Are you aware that April is National Stress Awareness Month? Well, now you do! 🙂 Therefore, I’m joining the wonderful #fitnessfriday movement to talk managing stress.
Stress, be it good or bad, impact us daily. A little stress is good because it keeps us driven and motivated whereas excessive stress causes health problems, hair thinning, hair breakage, anxiety and depression. Stress management is near and dear to my heart because I stay battling stress. This post is challenging me to look at my life and find ways to de-stress.
Scheduling: Many of us keep hectic schedules and spread ourselves way too thin. We’re always connected to the internet; cell phone always in hand; always readily available to work, friends and/or family with never taking a personal time out to de-stress and unwind. I’m guilty of all of this. Therefore, I will get organized, prioritize tasks and set designated times in which I reply to text messages, emails and social media. This will give me my personal time {which I desperately need}.
Health: I’m working long hours so I’ve been skipping workouts {my clothes can sure tell it too}. Working out helps me to face the day with a positive outlook. I look in the mirror and see something I like. When I don’t work out, I become obsessed with the million imperfections staring back at me. Therefore, I will make time for workouts regardless of my work schedule.
Life: If I let my stress get out of hand, out of nowhere, my heart will start pounding, I will suddenly feel hot and faint, my breathing speeds up and becomes labored and panic fills my body. Exercise and deep breathing are ways to overcome the few moments that feels like a few hours. Therefore, I will resume deep breathing exercises which calms the body and feelings of anxiousness.
Connecting: I am the go-to person for those around me and I just don’t have the energy to share what I’m going through after listening to their issues. Instead, I’ll pretend life is ok and treating me kind even when it’s not. I will resume journaling as a way to express my thoughts and release my mind.
No More Dumping: I have struggled with this area for quite sometime since I’m a spiritual person. I often feel my purpose is helping others seeing how people gravitate to me and share their struggles. I want to fulfill my purpose and mentor others but some people never have a good day no matter what, all they do is complain and refuse to seek help. I started cutting ties with toxic people by keeping my mouth closed and keeping conversations short. This step has been a mental and emotional pay raise!!
Other: Crocheting is an awesome stress reliever as it keeps the hands and mind engaged and free from worry. I don’t get massages often but I will start treating myself more as it’s a wonderful stress reliever!
What do you do to de-stress?
#fitnessfriday hosts: SavingOurStrands, Lexi with the Curls, The Pinnacle Blog, Longing4Length and Ok, Dani!
I decrease my stress level by working out or taking a nap. However, when life gets too overwhelming, then I know it is time to make to-do lists and prioritize. #FitnessFriday
Agreed!!!
What type of exercises you like best? I love weight lifting?
I go on a very nice run to help destress. I always feel better afterwards.
I have horrible shins so I don’t do much running but a good game of basketball really frees my mind.
Some stress is unavoidable. I try to destress through the foods I eat and watching my health. My husband and daughter who are still at home drive me crazy. My husband especially is very, very stress inducing because he has Aspergers and so can tax my last nerves.
Anyone who is really stressed should get their blood pressure checked periodically.
I was told that the sum of the systolic (top number) and the diastolic (bottom number) should be below (just add the numbers together) that is OPTIMAL blood pressure.
If you have a top number over 140 or a bottom number over 80 (or together they both = over 210, you should think about having a health professional check you .
I have my own pressure cuffs both electronic and manual so I try to keep an eye on my blood pressure.
Stress increases blood pressure which can lead to heart attack or stroke. Since I am very holistic, I try to do things to decrease my stress level and blood pressure by staying away from peppermint (which can raise blood pressure).
I eat beets and beet tops which are known to lower blood pressure. I also drink Herbal Aloe Force juice which also works to lower blood pressure .
Deep breathing helps. I used to walk to destress but a knee injury sort of messed that (and my weight) up for me. I try to walk away from too much stress but some is unavoidable unless I cut myself off from certain people (including relatives).
I am also the go to person in my family for everything from personal issues, to education advice to marital issues and it is a bit wearing. I try to turn it all over to God but you are right, sometimes you have to step back and let some things go.
My activity to help relieve stress is to NOT TALK, put on some Jazz or Classical music and work a nice, long jigsaw puzzle. Artifact puzzles are my favorite.
There is something about puzzles that not only calm me down, they help me to think things through.
Sometimes we are in a dysfunctional dynamic where people we know and love cannot rest until/unless they can push our buttons. I have had to say long term (in terms of years) goodbyes to several people not because they were so bad , more so that we just did not gel and they “vexed my spirit”
The funny thing is, the more I try to separate, they more they panic and demand to be a part of my life even creating crisis (subconciously?) so that they then need to call me for help.
Just last year, we had a suicide attempt, another person needed hospitalization for a break down, some needed money, some were having school trouble..some were fighting and wanted me to referee. This year started with a death and then continued in that vein.
Lots of stress and the funny thing is–if WE don’t put the brakes on, people will ride you into the ground. I try to know my own limits and if need be, just take off and leave for a bit. It makes everyone else crazy, but I buried my baby sister in 2013 due to stroke… I’d like to NOT go out that way, especially not due to other people’s bullshit.
Someone at work has a grandson with Aspergers and oh the stories. Her grandson has social awkwardness. I’ve never been around him but it seems a lot to deal with at times.
My main source of stress is unavoidable — my husband’s health (cancer survivor). I pray and (try to) leave it alone but every year when his appointments come around, I got a knot in my stomach, a lump in my throat, acne breakouts and my stress just spikes. He had one appointment this week and he’ll have another in a few months.
I do good with managing work stress. I have a great work / life balance and don’t let things get to me.
What type of knee injury did you have? I tore my ACL playing basketball. I have bum shins now so I don’t do much running.
A few years ago, an employee committed suicide (at home) — that was stressful!
Great post!!! I totally agree with connecting…I tend to disengage when I’m stressed or upset and I’ve forced myself not to do that because my loved ones are my destressors!
TY! Ya know, my stress is usually about my loved ones so I have to find different avenues to destress. I tend to take on everyone’s issues when I need not.
I like to sleep it off, go out for a drink or dinner or take a trip to the beach.
I am a self proclaimed insomniac so I don’t do much cat napping. I tend to want to clean when stressed. How cray is that.
I love mental raises! Some people just drain you out, but sometimes they just need someone who will listen.
It’s such a catch 22!
Why is it that the toxicity from toxic people can be so catchy? I struggle with them so much.