Stress RX ?

[puglogic]

What do you do when you suddenly realize, "Man, I'm REALLY stressed out!" What are your go-to things that might take a little or a lot of time, but which turn the pressure down a little?

I stopped moving long enough to realize that I'm just incredibly stressed out today: Very sick dog, cleaning up messes that can't wait, spending tons of money I don't have (see "sick dog" above), back injury, not sleeping well, client stress, heavy snow/can't shovel, just overall overworked, overtired, overworried, and ready to crawl into a closet and cry.

I am not really seeing things clearly. Can you think clearly for me? :) What are some things I might do to get some calm and clarity back?

[citrine]

I try to prioritize and realize that I cannot do it all. Are you able to outsource the snow removal, concentrate on the puppy, massage/heat for the back with some stretching, clean what needs to be cleaned, and shuffle some things around with the clients. Right now, you and the puppy matter the most.

[redfox]

Citrine nailed it. Some days, money gets spent protecting & taking care of what's important. Simplify. Hire out the snow shoveling. Get a massage so you can lower pain & sleep. Sleep unravels the cares of the day... Blessings, m'dear.

[Life_is_Simple]

relaxation music
hand or foot reflexology/massage by myself on the couch
tea, e.g., chamomile
heating pad on the lower back, while lying on the couch, which can sometimes result in a nap
protein drink, vitamin C, yogurt, or other nutritional item
listen to a tape by "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" guy
meditation
acupuncture

[catherine]

I really have re-upped my meditation practice, and I'm not kidding, it's awesome for helping me focus on the moment.

[razz]

Sometimes, running away from home to a quiet place for even a couple of hours is wonderful. I once took off for a day at the beach in the spring and totally relaxed and felt human afterwards.
The biggie seems to be the dog requiring supervision. There must be someone who can take over for a day.

[cdttmm]

Hot shower while listening to some soothing music (I generally choose classical, but I have some new age stuff that I sometimes enjoy when I'm stressed out)
Meditation
Drinking lots of water and taking B vitamins
Eating something healthy that is also a comfort food (I like oatmeal with raisins)
Drinking hot tea and eating a piece of dark chocolate
Exercise
Playing with my dogs or petting my cats
In extreme situations, curl up on the couch and have a good cry (I always feel better afterwards)

Once I've done one or more of these things and the stress level has dropped a little bit, then I find it helpful to make a list of what I need to get done. Often I discover that the list on paper is shorter than what I was envisioning and that makes me feel more confident that I can actually tackle stuff. If necessary, I get ruthless and think about what I can delegate or outsource and what I can simply remove from the list because it's really not that important/critical/time sensitive.

[Azure]

It's the wrong time of year for it but I like to go sit on a beach and do nothing. Just watch the waves and listen to the water & wind. Very soothing.

Walking hard and fast helps me also.

Sometimes I think you just identify the things that HAVE to be done and let the others go. There have been times in my life where if everyone had food & clean clothes we were doing good.

I always tell my sons to make a list of things that need to be done in order of importance and check them off one at a time. That usually helps me to stay focused and actually accomplish something instead of jumping from one thing to another without actually accomplishing anything.

And sometimes it is ok to crawl into the closet and cry.

[Spartana]

The only thing that works to de-stress me is some kind of physical exercise - usually outdoors somewhere nice. Walk, run, hike, bike, whatever. Just moving always makes me feel great and seems to put everything into prespective. Love those endorphins!

[puglogic]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I've tried a little of everyone's :D It's helping just to DO something rather than stew in the stress.

[Bethers]

Hi all. I used to post on the old boards and have been lurking for a while on the new boards but wanted to jump in and offer a suggestion on this topic.

I actually love to exercise and try to get in a variety during the day like walks, weight training, and yoga. Exercise did improve my mood/stress for a long time but then it didn’t seem to work so much anymore, and I started looking into other areas.

What I found that really helped calm me down and improve my mood was simple qigong exercise (originates from Taoism) which emphasizes breathing, meditation, visualization, and simple flowing exercises. If you do a search, there’s a lot out there, but I’m presently working with material from Spring Forest Qigong (Chunyi Lin), Lee Holden, and Ken Cohen. Qigong can also be presented as energy medicine exercise and you can find some helpful stuff on YouTube. Donna Eden is a big name in this area. Also, a company called Sounds True offers dvd/cd programs featuring Donna, Lee, and Ken. You may also find stuff at your local library

I haven’t been doing this for long, but when I keep with it, it has really improved my mental outlook, and I find myself buying into this subtle energy stuff. At first I found it all a little irritating, there is a bit of a learning curve and fitting it into the daily schedule can be a challenge.

I believe it’s hard to rationalize and work with emotions in a willful way. Also negative emotions can impact us physiologically as well. These practices help to dissolve issues for me and make me feel better which I hope resonates outwardly.

[Gardenarian]

I was feeling completely overwhelmed last week and decided it was time for a massage, damn the expense.
I felt, truly, like a new person afterwards.

[Wildflower]

I love to soak in a hot bath when I am feeling painful and stressed. Cuddle time with my furry kids is also a great stress reliever. The occasional margarita or glass of wine, some good chocolate, a nice massage from my DH - these are all great comfort as well....

I'm so sorry about your sick dog. :( I have a Pug too, and I know just how endearing these little guys are. Sending your Pug healing vibes. Hugs.

[Tradd]

I like running a bath as hot as I can stand it. I then sit in the tub for a good long time and read, adding more hot water as necessary (and letting the cold out). Take something good to drink with you.

[Bethers]

Epsom salts in the hot bath really bumps up the therapeutic effect. The magnesium helps the muscles relax.