Because I’ve been feeling a bit stressed out today, I figured it would be a great time to talk about stress relief strategies. I am not an expert on this, but here’s a few things I do to relieve stress.
- First, but I seldom utilized: eliminate the stressor. A project at work threatening to send you into a nervous breakdown? Maybe it’s time to ask for some help. Or time to find new employment. Friend or Family member got you wound up like a jack-in-the-box? Time to talk to them about what’s bothering you, or to just get a bit of a break. This strategy has its limits. We can’t eliminate everything that stresses us out- my mother-in-law for example.
- Exercise is a great method for relieving stress as well. For me, I am the most relaxed about an hour after my workout. I lift weights so my stress relief strategy includes that. I change my clothes and pump up my ipod to get in the mood. As I work out, I visualize hanging my stressors on the weight I’m lifting. I imagine that as I lift the weight, my stressors are lifted off me and stuck on the weights, not to bother me anymore.
- I also try breathing techniques. I find a calm place to sit, and make myself comfortable. I pull my back straight and my chest up, in order to open my body up for breathing. I then focus on making deep breaths. I try to limit my thoughts to only the act of breathing. I find after about 5 minutes I’m pretty relaxed.
I want to invite you to comment. What stresses you out in general terms? What strategies do you use for relieving that stress you can’t eliminate?
And for more stress relief tips click here!
