Share your ideas for taking care of yourself during times of stress...

This is important, to treat ourselves gently when we're under strain, and helps us cope with coworkers, children, etc. in our lives, right? Right!

I'm under stress and been snappy myself... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> I know I need to slow down, take some down time, do something relaxing...

What do YOU do?? Come on, guys!!! :-) We can do this thing...

(J, in recovery 4 years and glad I stayed; got nasty correspondence from XOW)

Hi, good idea for a post!! Since I've been under some stress, here's what I use:

Deep Breathing (hold for 5, exhale for 5)
Walking Around the Neighborhood (slowly, just looking around, not for excercise, just to clear my head)
Drinking Lots of Water (Natural Mood Enhancer, I drink about 3 litres a day)
Aromatherapy (Perfume to Popcorn!!)
Cleaning my kitchen sink (I use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap and Baking Soda with a scrubber, the peppermint wakes me up and the sink is spotless. If I want sparkle as well, I spray club soda and wipe with a terry towl!!)
Typing on MB
Talking with my Sister

--blueberry

Jenny! Good topic.

Sometimes a good hard cry is what I need but I can't seem to access them very easily since D-day. Besides, they upset my kids and husband.

I used to use relaxation tapes but I have to admit I am not taking very good care of myself lately and I too am snappy and short-temepered.

I like natural, holistic stuff rather than drugs (prescription). The problem is when you don't have any free time, you feel like you don't have the time to spend taking care of yourself and meds look like the quickest answer.

I need to model better behavior and stress management. Our older son is experiencing strong anxiety and insomnia. I don't want to raise the next generation of kids on tranquilizers. I just can't figure out how to fit teaching him about meditation and guided imagery when I currenlty can't find time to help him get his homework done.

OOOOO....maybe I'd like a little cheese with that whine.

MJ

A good way to deal with stress is to do something constuctive to take your mind off of the situation. Try not to concern yourself with uncontrollable events as well. Events you can control, minimize the detriments, and maximize the benefits.

For example, you have control of who you call, email, visit, etc... But you don't have control of the annoying uncle that comes to your house...

Just an illustration. Laughing helps to, go rent a comedy video...

Pray Pray Pray and they Pray somemore.

Then ... I go shop (when I'm not broke!)

Then I go put on my new treasures with feshly shaven legs, a new hair do and manicured toes!

And my night cap ... lay in the bed with my babies and read them stories.

And a glass of chardonnay after they are asleep.

That's my therapy.

Z.

Yoga, yoga, yoga and more yoga!

Whether I am licking wounds or trying to decompress, I will set aside a block of time, usually four hours of possible. I take the phone off the hook, refuse to answer the door and stay off the computer. I rent sad and emotional movies and stop for chicken egg foo young and a pint of Dreamery Ice Cream. Total self indulgence. I'll get into my jamies and curl up in front of the TV with my fuzzy blanket and a box of kleenex and cry, cry, cry.

After four hours I am as good as new.

Catnip =^^=

Major stress going on here in my life, so I need to hear some good ideas also. Sort of a modified Plan B here, started sunday, it is Heck!!!!

<I rent sad and emotional movies>
What are some of your favorites Catnip?
Lets see all time fav tear jerkers for me....
Madame X
An Affair to remember (bad topic I know)
Step mom

I have been doing a lot of movie watching lately, my indulgence is chicken fried rice.

Tina

Tina! Madame X annihilates me! I love that schmaltzie movie. I never fails to bring me to the depths of grief...someone else' grief.

I'll print up a list of movies guaranteed to provoke shoulder shaking sobs later. One that really gets me is "Man Without A Face". For some reason, it tears me up every time. I am out the door to get some of that Chicken egg foo young.

Catnip =^^=

I started picking up my cross stitching hobby that I put down six years ago due to other stress in my life...it's nice being lost in counted cross stitch and doing the little x's all over and eventually seeing the emerging picture...

I also get my whole face ripped off...er waxed...(ok...ok...just the mustache and brows...is that tmi??? LOL!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="images/icons/shocked.gif" /> ) and get my hair done and buy a new book and some tea and a box of chocolates and hide and eat and drink tea and read....

I also like to soak in a hot tub...that has to wait until the kids are asleep and Mr."T" is off to work at night shift...I sometimes fall asleep and wake up like a california raison...and COLD!!!!

Sometimes I walk to the graveyard down the corner from me and sit on one of the stones and think and sometimes I catch a crisp breeze and just think and pray and talk to God.

Hugs,
Twiisty

Great thread, Jen...

Love

Catnip =^^=

beach air....mmmmmmmmmm..... it is like God is breathing into my lungs.......reading self help/marrital help stuff and really pondering the logic in it, then trying to fit it into my situation constuctively......daydreaming about the way it "could" be if my vision comes to fruition.....longgggggg hot hot i mean really hot showers.....staying up late and then sleeping in til i can't sleep no more.....getting lost in mindless tv , lots of channel surfing <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> and the #1 answer for this crazy wacked out dude is............... reading God's word and meditating on it, then sending a little glory His^^^^^ way. it usually reminds me how temporary these trials are, and how sovereign the Creator of the universe can be if i just notice Him.

God says, "Are you comming on this bus or not?" I look in my pocket and i can't believe what is there. A one way ticket that has no expiration date and it is chained to me to ensure it is never lost. I ask God, "is this good enough?" he says "Yes good and faithful servant, my Son says you and He were close friends, that makes your ticket far far better than just "good enough". You, My son, are holding the perfect truth. You now know what i meant when i told you, "Now i know in part; then i shall know fully, even as i am fully known." My son, you are holding true love, of which there is no cure, nor is there one better in all of eternity."

peace
tim