Stress and Anxiety

Something to Think About ~ The Gift of Humor

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Viktor Frankl, in Man’s Search for Meaning, described the things that helped the prisoners cope with their horrendous conditions, “To discover that there was any symptoms of art in a concentration camp must be surprise enough for an outsider. But he may be even more astonished to hear that one could find a sense of humor there as well; of course, only the faint traces of one, and then only for a few seconds or minutes. Humor was another of the soul’s weapons in the fight for self-preservation. It is well known that humor more than anything else in the human makeup can afford, and aloofness and inability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds p. 54.”

NOTE: The use of humor can take a tough situation and reduce the tension associated with it, if only for a moment. We frequently create our own humor by adding an exaggeration to a situation. For example, an insensitive boss tosses a stack of papers on a worker’s desk and demands, “I want this report in an hour.” The worker in the break room relays the incident to his colleagues and adds, “We he gets home I wonder if he tells his pregnant wife, “I want the baby born now while I have a minute.” They all laugh and agree that is probably what happens.

Feel Good Tip for Today ~ Lowering Stress

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How does your lifestyle contribute to your stress level?

Sometimes, if we’re not careful, our lifestyle can impose an unhealthy level of stress. We can make adjustments to our lifestyle and lower our stress level. It’s not easy when we are bombarded with ads encouraging us to live beyond our means. Learning to say no to the temptations to live beyond our means is a good step to lowering one’s stress level.  A minimalist lifestyle is one way of easing the stress from pressures associated with consumerism.

Here are some resources to check out if you’re interested in a minimalist lifestyle:

  1. The Minimalists: A Documentary About the Important Things – This documentary follows two friends as they embark on a journey to simplify their lives. It is a great introduction to the minimalist lifestyle and provides some valuable insights into the benefits of living with less.
  2. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing – This book by Marie Kondo is a popular guide to decluttering your home. It provides a simple and effective method for getting rid of the things you don’t need and keeping the things you do.
  3. Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life with Less – This book by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus is a comprehensive guide to the minimalist lifestyle. It covers everything from decluttering your home to simplifying your finances.

Power Thought of the Day ~ Take an Emotional Shower and Wash the Stress Away

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It’s a windy day in south Texas. It feels good. The air is clean. A light spring jacket is all I need for the morning. I can shed the jacket this afternoon. I like to stand facing the wind. I close my eyes and visualize myself being cleansed of any stress that accumulated in me. In a few minutes I feel as if I’ve taken an emotional shower. I feel great. Try it the next time you have a windy day.

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Do You Know The Importance of Human Touch?

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Human Physical Touch Relieves Stress and Loneliness

Human touch may have a calming effect and help you better cope with stress. For example, studies show that positive physical contact and sex may help relieve stress and loneliness. These types of contact may help release oxytocin and lower cortisol. In turn, these effects help lower blood pressure and heart rate. Both high blood pressure and increased heart rate are physical symptoms of stress.

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NOTE: Give those you love a great daily vitamin: A warm hug. Those you love and you will feel better.

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Don’t Stress Over Things You Can’t Control

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You Can Choose to Let It Slide

There are always going to be people elected into office whom you don’t like, taxes that you don’t want to pay, idiot drivers who refuse to move out of the left-hand lane, and a person ahead of you in the check-out line who won’t stop chatting with the clerk. The great benefit of being human is that we get to experience all of what life offers us, the good, the bad, and the ugly. To live stress-free is to learn to deal with this fact.

Dwelling on your frustration with a situation, person, place, or thing that can’t be changed doesn’t do anything other than drag you down. You can choose how to respond to negative situations. Choose to be happy and not angry or frustrated.

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ You’ll Feel Better if You Get in Touch with Your Body & Feelings

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Stop Living Only in the Past and the Future, Get Present in the Moment

Being present in the moment involves being in your body and feeling your feelings—two things that lots of folks actually don’t know how to do.

Ask yourself these two questions: What does fear feel like in your body? What are you afraid of?

If you don’t know the answer to these questions, you probably aren’t present in the moment. Being present involves vulnerability, humility, and openness.

Being in the past or the future involves living in your head and ignoring what’s going on in your body and emotions.

The past and the future stop being so relevant and intriguing when you’re able to get in your body and feel your feelings. When you can do these two things, you actually want to be in the present moment. Try these tips: How to Live in the Moment and Stop Worrying.

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Stop Overanalyzing Situations that Haven’t Happened

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There is a Better Way to Live

The first step to living a stress-free life is to stop overanalyzing imaginary scenarios. It’s easy to spend time in the world of worst-case scenarios. People tend to cultivate this world for one of two reasons. First, because if you know what the worst-case scenario is, then it won’t surprise you when it happens. Second, if you know what the worst-case scenario is, then you can do everything in your power to control the universe so the worst case never happens. If that’s really the world you want to cultivate, then become a professional risk assessor. If not, then ask yourself how you are benefiting from continuing to live that way.

    1. Does it make you feel better about yourself and your life?
    2. Does it make you want to leap out of bed in the morning eager to embrace the worst-case scenario?
    3. Does it bring you joy or fulfillment?

If your answer to these three questions is no, then stop it!

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Is It Time to Declutter?

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Let Go of What Isn’t Essential

Decluttering sounds like a big project, but setting aside just 20 minutes a week can have a big impact. What can you do in 20 minutes? Lots. Set a timer on your phone and take 15 minutes to tidy up a specific area of one room — say, your closet or that out-of-control junk drawer. Put everything in its place and toss or give away any extra clutter that’s not serving you anymore. Keep a designated box for giveaways to make things a little easier (and avoid creating more clutter).Use the remaining 5 minutes to do a quick walk through your living space, putting away whatever stray items end up in your path. You can do this trick once a week, once a day, or anytime you feel like your space is getting out of control.

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Note: Decluttering around your office, home, or apartment will help you to feel better. Think about decluttering your mind. Let go of other people’s business. Let go of things you can’t change. Let go of anger and resentments. You’ll add ten years to your life.

Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ Face It!

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Face Life’s Stressors Head On

Life is full of stressors, and it’s impossible to avoid all of them. There’s no need to. Stress isn’t always harmful, and we can even change our attitudes about stress. For those stressors you can’t avoid, remind yourself that everyone has stress — there’s no reason to think it’s all on you. And chances are, you’re stronger than you might think you are. Instead of letting yourself get overwhelmed, try to address the stressor head-on. This might mean initiating an uncomfortable conversation or putting in some extra work, but the sooner you confront it, the sooner the pit in your stomach may start to shrink.

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Note: Oftentimes when we face a stressful situation part of our stress comes from within. We set a fixed outcome in our mind as the only possible good outcome. When we become fixated on a single outcome, we lose the opportunity to see other, and often better outcomes. Stay open to different, yet viable outcomes, as you confront any stressful situation.

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Recognize the Unhappy Moments

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What To Do When a Low Period Hits You

A positive attitude is generally a good thing, but bad things happen to everyone. It’s just part of life. If you get some bad news, make a mistake, or just feel like you’re in a funk, don’t try to pretend you’re happy. Acknowledge the feeling of unhappiness, letting yourself experience it for a moment. Then shift your focus toward what made you feel this way and what it might take to recover.Would a deep breathing exercise help? A long walk outside? Talking it over with someone? Let the moment pass and take care of yourself. Remember, no one’s happy all the time.

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NOTE: I seldom have down periods, but I do get knocked down time and again. When it happens I talk to my emotions. I tell them to enjoy their visit but not to let the door hit them in the ass when they leave. I’ll also visualize the ocean tide. It helps me realize the emotional storm I’m struggling with will leave.

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