kinds of stress are completely necessary to get us taking action and getting things done. That kind of stress is called eustress. But I’m not talking about that kind; I’m talking about the other kind of stress, the kind that leaves us cranky, anxious, tired, nauseous, hungry, sleepless, etc. A little bit of it? No problem, but chronic stress? No, you owe it to yourself, your health and your family to take care of it. You may not be able to get rid of all the stressors in your life but you can manage the way you react to them. Here are my “Stress Relief Methods” to reduce, or at least take control of, the stress in your life:
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Meditate. This is really difficult for me, I have gone to a guided meditation class before and struggled but I fully recommend people trying it (or continuing if you already do so). However, if you’re not sure about meditating or you don’t think you have time, at least stop for 1-2 minutes and focus on your breathing. That’s easy enough, right? Close your eyes, inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, then exhale for another 4. Rinse and repeat until you feel yourself calming down. I find this tip really helpful in traffic!
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Hit up YouTube or Buzzfeed. Really, any website that has funny pictures or videos will suffice. Remember when you had a good laugh (hopefully not that long ago)? Did you feel stressed out after laughing? Didn’t think so. (“
Baby Girl Laughing at Dog Eating Popcorn” in a personal favorite.)
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Blast some tunes. Remember when you’d crank up the music to pump yourself up for a big date or party in high school? Well, why not do it now? Dance a little if that helps (and it does, I’ve done extensive personal research). You can even go one step further and make yourself a playlist that you play only when you need to distress. For some people this playlist may include Enya or someone else calming, for others, like myself, Europe’s Final Countdown might just be the jam you need to relax and mentally recharge.
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Take the dog for a walk. Not only will the exercise help boost your mood but spending time with pets is great for stress relief! Just make sure to bring a bag along with you or you might end up with, um, a messier situation than you started with.
Don’t like any of these? Give me some of the healthy ways you manage stress - I'm always looking for new ideas!
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No Stress Cloud is Raining on My Parade!