stress

A black and white photo of a solitary boat on a lake

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“These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.”
—Najwa Zebian

Stress seems to be a product of modern life, but stress is not new. It has been around for ages and without a way to manage it, stress can be deadly. I can simplify the above quote in the way my mother would have: “Quit making a mountain out of a mole hill!”

How do I de-stress?

Last night I sat and sketched for an hour before bed. Today I plan to finish the story I am writing for Dan’s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge. Monday I had coffee with a friend.

I wish I could say working out in the gym helps me de-stress. Not so much for me. A walk in nature is more likely to do the trick. Music always works, too!

The key is whatever works for you, find time to actually do it!

The meme says “Would you like to meet up in a field of dandelions and just scream? We could get coffee after.”

No questions today. I would love to hear about the tools you use to hold stress at bay. Or drop your favorite de-stressing song in the comments.

Your comments are always welcome.

Day 14

There are days that seem perfect and there are days that seem horrible. In actuality, most days are simply peppered with moments — good or bad — that alter our moods.

Breathable Moments

Today has had some less than perfect moments. It is easy to let stress take residence in those moments but it is important to find a way out.

I know that sounds easy but can be a hard step for some people. It’s hard for me sometimes.

I try to look for breathable moments. Things that snap me back to a sense of calm and clarity.

Gowensville It might be a cloud formation, a flower blooming, or a child lost in play. Today it was the sky and an image I saw of space.

Both remind me of how small we are in this world. And if we are small then our stresses and problems must be relatively small as well.

But sometimes they seem huge.

Breathing

It’s important to recenter. Look around and take in your surroundings. There is so much to observe and take in and appreciate. We are small and while our problems seem insurmountable, they can be small as well. Especially the moments in the day when someone says the wrong thing or treats you unkindly.

Let It Go

My mom used to tell me to “just let it roll off your back”. Sounds good on the surface but sometimes things hurt or sometimes they make you angry. That’s the human condition. We are not perfect and we should not expect perfection in others.

Sometimes we do not live up to our own expectations.

I learned a long time ago that anxiety and stress have a threshold. If you imagine a scale from one to ten, with ten being the worst, you realize that once you hit that peak things will move from a boil to a simmer and eventually, everything will be normal again. It’s learning to recognize when you hit ten and understanding that the worst has passed.

If you’ve had a hard day, try to be easy on yourself. Look around you. Find a peaceful moment.

Then…

Just Breathe.

“Life is the most elegant, beautiful, amazing, and magical thing that you will ever have. Why then do you feel anxious, stressed or hurried? Slow down. Enjoy the magnificence of life by touching a flower, listening to songs, singing with a bird, and dancing with dancing leaves.”
Debasish Mridha