Everyone experiences stress once in a while. Raising children, work, school, pregnancy, marriage, family; any one of these things can, and often do, lead to stress. Luckily there are safe and healthy ways to alleviate stress. Here are my favorite methods for getting through those inevitable stressful situations.
Take a bath-
Light some candles, put on some soothing music, add some bubble bath and pour yourself a glass of wine or grape juice (for non-drinkers). This method has always proven to relieve tension for me. A long soak in a nice hot bath not only helps relax me and puts me in a better mood, it’s also a great pain reliever. Some stressful situations can lead to body aches and a pounding headache and a warm bath is a great replacement to the more traditional pain relieving capsule.
Take a walk-
Being able to think things through is often all you need to make your stress level go down. Even if it’s just a short walk around the block, the exercise and fresh air can prove to be very helpful. This is an ideal method for the spring, summer and fall months. The cool and warm weather is more pleasant to walk around in and the smell of flowers blooming and birds chirping in the spring and summer is a sure mood booster.
Talk about it-
Sit down with your mate over a cup of coffee at the kitchen table; call up your best friend or close sibling; drop by your parents house for a quick chat. No matter who you decide to talk to, you’ll feel better in the end for having gotten it off of your chest.
A great comedy can put anyone in a good mood. Head to your local Blockbuster store and pick up your favorite Jim Carrey or Will Farrell flick. Spend an hour with one of these guys and you’ll forget all about your stressful day.
Write-
This is the one thing that has always helped me through a stressful time. Writing in a diary or just writing when you’re feeling down is a lifesaver when it comes to dealing with stress. Once you put your feelings and thoughts on paper, you’ll feel like a great weight has been lifted off your shoulders.
Play with your kids-
Any parent knows that a child’s laughter can shine hope and happiness onto the darkest of situations. Take your kids (or if you don’t have kids, your niece or nephew, cousin, friends kids, etc) on a fun outing to the park or zoo. Play hopscotch in the driveway. Set up a board game at the kitchen table. Or just get down on the floor and go wild. Doing something childish will bring you back to the days when you didn’t have much to worry about other than boo-boo’s and getting yelled at by your parents.
