Ahhhh freak out! Le freak, c’est chic.
I do not manage stress well. I tend to, well… freak out. But here’s the thing about freaking out. It doesn’t help make the stress go away, and it can actually make dealing with any stress more difficult. I waste time freaking out that I could spend actually dealing with the problem at hand. Freaking out also makes tiny problems into much, much bigger beasts.
I’m not alone in this whole I’m-a-grown-up-but-still-learning-not-to-freak-out-over-everything bit. Like Ali, when I was in high school and college, I remember cramming everything I possibly could onto my plate, and then some. My dad often accused me of “burning the candle at both ends and in the middle.” To which I obviously responded with something mature like rolling my eyes and saying, “Daaa-ad! I’m fine. I like being really busy.”
Dad and me. We are silly sometimes.
I still do like being really busy. There are just so many things that I find fascinating and so many people that I want to spend time with that I find it nearly impossible not to be busy and have a lot on my plate. I’m constantly making lists to remind myself of all the things I need to get done, and then re-making lists to prioritize those things.
Oh I think I need this. (Click for source)
While my lists aren’t going to go away anytime soon, the accompanying stress needs to hit the road. Busy is good, and my plate is full of good things, I just need to learn to relax. To say no. To go to bed early and leave time to breathe in my schedule. To realize that the world won’t fall apart if everything on my to-do list doesn’t get accomplished before I go to bed tonight.
That’s why, as I look ahead to the start of my new job (next week!), I am resolving to work hard, but stress less.
Now I just need to figure out how.
What do you do to keep stress at bay? And don’t tell me the “take a bubble bath to relax.” I know those ones. How do you convince yourself to just not stress at all?
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This can be so hard sometimes. Exercising helps me deal with the stress, even though it does take time it gives me the mental break I need. Otherwise I just try to keep things in perspective-how important is this in the grand scheme of things? Really I am just trying to convince myself that whatever happens it will not be the end of the world.
I’ve heard a little ice cream or chocolate doesn’t hurt either
Alyssa @ Don’t Look Down recently posted..Remember that one time when…A gorilla?
Yeah, I think that’s the key. The ability to convince yourself that it’s not that big of a deal.
i wish i had a no stress fix. mostly i just watch reality tv, eat chocolate/cheesecake/pizza, and drink wine. i’m a huge stresser and could really use some help figuring out how to calm myself down.
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Your stress fixes sound a lot like mine. Mmmmm. Pizza.
Oh how I relate to this! I’m such a planner and if things get tossed off plan then I freak. It’s defnitely one of the thigns I’m always working on.
Tina @ Best Body Fitness recently posted..Races and Places
YES! I am a total planner, too. This one is always a work in progress for me, too. Little by little?
I’m not trying to be a negative nelly here but you can’t get rid of all stress. It comes from lots of things you just cannot control – the weather, other people, the economy, your parents! I just try to manage how I respond. Sure I get flustered and act like a two year old sometimes, but sometimes, I’m amazingly mature and just let it go, or smile and say “Yay, it’s raining!” Congrats on the new job!
AmandaRunsNY recently posted..A Hangover
You’re right, you can’t avoid the things that might stress you out. I just want to choose not to be stressed about them!
I’ve been dealing with some major anxiety and stress in my life the past year or so. I finally had to seek some professional help to deal with it. I’ve learned to just focus on my breathing, take time to just sit and do nothing else. I also needed to realize that the end of the day, the world won’t come to an end if I don’t accomplish all that I’d set out to do. My stress level and how I handle it has been greatly improved since decreasing my caffeine intake and I started taking a Stress B Complex vitamin. The benefits of that help stress and anxiety. I have REALLY noticed a difference in my mood and I have a really hard time getting so worked up about things anymore.
I know how hard it is to live a life of stress and you can literally become a slave to it if you’re not careful. It’s good that you’re aware and are taking the right steps to change it!
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Thanks for sharing, Courtenay.
I have issues absorbing vitamin B12. Huh. I wonder if that has anything to do with my stress level. I’m also guilty of a higher than necessary caffeine intake. Huh. Things to think about for sure – thanks!
I think you know I’m with you on this! I freak out WAYYYYY too easily when I feel like I’m slipping behind, it stinks. And stress makes me sick which def. does not help. I guess just stop and breath would be my advice. Lame and unhelpful, but it’s currently all I got.
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