According to a new study: 25% of Happiness Depends on Stress Management. The bad news is, we’re super bad at managing stress. What is your advice for keeping the stress at bay and achieving that much elusive happiness factor?
Inspired by Gayle King
what people are talking about
Nunniabiness B on Magic Eye neomama on Cheeseburger Soup Shelley on Cheeseburger Soup Dyahn Darvey on Salisbury Steak from Paula… irene trammel on Magic Eye Julianne on Cheeseburger Soup Vanna on How long do you shower? Michelle Colpus on Your children Tanya on Cheeseburger Soup Heather on Cheeseburger Soup Donna Dillard on Cheeseburger Soup Donna Dillard on Cheeseburger Soup Sharon on Cheeseburger Soup JoJo on Cheeseburger Soup Ellen on Cheeseburger Soup
Us Girls..Our Views 
To me the best stress relief is lots of deep breathing (helps to get calm first), prayer and then reading a book. Prayer reminds me I’m not really in control of the world, God is, and unlike ME…. He knows what He’s doing. Followed with a good book that helps me focus my (bing, bing, bing) ricochet rabbit mind works every time. 🙂
Well, I probably employ different approaches at different times. When I really feel like I have no control over an outcome, I give it over to God, and just try to deal with things as they come. When it’s a matter of having a lot to do in a limited time, I just start chipping away at it. As I accomplish each little thing, it clears more space in my brain to be smart about the hard stuff – prioritizing and focusing my energies to be most effective. And sometimes, I just remind myself that whatever is “the best I can do,” that’s going to be good enough – as it always has been in the past, albeit sometimes unexpectedly.
When stress makes me tense up physically, yoga is great, as is a short walk, a bit of sunshine, a warm shower, or a few minutes of lying down.
I think that on average, I’m less stressed than many people, even though I have plenty that I could stress about.
A walk, preferably through woods or by a body of water. A swim, when it’s warm. Deep breaths.
There was a time, not too long ago, when I was having nightmares and panic attacks. I wasn’t sleeping well, obviously, from the nightmares, so I would write them down – the main images – and during my waking hours, I’d research what those images meant. It was interesting, to say the least. My nightmares were a reflection of my daytime stress. I actually turned to medication during that time. It helped, as did Yoga-style breathing, when the panic attacks came. I firmly believe that it was that breathing, and nothing else, that got me through those attacks. So now I do it all the time. It’s my best tool for staying calm and centering myself.
Panic attacks are the WORST! I’ve only had one myself, but Ally has had some really really bad ones, as did my mom during her last year! They are scary when you’re going through them, and just as scary to witness. Sometimes it’s really tough to get another person to do the deep breathing thing, but it really is what helps.
It’s best if you do it when you’re calm… I’d been doing some Yoga around that time, and of course, playing an instrument is all about deep breathing. So when I felt the panic attacks coming on, it was natural for me to cope by using deep breaths and riding it out. If you don’t recognize it coming, you can get lost in the attack, and it’s really hard to get it under control. Half of it is mental – if you can control your mind (I’m not dying, I can breathe and I can feel my heart beating), you can rise above and just let your body do what it’s going to do. But the key is to practice the breathing away from the attack, so you’re ready when it hits. Sort of like Lamaze…
I have to get away and be alone first of all. I also like to take a walk and take some good deep breaths. I’ve found since I got sick, breathing controls so much. If you’re concentrating on breathing the way you’re supposed to, it does really make you calm. I love to sit on the end of a dock and just think things through.
I also try and ignore stupid people who just try to press my buttons. I just stay calm and think “kiss my ass” and quietly walk away.
It’s been a long time since I needed to de-stress. Depends on the time of day. At night, taking a long bath with lights off, candles lit, and the window open (if it’s a cool night, especially if it’s raining) Otherwise, just being alone works. Getting myself out of the house, walking around Target, or any of the little shops downtown. That always calms me down.
I used to let everything get to me. I thought every argument was the end of a relationship, I let every little thing get me so upset. I let half the crap roll off my back now. It’s made me a much easier person to be around!
How about the fact that stress can really do a number on your immune system, and can lead to problems like diverticulitus and seirious infections due to a weak immune system and MRSA, which I must add I have not had a problem with either since learning to let the things that do not matter in the long run go! I think the key the to remember is if it will not make a damn bit of difference in 5-10 years let it go.