There have been times in my life when I’ve been under a lot of stress. Ugh, I hate stress! One of the ways I deal with stress is by banging things, like cabinet doors and laundry baskets. This is not good and only tends to damage things!
A much healthier way for me to let off steam and relax is to take a walk. Walking is something I used to do often when I was single and living in DeKalb. I would walk for at least an hour; crisscrossing the quiet streets and looking at old ivy-covered houses. When Lily was first born, I felt a lot of first-time-motherhood stress and was dying to get her outside for walks. But it was November, and of course with my new mom anxiety, I thought it was too cold to take Lily outside when it probably would have been good for both of us!
Sometimes I also use visualization to relax. I tend to get tension headaches after stressful situations, and a few years ago I could count on getting a headache after one of my many doctors’ appointments. Those headaches are just paralyzing! I would take a couple of ibuprofen and lie down on my bed, visualizing the pain leaving my body through my hands and my feet. I do the same sort of thing when I’m really nervous; I shake my hands and let the anxiety drain out through my fingers. My mom taught me this trick; she would use it when she sang solos; and I do the same!
And that brings me to another way I relieve stress–singing! Whether it’s belting out a Dixie Chicks song while I’m cooking dinner or choir rehearsal on Wednesdays, singing always makes me feel better.
Singing with my sisters
But my favorite way to relax is to sit down with a good book. Much of my stress comes from within myself. I can’t stop worrying about things I can’t change. Reading is definitely an escape for me; it helps calm my mind and relaxes my body. I love to read right before I go to bed; reading helps me sleep!
Reading makes me happy!
How do you get stress relief? How do you relax? Share your relaxation tips with us for the Spin Cycle this week!
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