Man oh man, I can’t get warm today!
It has been so cold. I think the high was 50F today. Welcome to fall in Canada!
I had to turn my space heater on at my desk (I refuse to turn on the heat in September!).
A quick note about US Shipping:
We are all set to go for US Shipping, however we are still waiting ever so patiently (ok, not really!) for Canada Post to get our account set up. It will likely be in the next day or two, so please bear with me. I on the other hand, will continue to be impatient. ;)
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Fight Stress Before It Gets The Better Of You!
This morning we learned that stress and our emotions may have an impact on our body’s ability to fight off illness. Yesterday, we also discussed strategies on how to beat negative thinking (and Part 2).
Now I am going to share with you some fabulous tips on fighting stress and increasing feelings of positivity and well-being in your life.
These tips come from:
1) Relax in a way that makes YOU happy
- Research shows that relaxation methods like meditation, hypnosis, yoga, deep breathing, napping, saunas, and just resting quietly are all equally effective (see Druckman & Bjork, 1991). I think there is a common misconception that we have to be doing yoga or meditating to truly feel stress relief. It just isn’t so! I often relieve stress through planning and making a list. Eric relieves stress with napping. I say do whatever works for you and stick with it! Meditation actually drives me nuts and increases my stress, so it is not something I force myself to do anymore (I once did in the past).
2) Escape
- Take your mind of the stress by watching your favourite TV show, listening to music, journaling, cooking, pursuing hobbies, or just day-dreaming! If you are like me, the more you think about the stressful situation the worse it gets. Sometimes you just need to busy your mind with something else and you will be able to see the situation in a new light the next day. I tend to dream about fun things I want to do in the future, like an upcoming vacation, picturing our home renos complete, or dreaming up what colour to paint the bathroom.
3) Visualize
- Stare at an object in the room such as a plant. Close your eyes and visualize the same object. Now open your eyes to confirm your visualization. This form of meditative observation is thought to focus your attention and calm you. I also like to use visualization to imagine myself over-coming the obstacle. When I was nervous about my half marathon, I would picture myself crossing the finish line with my hand in the air!
4) Reframe your stressor
- Find a new way to explain your stressor so that it becomes less stressful. For example, when I was injured I tried to see my injury as an opportunity to engage in other activities I didn’t have time for when I was exercising and training for a race. I tried to view the injury as a free hour each week to do something else I love. I had more time to write, bake, hang out with friends, etc.
5) Laugh
- O’Brien and colleagues found that college students who had to give impromptu speeches had heart rates of 100 beats per minute while they were speaking, but those who watched an episode of Seinfeld beforehand performed with heart rates of just 80-95 bpm.
6) Get a Pet
- Handling pets is a great stress relief and is why many hospitals and nursing homes now permit special pets for patients. Every time I watch Sketchie sleeping or I pet him, I instantly feel my stress dissipate.
7) Exercise!
- Do I really need to explain why? Just get out there for a simple walk if you are feeling frazzled. Most likely you will come back refreshed and with a newer, more positive outlook on things. Even just 10 minutes of exercise is said to have wonderful effects on the body and mind.
8.) Be Honest
- How many times have you said yes to something that you really didn’t want to do and then you stressed about it for days or weeks? Learn to be assertive about the things you do and don’t want to do with your life. Being honest is sometimes very difficult, but it sure beats being stressed out because you feel like you have to do things you don’t have time for.
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Tonight’s questions:
What stresses you out? What are your top stress relieving activities?
Because I am a person who gravitates toward sameness and consistency, I feel stressed out when I feel that things in my life are getting out of control. When things pop up unexpectedly on my plate that I did not anticipate, I can feel the tension rising.
I must say after my Epsom Salt bath on Sunday, that is currently at the top of my list! Not only is it relaxing, but it gives me time to think about things in my life in a peaceful, quiet environment.
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Updates:
- Green Monster Movement is updated with new delicious reader recipes
Coming up on OSG:
- The next segment in A Year Can Change A Lot is on its merry old way! Don’t worry I have not forgotten about it. :)
- A special Half Marathon FAQ post is coming up tomorrow. I will respond to all of your questions that I did not answer in my half marathon recap! Apparently I left out some crucial details. ;)
We are not held back by love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present. ~Marianne Williamson
Thanks Angela!
Way too many things stress me out. I need to calm down!
To de-stress I love exercise, especially going for long runs.
But my big comfort is picking up some sushi and getting comfy with a health mag or trashy show, like the hills :) Always calms me down!
It’s too bad, but work stresses me out. More than money or anything!! Daily It is really hard for me to not feel on edge or worried about how I am doing there. It is a constant thing, but I have learned to cope and that is what makes me sad about it. I should not have adapted to the stress, I should have done something about it. No more crying in the copy room for me. :) I am determined to be above it all and be the positive person I am. :) Your posts are SO great. LOVE IT!
Yeah, it’s freezing in Germany already too! I refuse to turn on the heat in September or the beginning of October. My husband has been complaining that he is freezing, and I have been sounding like my mother telling him to put a sweatshirt on!
I stress out about almost everything! Being organized helps with that a little though. ;)
“Because I am a person who gravitates toward sameness and consistency, I feel stressed out when I feel that things in my life are getting out of control. When things pop up unexpectedly on my plate that I did not anticipate, I can feel the tension rising.”
This is me basically. :P
What I do to relax: Watch movies and tv shows (the best!), take a nap, go for a walk and listen to some music, etc.
Cold still hasn’t arrived here in Portugal. It’s cooler but not cold! I was sick of the hot weather though, so this is very welcome. :)
The things that stress me out the most are the ones that I feel like I can’t do anything about; I’m really big on being able to take action, at least a step or two in the right direction – if I can do that, then something won’t stress me out. Its the things that involve waiting or really gradual progress that make me stressed, because it feels so out of my hands.
Plus, anytime I’m overtired, ANYTHING stresses me out. You could drop a sock on the floor and I’d be clenching my jaw and panicking as if you’d told me I had to give a speech to the UN. So my number one stress-buster is definitely getting enough sleep.
My second favorite way to relieve stress is to listen to (or watch – thanks youtube!) guided meditations or relaxation hypnotherapy recordings. You know, like when they have you lie down at the end of yoga classes and do a short breathing and visualization sort of exercise? I don’t really like regular meditating at all, either (I get antsy) but something about letting someone else do the talking and thinking so my mind can just follow along is SO relaxing to me. And they’re quick, too – ten minutes is all it takes to completely reset your system.
Excited for Part 4!! I’m dying to see how you found the courage to take the leap and leave your desk job. :)
Great tips! I get stressed when I’m going, going, going. However, that’s usually brought on all by me.
Thanks for this! I have been really stressed lately. I will definitely take advantage of these.