Dealing with Stress – Round One

I have been through a lot of stress in the past year, due to family sickness, anxiety over special days, school, work, death, dealing with family addition, and typical day to day stress. As I realized that my anxiety was heightening, I started to put together a list of de-stressors that tended to help, calm the mind, and find solutions or find a few moments of peace of mind.

~ Find a journal – yes, like you really wish to feel like that teenage girl who only writes about the boy who doesn’t notice her after a stressful situation, but it can help to take the time to actually write out your thoughts, feelings, solutions, problems, and just vent.

~ Vent at a friend or mirror – I am lucky to have a friend in my life who lets me just vent or rant, without response. Sometimes just screaming, arguing or just even having an outside voice go off can vent off that excess steam

~ Find a space away from it all – sometimes you cannot book that vacation to get away, so make a space that is just for you! Mine involves a few good video games, a solid drink, lots of cushions and music to block out my thoughts. My friend has one that is a room with just music and a good chair. Another example, my other friend is a room set up with couches for her friends, a hookah, beer fridge and social games. Books.  Movies.  Driving.  Find your escape and block out for an hour.

~Start a hobby – finding something that consumes your mind, body, and leaves you with a creative outlet that can drain away excess emotion. Sometimes, its just that you need something to do to get yourself over the hump!

~ Seek help – not just for yourself, but so you can have an outside voice of experience, wisdom and helpful advice/information that can point you in the right direction, find the right push or just give you the push on the back that you need.

No matter what, you have to keep pushing forward. Yes, time can solve or change all, and the hardest part is waiting for it to get there. But believe me, yes, it can get there. If I can get through all I got through, and still keep smiling, as my boss said ‘I would have cracked under less of what you had to deal with!”. Sometimes you just need the pat on the back that you are doing well.