Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

How do you cope with stress?

I know we are all newly married (comes with it's own basket of stressful goodies from in laws and holiday arrangements to financial concerns and trying to conceive). We also all seem to be working at great jobs - whether out in the field or SAHM's. And we all live in an area that is super expensive, and very fast paced. Not much hanging out in teepees out in the beautiful countryside for us girls....

So how do you handle your daily stress. Do you have any tricks that have worked for you through the years? Mantras? Yoga? Drinking?

*Edited to say: I clean. And clean. And clean. PSYCHO.

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

I dont have any good tips...i wish i did. I usually set aside some time to cry and moan by myself when im really feeling overwelmed and that makes me feel better. Who knows if that is healthy but it work :D

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

I go for long walks, window shopping, I read.

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

My best stress reliever is watching my 'Soap Opera's' when I see people having more and worse problems then me....I feel like 'Gosh my life isn't half as bad as their's) even though I know it is only a show it helps.

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

I do a few things when I'm stressed out.

First, I try to recognize that I'm stressed to begin with!! Sometimes you can just be in a nasty mood, biting heads off and feeling frustrated. You can stomp around half the day before you realize...'Hey, I must be stressed out or something..' So I try to be aware of my moods, so I can catch stress when it's starting to effect me in a bad way.

Then I try to find out what's stressing me out so much. Why do I feel so overwhelmed, so angry or frustrated. Sometimes I'll even jot things down in a notebook, making a list of all the things that I feel are creating stress for me.

Then I put each issue in perspective, and remind myself to take life one day at a time, and face things as they come up, instead of worrying about them ahead of time.

Other stress relievers for me are exercise and/or yoga. Also for some reason, walking through a nursery or garden center, being around plants and such always makes me feel calm and peaceful. Sometimes I'll just sit out in the yard for a while and watch the grass grow.

One of the BEST stress relievers for me, though, is cross-stitching. It takes so much concentration, keeps both your mind and your hands busy, that you are drawn out of your stressful thoughts and into another world. I'm sure other stitchers know what I mean.. Drawing has the same effect as well.

Can you tell I've had to deal with a lot of stress in my life??!!

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

We can never plan anything because of Dh's career. We even had to postpone the wedding a month before it and then when we had the go ahead to get married we had to do it within about three weeks notice. Then there are the two moves that we did from NY-Pensacola, and then Pensacola to Corpus during our first year of marriage and trying to look for employment after each move.

My answer is pilates. I love them and my posture is so much better from doing them.
They are the only exercise I can do and get a real workout but not feel tired afterwards.
I also I am a member of the base bookclub here we meet once a month.

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

Exercise or bra/shoe shopping

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

I have major stress right now with the house stuff. I like watching HGTV as a stress reliever (or maybe that makes it worse).

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

it varies...

a glass of wine, a bubble bath, cleaning the house. Depends on whats stressing me out. Sometimes I just need a good cry.

Al's great at dealing with me when I'm stressed, and he gives the BEST massages!

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

writing helps me too - I used to be pretty active at keeping a journal recording the trials and tribulations of a long distance relationship. I find I tend to write more when I'm upset. Over the last few years, the journal has come out less and less often. Which is too bad since I'd like a record of the happy times too, but I'm not inspired to write then...

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

Lisa, I used to do the same thing too, write when I was stressed or upset about something but I haven't wrote in a jounal since I got married.

Working out helps me un-stress and cleaning as well, such fun tasks!

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

alina - BRA SHOPPING . THAT cracks me up!!!!

I can see shoe shopping? But BRA shopping? You must like your boobies!!!!! I hate bra shopping. Number one, I only get to look at 32A's and Number Two, everything is all over the place. It's never organized enough and I always end up with the same white cotton stuff I bought the time before. NOT TO MENTION it costs like $700 to bra shop! God Forbid you should want a panty to match....get out the second mortgage papers....

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

Jenny for those times I usually go to Century 21 or Daffys to get them at discount (and also b/c sometimes you can find french and italian bras there for less). And I would come out with like 5 bras, some of them returned later on (if I change my mind). I don't need to bra shop for a few years now Somehow I find it comforting (but then I am somewhere near a 32/34 B, so its a little easier)

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

I am actually really bad at dealing with stress....
When I am stressed I don't show it and I internalize EVERYTHING....
So much so that I have had the shingles twice....and I am only 26!!! lol!!

It's actually not funny, but I am working on it!!! Working out has been a huge help for me....and my once tried and true stress reliever, shopping, is no longer an option now that we are in super saver mode....

I am trying to work more on my interests, like painting, as a stress reliever....

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

sage I used to get TERRIBLE itching. I would scratch my legs and arms in the middle of the night with a hairbrush! i realize now after a few years of therapy that it was all stress and anxiety related. I don't scratch anymore....now I just cry!

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

Jenny - wow, and you are better now? no itching? This past year has been rough for me and stress....let's see I have had:

*A wedding to plan

*My Parents Divorce

*2 family deaths

*My Husband (FH at the time) lost his job (but has since got a new one :))

*Buff Brides show - had to work out 5x a week (although I am the one that signed up for that)

*Financial struggles

You name it and this year it has happened....so maybe I need some therapy???
LOL!!!! I can actually say that now that I am passed the wedding and the Buff Brides thing, I am feeling much better....like a huge weight has been lifted....
We'll see.....

So, therapy helped you though?

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

oh wow sage - you have been thru a ton.

I am FMing you with more info....

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

Thank you Jenny!!!!

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

Jenny11.9 - you have FM!

Re: Another QOTD - Dealing w. Stress

I don't deal with stress very well. About a month ago, my stress level was so bad that I would wake up at 2 am and could not get back to sleep. Basically work is causing my stress. But I am slowly learning to deal with it, like doing as many counseling cases that I can, and if I can't get to them all, I don't. I need to learn to leave all my work worries at work! I can't bring this stuff home. I find that going to the gym helps me de-stress as well as cooking!

P.S. - You are more than welcomed to come to my apartment and clean. You will feel less stressed and I will have a clean apartment.