Stress? I Don't Know the Meaning of the Word

If you are like me, life tends to get in the way of many of things that we wish or hope to do. Of course responsibility and obligations take precendence, but when you need a moment of sanity and a moment of release and you feel like you may just UNRAVEL What do you do? These days, it seems as though my moments of silence and serenity are fewer and far between. Of course, what room do I have to complain when I don't even have children yet? I certainly give props to the women of the world who work a full time job, have husbands and small children and still aspire to get their own dreams of owning their own businesses off the ground. I salute you!!
These days, I am working overtime to supplement some of the income that we lost when my boyfriend was laid off of his job. As if that event alone did not add enough stress to our lives! I am slowly working on redoing our home, attempting to get my Etsy shop off of the ground, tending to our home and chores of daily life, and attempting to find some time for a social life and family time. Doesn't sound like much, but when I crawl into bed at night and fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow, I know that exhaustion has taken over. It is horrible to become a slave to the in and out day to day routines of our lives. While I love structure and routine, I find myself wondering, Is There More? I find myself screaming in my brain for a moment of absolute silence and down time. If I could simply sit in my studio and create with the doors closed, the windows open and the radio on with no interruptions, I would be in total bliss. But life happens, right? So what do you do when you simply need to come down from the high that is he feeling of being completely overwhelmed? You need to find creative ways to relieve that stress. Creativity helps us to thrive in all that we do and being creative in all things helps to keep us motivated and inspired.

“Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory.”

Because Stree is Bad (Print)--thedreamygiraffe  @  etsy.com

Here are some ways to relieve the stress of your everyday lives:

1) Dance. Put on your favorite dance tunes and disco, twist, boogie, bump and shake your stress (AND pounds) away. Don't worry about what you look like - no one's watching. :)

2) Sing. Sing in the car, the shower, and while you're doing your chores. You don't have to be an American Idol contestant (have you heard some of them?) to bellow out your favorite songs.

3) Hum. When you're feeling ho-hum; HUM. Hum in the car. Hum in the grocery store. Hum while you're cutting your grass or cleaning the bathroom. It's an instant spirit booster and you don't have to remember any lyrics!

4) Laugh. Listen to your favorite comedian. Watch your favorite sitcom or funny movie. Have jokes emailed to your inbox. Chat with a friend and recall fun times. You'll feel much better - no joke!

5) Read. Escape to a new land, solve a mystery or fall in love. How? Read a novel. Make this a bedtime ritual and give the sheep a night off.

6) Create. Pull out the paints, beads, fabric, silks, etc. you've been holding hostage in your closet. Create a masterpiece!

7) Play. Play like a kid. Catch fireflies, blow bubbles, run through the sprinkler and play in the sandbox. Play tag and musical chairs. Chalk up the driveway. Splash in the puddles and build a snowman. Hula hoop. Hop, skip, and jump!

8) Play with Toys. Rummage through your kid's toy box and pull out the Barbie dolls and the Playdough. Build a Lego castle. Color and finger paint. Do a jigsaw puzzle. Play Battleship and Twister. It's fun - I kid you not!

9) Play Sports. Get outdoors! The fresh air and the exercise will definitely relieve some stress. Skate, bike and throw a Frisbee. Play badminton and volleyball. Swim. Play ball!

10) Decorate. Light it up! Buy a lava lamp. Light the candles and fireplace. String up motion Christmas lights (yes, you can use them all year round). Set up an aquarium (real or fake). The effect is both festive and hypnotic.