Stress helpers

We, women (men too) live with stress. Our lives are bombarded by stressful things and situations; family problems, work pressure, relationship issues, even problems that are not our own and have nothing to with us gives us tension. It’s because we have a natural tendency to care, help and be part of the solution, again, even when there’s really nothing we can do about it.

Here are some things I do that I find helpful when dealing with stress, depression or anything that makes me agitated:

Prayer – Nothing like knowing God is there, listening, knowing what’s happening. Just having a Mighty friend to talk to, to whom we can completely trust is very helpful. Talk it out with HIM, whether silently or with audible words (just make sure no one else hears you). Pour your heart out, bawl it out. HE answers even through HIS WORDS (The Bible).

Cleaning – Yes. Changing the bedspread, scrubbing the floor, sorting out your closet/wardrobe, throw out old stuff you don’t need anymore or give them to the poor, re-arrange your furniture, being busy and productive helps relieve stress. Release tension through moving around.

Do a hobby – if you don’t have a hobby yet, get one. It’s therapeutic. I paint and usually when stressed, I don’t want to paint but once I start my mind gets all caught up in it, in giving it my best and finishing it. Once it’s done I feel better that I’ve accomplished something and feels more confident to face whatever it is I have to deal with.

Exercise! – Do NOT take it out on food! You just get stuffed, it doesn’t help any. You gain weight and you feel worse than before. I know that when we’re upset, we just don’t want to do anything but be lazy, lay in bed and get all emotional. Ok, you can cry it out BUT not forever! I find doing my dumbbells help. I don’t know how but it does.

Go out (alone or with company) – This I can’t do by myself but I recommend it to those who can. Go out and hang out with friends, positive friends or just by yourself. Have a pizza! Shop! Treat yourself to something. I know, many married women want to and deserve to (I mean, after all that looking after the husband and children, got to have time for self too and get away from the dishes and dirty clothes).
If you’re single and kind of a loner, sometimes hibernation helps. Some people deal with stress best when alone. I’m like that. I recover faster when dealing with stress alone and involving very few people in it.

Blog it! – Write your stress down. Express it on paper or vlog. Make a video. I watched a few videos of depressed women last week. One was crying in a vlog. Her 71/2 years of marriage ended and based from what she told. She went to a foreign land with her husband and lived there and now that it’s ended, her husband asked her to move out and she had nowhere to go, no relatives in there, friends, so she turned to blogging and made friends on the net. She got responses from other women who are going thru the same thing. She made a series of vlogs but now, months after, she seems to have adjusted and gotten better.

Have a Kitkat – Yes, a chocolate bar. Chocolates cause endorphin releases in the brain (Endorphin gives the feeling of happiness). In short it forces you to be happy. Coerced happiness in this case won’t be so bad. I saved this one for last because it’s fattening. So indulge only when you’re really so, so stressed out. Otherwise watch it.

You see, I’m very stressed right now and applied the 6 methods above except the Kitkat but no worries, I’ve a feeling I’ll get to that one soon.

Comments

Clever Elsie said…
Wonderful suggestions! Here's another: Put on some music. I find that music is the fastest mood altering non-drug I know! Works like a charm for me every time.