how do you deal with stress?
 

Life has been very stressful lately for me- I can't stop shoving food in my face to try to soothe it and it's not helping! Yesterday I even had a cigarette after being a non-smoker for 8 or 9 years now. Bad me!

I'm just wondering how does everyone else out there cope with stress in their lives? I know working out helps and I'm doing that but it's not enough. I can feel it just coursing through my veins and I know that can't be healthy.

thanks!

I think about all the ways I am blessed.

Seriously, I do get stressed out sometimes.

But when I do, I think about all the women in our world who:

live in warzones
get beat up by their husbands
watch their children starve to death
are denied access to healthcare and education

And then I think about my life and my:
health
ability to earn money to provide for my family
access to healthy food and medical care for my children
my children's ability to access education

And I realize that my problems are not so big after all.

Hitting things works well too, like punching bags.
I like to lift weights to work out frustration and aggression too.


A caveat is that sometimes when I think about women in our world who have real problems, it can stress me out more. So that's when I really get into a physical activity. Or sometimes I sit and cuddle my kids.

Not to sound all gross or anything..but whenever I get stressed out (like I am now). I just have a lot of sex. If the hubby is out to sea..then I go shopping, lol. Even buying the cheapest thing at a Dollar store or a thirft store makes me feel better.

RESTING in God's Word always helps me. Doesn't always make the reason for the stress go away...but His Word always makes things better!

Another thing I try to do, if possible, is to give anything I can 3 days to get better....trying to not "go out of control" over whatever the situation or problem is....usually in 3 days, things are a lot better.

Booze, lots and lots of booze! No, I'm kidding! JUST KIDDING! I will take walks or clean something, watch a funny show on TV, anything that will help me relax a little

Here are some of my favorites.

• deep breathing
• meditation
• yoga
• needlepoint
• exercise of any kind
• going for a walk
• sex of any kind ;)
• massage
• playing w/ the pets
• computer solitaire
• journaling/writing
• a stiff cocktail
• cleaning a room/getting a chore done
• taking a nap
• bubble bath
• venting to a friend
• watching a favorite DVD or TiVo'd show
• painting my nails--also keeps me from snacking 'til the nails are dry

Good luck to you.

Sometimes, the only answer is a bite of food. But I try to keep that in check by just making it *A* bite, rather than a days-long binge.

Just remember you're a work in progress and every bite is a choice. :D

Hopefully, that will help!

Exercise. exercise, exercise! And reading, gardening, sitting/swinging on the deck, listening to music and getting on the computer!

short-term stress...like when i care for my mother, and i have to be there when she is not there mentally....I do crosswords....i can start and stop and it forces me to think.....about anythign else.

when it is quiet i can sit in my *massage* chair with a glass of wine....at work, I just turn off my email and shut the door to my office.....but I stare at the blinkking message light on my phone, which greatly disturbs my KARMA!!!!!

grind the heck out of my poor teeth.
workout
vent
sometimes cry-a good cry can do some good

As I'm a College Student, I'm constantly stressing...here are some things I do:

Shopping
Napping
Listen to Music
Go Out with Friends
Watch a Movie

ife you can try exercising a bit and do something that'll keep your mind off the stress. exercising allows you to focus your attention away from it. you could also try some relaxing activities, like bathing for example. bathing in warm water with some bath salts can do great things with your stress and anxiety.

10 ways to help beat stress
ezinearticles.com/?10-Easy-Ways-Tto-Help-Beat-Stress&id=888828

I am also a college student. I usually read the Qur'an, call a friend, talk to a stranger (it is easier to tell your problems to someone you do not know), read a book, stare into the abyss, go for a drive etc...I never used exercise as a stress reducer until recently and it works quite well.

thank you for all the helpful suggestions. I think i need to throw myself into exercising off some of the negative energy (and lbs might be nice too). Drink some tea... have a bath.. get some! all great suggestions.

I think i'm over the hump as far as the stress goes- I really hope so. I am noticing that if I don't have caffeine I feel less stressed as well, so maybe I should just take the dive and cut it out completely no matter how much the little voice inside my head cries "dun wanna!"

thanks again!!

Cutting out the caffiene might help, although it might be worse at first... When I'm stressed I take a few minutes and clean the house around me, just having everything put into it's place is a little more calming. Then I try to take a few minutes of slow breathing just to bring my thoughts back to a calm.

that's just what helps me, may not be any help at all.