We all get stressed, it’s a fact. Either things and/or people stress us out or we just end up stressing ourselves out. Some stress is unavoidable and out of our control, like leaving early for a long journey and getting held up in an hour long traffic jam – how is that your fault? It’s not, so you need to find a way to cope with the stressful situation. Use it as time to reflect on things that have happened recently, or blast the music and sing to your hearts content to some cheesy songs. Other stress that is in your control and avoidable, are situations like a stranger being rude to you and you reacting in a negative way. You don’t know that person, yes THEY were rude so that’s their karma, just quietly forgive their stinking attitude in your non egotistical kind mind and go about your day in your own happy little bubble. Yes, it can be extremely difficult to be the bigger person but the more you practice this, the better you will feel and it will just become a habit – trust me!
Ways that have helped me to combat stress are:
1) Meditation – you can do this anyway you like. Sometimes I sit quietly with my eyes closed for a while, just listening to all the sounds like birds chirping and cars beeping. Other times I may sit in a quiet room and pray. My favourite form of meditation is to write in a journal, it gets everything out of my mind and helps me to switch off. Depending on what I write I either keep it or throw it away (every time I read that sentence it reminds me of that Usher song – you know which one I mean!) but at least it’s out of my mind.
2) Exercise – this one can be hard for some people but it honestly helps. You don’t have to go and join a fancy gym, you can move your body anywhere, even right where you are now. I love long walks no matter if it’s hot, cold or even raining walks just change my mood. Yoga is another favourite, I’m not all bendy and flexible but whatever I can do makes me feel empowered, like I’ve been practising the art of yoga all my life and I love that I’m relying on my own mind and body strength – it makes me feel in control. Even an hour in the gym makes me feel great, ten minutes on a few different machines uplifts my mood and I love leaving the building feeling all sweaty. I enter with my shoulders hunched up to my ears and leave with them slopey (not sure if that’s a word) and relaxed.
3) Music – ditch the TV and put on your favourite music and sing, dance and act silly. Really let go of all your stress and remember what it’s like to be carefree. You’ll work up a sweat and burn some calories in the process.
4) Counselling – I’ve not tried this, well not professionally anyway but I know people who have and it’s helped them a ton and it’s nothing to be or feel embarrassed about, that’s a counsellors job to listen. I know we don’t like to burden our friends and family with our problems but talking to people you trust is a good way to help combat stress and sometimes their input or opinions may help with certain situations.
5) FUCK IT – I hate to curse especially on my blog but sometimes you just have to think of those two little words when there’s absolutely nothing you can do about certain people or situations. You just have to learn to accept that somethings are well and truly out of your control so no matter how much you think about it, cry about it or worry about it, there’s nothing you can do. So in the words of Donnie Brasco “forget about it!”.