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Category: Stress Relief

Write It Out

Write It Out

Everyone gets frustrated sometimes. Occasionally, this can get to the point where you have to vent your feelings; or you feel like you’ll explode. We’ve talked about texting and emailing as ways to vent these feelings. However sometimes you aren’t in the mood to talk to anyone, or maybe you’re mad at the people you usually talk to. You still have these feelings though, and you know they need to come out.

In this case, a good way to vent your feelings is through a private journal. You don’t have to worry about what you say, because the only person who gets to see it is you. This can be a great way to let out your feelings, which can avoid arguments and hurting other peoples feelings.

Another more public way to vent your feelings is in an online journal. This can be through a blog, or one of the many social media platforms out there. Now you might not want to get into the tiny personal details publicly, but there are still a great many advantages of venting this way. First of all, you can get advice about your problems from people who have more life experience, knowledge or simply a different perspective than you. Also your venting does not always have to be about your problems, you can tell your friends what you have been up to, or about a special event in your life. Many sites also have room for pictures, so you can add photos from your latest outing, show others your latest art project, or whatever else comes to mind really.

You should be careful with what you say online though. You never know who will be reading it. If you are complaining about your someone you know, you could find yourself having to try to explain your words to them later on. It is not worth ruining a close relationship like this just because you were mad. This is where it would be good to draw the line between what goes online, and what goes into a more private journal.

Overall, the point is that sometimes you just need to get things out and release your feelings.

Live It Up

Live It Up

I don’t know what it is about good live performances, but one good show can seem to melt all your cares away, and keep you in a good mood for days afterward. However live shows can get quite pricey! Many times the cost of a great show you want to see can make you feel uncomfortable. On one hand, you want to be wise with what you spend your hard earned money on. On the other hand, you want to see that awesome show! What to do? Well, as with many things – there’s a happy middle ground.

If you are looking to catch a live show, but don’t have much money to spend, the local bar is a great place to look. Many small, independent bands will go on bar tours to form a fan base. The band gains exposure to new fans, and you get to see a show for a budget friendly price. Bars will often only charge a small cover fee to get into their shows. Many times you may even find one with no charge at all. These are the perfect scenes to sit around and have a drink with a friend while enjoying some new and interesting music.

If you are not quite old enough for bars yet, fear not as there are still ways to enjoy cheap music. Small community theaters will often book independent bands, and sell tickets to the show for cheap. If music is not your thing, these theaters also often host poetry readings, plays, and magic shows, so you’re bound to find something that fits your taste and budget.

Another great place to catch live entertainment is are fairs. The great thing about this option is you can sometimes see many different things for just the entry price. These fairs are often held in large fields, and last all day with different events that everyone can enjoy.

However some of you might not like new music, you would much rather see a classic rock band. The problem with this can be that many of them stopped performing awhile ago. If you pay attention though, many cover bands have come around that play these older songs. This can be a hit or miss, but sometimes you don’t know until you try. Some of these cover bands can actually be quite good and come at a pretty affordable price.

Just Dance

Just Dance

just-dance-humbSometimes if you hear a good beat, you just can’t help but move to it. I know I am always finding myself dancing in weird places like grocery stores at restaurants. I probably get some weird looks from doing this, but I don’t care. It makes me happy.

I’m sure many of you have had a bad day, and put on a good song that made your day just a little bit better. Well this can also work with dancing. If any of you have ever been to a club, can you honestly tell me you can walk away from there not feeling better than you did coming in? Letting the music move you and just not caring about what you are doing can be very liberating. Therefore it can put you in a great mood.

This idea does not only apply to clubs though, or even parties. In fact, nobody has to be around at all. All you need is some upbeat music, and a  lot of space. This is also good if you are self conscious about dancing in front of others.

Besides lifting your spirits, dancing can also have some great health benefits. If you work up a sweat while dancing, you can get a great workout. If you do this regularly you might even be able to lose some weight. This can lead to a greater self confidence, and who knows, maybe you might want to take those moves out of your home, and into the club.

Visit Somewhere New

Visit Somewhere New

visit-somewhere-new-thumbFrom time to time all of us feel like we would rather be somewhere else, but with all the commitments from work and children and whatever else, it seems almost impossible sometimes. However there are ways to still go see new and interesting places without spending a lot of money or taking many days off work.

Most businesses give you a certain number of paid days off. You should use these to your advantage. If you have managed to keep yourself and your family healthy, you might have a lot of vacation days saved up at the end of the year. Many people will save up all their vacation days, then just take them all off at once and hang out at home or go shopping. However a better idea might be to get your Christmas shopping done on the weekends, and go somewhere interesting for your vacation. It might seem like a pain to cram all your shopping into weekends, but it will be worth it in exchange for once in a lifetime memories.

However obviously it might not always be so easy to leave the country or even the state. Money might be tight, you might not be able to get a sitter for your kids or pets. Also maybe you were thinking about taking the kids but they can be cranky and argumentative when faced with too much family togetherness. If this is the case the solution is simple. Go somewhere close to home that you’ve never been.

Ok so going to that thrift store around the corner might not be as interesting as a trip to Europe, but it beats spending your time off watching reruns on TV. And who knows you might find something really interesting there thats not available anywhere else. Even if you don’t, you can at least say you got out of the house, and tried something different.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

dont-sweat-the-small-stuff-thumbEveryone gets stressed, and everyone tends to worry about things that don’t really matter. These small little things might seem like a big deal at the time, but in comparison to a lot of things, they really aren’t. You could actually be hurting yourself and others by stressing out about things more than you need too.

The first thing you need to do when you start getting worried or mad about something is to ask yourself is it worth it in the long run. Will this thing that’s making me so mad matter tomorrow, in a week, or in a month? If the answer is no, then it is probably not worth your time. Remember everyone has a lot to do, and only a set amount of time to do it. Your time can be spent doing much more productive things,  other than stressing out about the small stuff.

If you feel like you can’t keep yourself from worrying the best thing to do is to keep yourself busy. This can be accomplished many different ways. You could play a game, read a book, visit a friend, watch a movie or many other things. The important thing is to keep your mind busy, so it will not go back to worrying. One thing you shouldn’t do is trying not to think about it, the more you that, the more you probably will think about it. The best thing to do is to go do something else, and keep yourself busy.

If you stay busy, you are making better use of your time and get more done. This can also lead to less stress, since you might be able to get those things you were worrying about out of the way. You will also might be doing more things that you want to do, which can make you happier. We all know that happier people tend to stress less too.

You might even find that with less stress, and making better use of your time that you have more motivation. This might lead you to go out and do things that you always wanted to do, but felt that you didn’t have the confidence or time to do so. This can lead to having a better and more satisfying life. Even if you don’t take it quite that far, less stress is better for everybody, and will probably improve your life, even if just a little bit.

Hang Out With Animals

Hang Out With Animals

hang-out-with-animals-thumbYou always hear people say dog is mans best friend, but never really think much of it. It really might be true though. Think about it. An animal appreciates you no matter what you look like, what your skills are or what your status in life is. An animal will like you just for you, and will never judge you. This is more than you can say about other people sometimes. This is one of the reasons being around an animal can make you feel good. As long as you pay attention to it and treat it well, it will like you.

There are many other benefits to being around animals. Sometimes when I have had a bad day, I can hold my cat for a few minutes and all of a sudden I feel a bit better. Come on who could be mad when those big eyes look up at you? Animals are smart too, sometimes it seems like they can almost tell if you are upset sometimes. I got into a car accident a few years ago, and my cat would stay on my bed from the time I woke up until i kicked her out when it was time for bed. Animals can be great companions, and can always be there when you need them.

Animals, especially cats and dogs, can also be fun to play with. Dogs are great for people who have an active lifestyle and spend a lot of time outside. They are great to run around the yard with and play catch. Cats can also be really fun to play with. Get a long string and dangle it in front of a cat. It will make them go crazy! Although no cat toy is quite as fun as a lazer. You have never seen a cat jump and lose it’s mind until you point a lazer at the wall.

Along the same lines animals can also be a great source of entertainment. I’m sure you have all been around a parrot at some point in your life. Parrots are very unique since they can mimick sounds around them. You can teach these birds to say things, or just watch and see what they pick up. Be aware though, they are still animals so watch what you say around them. You don’t want them repeating certian things in the wrong company.

Now i know animals can be quite expensive, and be kind of a hassle to maintain. However, you do not have to own an animal to enjoy their company. Chances are you know someone who has an animal that you can play with for a few hours. You can have a fun time and maybe even improve your mood a bit. The animal will probably appreciate it too since they love attention.

Wind Down

Wind Down

wind-down-thumbEveryone has a lot on their minds. From work, errands, children, problems, or just whatever else they need to get done, they have a lot running through their head. People lead very busy lives, and often it is hard for them to get to sleep because the days events are still running through their heads. You do need this sleep though, and your life will become even more stressful if you are not properly rested.

Fortunately there is a pretty simple way to help this problem. Try to plan some time into your schedule everyday to just lay around and relax. Now I know this sounds easier said than done, but just sitting around doing a relaxing activity for 10 minutes before bed can make it much easier to sleep. It is probably better to stay up for 10 minutes relaxing, than it is to toss and turn for an hour because you didn’t have a chance to clear your head. Overall those 10 extra minutes might make you have a better night’s sleep.

Activities such as watching TV at a low volume, listening relaxing music, or going online work great for me, but you need to find what works for you personally. The important thing is to avoid activities that might make you excited. Things such as playing video games, listening to loud music or gossiping with friends on the phone are probably not good to do if you are about to go to sleep.

Also try to avoid confrontations several hours before bed. There’s really nothing that is worse for a good nights sleep than getting in a fight. However if this does happen, try to do something relaxing that makes you happy as soon as possible. It sounds simple, but honestly this usually helps me in these situations.

Getting a good nights sleep is very important in leading a less stressful life.  Probably one of the most important ways you can get a good nights sleep is winding down at the end of the day.  If you have slept well, your day might be much easier to take on. You also might also make better, more informed desicions since you have a clearer head.

Natural Happiness

Natural Happiness

natural-happiness-thumbYou’re sitting in your office. You feel sick, tired, and bored, but aren’t really sure why. There are plenty of things you could be doing, you just aren’t up to it. So you head outside to just take a break, and suddenly your mood sudden improves. You also seem to have a lot more energy.

Maybe it goes back to caveman times when people lived outside, maybe its the warmth of the sun, but whatever the reason people seem to be happier when they’re outside. Have you ever noticed people seem to usually be running around and having a good time when they’re outside? Also when people stay inside all day they can get tired and moody. Taking a short break to go outside at least once a day might help some of this moodiness, and maybe even give you a better outlook on the day.

Going outside for a whole day can be even better. Now I realize this can be rather difficult during the week with work, errands, and other commitments. However if you have time on the weekends an outdoor getaway can be something healthy and fun to do. There are many fun and interesting outdoor activities to do including:

Walking
Running
Biking
Wandering around the city
Going to an outdoor mall
Going to a Waterpark
Going to the park
Playing Sports
Swimming
Going to the Beach

Most of these activities can be done for relatively cheap, or even free. For more fun outdoor activities look online or ask a friend. Many towns will also host fun outdoor events in the summer that are also sometimes cheap or free.

But what do you do in the winter? We all know about fun activities such as ice skating, sledding or building a snowman. These activities are great, but what about when it gets below zero? It can be dangerous to go outside in these temperatures. In times like these, (depending on how much snow there is on the road) taking a short car drive can be a nice way to enjoy the sights of nature away from the bitter cold.

I think humans are meant to spend time in nature. Whatever the reason may be, it just makes us feel better. It seems almost impossible to be in a bad mood after you’ve spent the day outside. Taking even a short break everyday to go outside, can help put you in a better mood and make your problems easier to handle. You may even find that over time, you get less stressed about the small stuff, and your day seems much easier to take on.

Just Hang Out

Just Hang Out

just-hang-out-thumbThere are certain times in your life where you feel that if you don’t get away and do something fun, you are going to explode. That’s what friends are there for. I know from personal experience that there are some times in my life that would have been much harder without friends. Friends can be there to listen to your problems, and help you figure out a solution. They can also be there to distract you when life becomes too much. Happy and exciting times can become even better when you have someone there to share them with.

Going out with a big group of friends to a fun place or event can be a great distraction from life’s little problems, or just an enjoyable, fun experience. Many times in these situations everybody invites someone, and this can lead you to make new friends. These gatherings can lead to great memories, and fun stories you might never forget. Some of my most fun times in life were at big events or parties with lots of people.

However, lets not forget the importance of one on one time. Hanging out with only one person at a time can be a way to get to know them better and become closer. The closer you are to someone, the more likely they will be there for you when you need them. These close relationships are often the kind that lead to lifelong friendships.

Most things are also more fun when done with a friend, including many of the topics we have discussed on this site. (i mean come on, how fun would it be to go to the movies alone?) Friends can also share common interests, and become closer by talking about them. The things you are interested in can also become much more fun if you have someone to do them with, or at least talk about them with.

Friends also make you feel important or needed. They can also be a way to vent your issues, and keep from blowing your top. However they in turn expect the same, so you must bend a little in order to keep friends, or you shouldn’t expect to keep them.

Humans need some degree of social interaction or they will go crazy. Beyond this though, friends can be people to laugh, cry, and have some great experiences with. Some friends can even enrich your life to the point that you don’t know what you would do if you had never met them.

Overcome Worries

Overcome Worries

overcome-worriesWorrying is something that you have probably done quite a bit throughout your life. Its one of those things that just kind of happens, and it often seems to go in phases where there are some times that you worry more often than others. Worries usually cause stress, which then cause more worries. Getting too caught up in your worries can end up hurting many areas of your life if your not careful. Thankfully there are quite a few things you can do to eliminate or at least significantly reduce your worries.

Figure out the cause
In order to fix something, its useful to know the cause of the problem. Worries can occasionally have an obvious cause, such as some big event happening in your life that causes a good amount of stress. The stress from the event then causes worries. Often enough though, worries are caused by a multitude of small things. The trouble with the small things is that its incredibly hard to notice them until its too late and your already stressed out and worrying about all kinds of things. Whether it be big things or small though, the key here is stress. Find whats stressing you out, and may may just find the cause of your worries.

Realize they don’t matter
Most worries are about things that don’t matter. When you notice yourself worrying about something, try thinking about whether or not it really affects your life. Think about if you’ll even remember what you were worrying about a week from now. If you don’t expect it to be on you mind for very long, then why bother letting it get to you?

Do something Relaxing
Find whatever it is that relaxes you and go do it. Play a game, go for a walk/run/swim/jog/bike ride. It doesn’t really matter what. Just as long as it is a calming activity that know you to be beneficial.

Talk to someone about it
Talking to someone about your worries can be a two sided coin. One one side it helps by giving you an opportunity to vent your frustrations. This can make you feel quite a bit better, and whoever you talk to may give you strength and advice on how to get through your troubles. In contrast, it brings your problems out in the open and forces you to revisit what is bothering you.

Take a break
Sometimes you just need to stop what your doing, and get away for a while. At the very least this may mean just going outside and walking around for a few minutes to clear your head. Alternatively it may mean going ahead and taking a real break from things by taking a vacation to somewhere fun, interesting, or relaxing.

Just Get Away

Just Get Away

just-get-awayEveryday life can become too much sometimes. All the little things can start to build up, and eventually you feel like you might explode. However, you know you can’t just run around the office pulling your hair and screaming at the top of your lungs. So what should you do? Its these times when you just need to get away for awhile.

I mean REALLY get away. Some situations can be helped  by just mentally getting away through music, movies, or books. There are other times though, where the only way to truly help the situation is to physically get up and go somewhere, like on a trip.

Now I know vacations can cost lots of time and money that many don’t have to spare. (You do only usually get a set number of vacation days before it starts coming out of your paycheck) Some trips however can be accomplished in only a weekend or even a day, which is perfect for those who work or go to school full time. There are many different places you can go for a day trip, and many of these are located all over.

Some ideas for weekend trips:

Visit a state park
If you live in the United States many of them have state parks. There are many things to do at a state park such as hike, take photographs, or go on a guided tour and learn more about the area. These also have the potential to be good for your budget, as some of them are free.

Go to a waterpark
A waterpark can be a great place to go on a hot summer day. Some states have multiple ones, and they are often just a short drive from home. They are also not terribly expensive, and can often be cheaper if you go late in the day. Another great thing about waterparks, is that I have never seen two that are exactly alike. Most have a lazy river rafting pool, and a wave pool, but the slides are never the same. Which means you can spend more time at various waterparks without getting bored of the same old things.

Go to the city
Cities are everywhere all over the world, and chances are you live within a few hour drive of one. Cities can be a great place to go for the day or weekend since the possibilities of things to do are almost endless. Theres museums, places to eat, parks, clubs, stores of just about every kind, and much more. There is almost always an interesting event going on too, and sometimes these might even be free.

Amusement park
Most states have at least one amusement park. You can even sometimes find amusement parks in other parts of the world. Amusement parks are fun especially if you like roller coasters, or feel the need for an adrenaline rush. Roller coasters can offer a rush and excitement within a safe environment.

These are only a few ideas of some interesting day trips. Look up some destinations close to home online or ask people you know about some fun places to go on the weekend. Remember the important thing is that you get out of the house, or even better, out of town. It doesn’t necessarily matter what you’re doing, as long as its something.

Time to Relax

Time to Relax

time-to-relaxAll to often you can get caught up in life’s distractions and forget about ever taking a moment to relax. Most things are not important enough to skip having this time for yourself, yet often enough they still tend to get in the way.

 


Skipping this important time for yourself can be detrimental to your mental, physical, and emotional well being. Not only does taking time out for yourself help relieve stress, but it also helps you stay focused on the things that are really important.

 

The time you take out of the day to relax is really more of an investment than anything else. You spend a few moments of potential productivity to take some time to yourself, but what you get back is well worth it. For the few moments you take to yourself, you can get a big boost in productivity which more than makes up for the time invested in relaxing. It also helps you down the road by making you better able to deal with whatever comes your way, which in itself is nearly priceless.

 

How to find the time

If it always seems like you never have a moment to just take a break from things, then you might want to consider planning out some time in advance. You may need to do this anywhere from a few hours in advance, to a few days. The important thing here is that you find a time that works well for you. Just make sure that it is not so far out there that you’ll have forgotten about it by the time it comes.

 

Actually finding a time that works well for you can be a task in itself(but well worth the effort!). When planning things out, make sure that you will not have anything else that will need your immediate attention. Also, its good to plan for a time when you know you can be in a place that is at least somewhat free of negative distractions. Negative distractions can be nasty little things that ruin your entire moment by focusing your attention away from relaxing, and onto other more stressful things. This is why it is best to find places that will keep these at a minimum.

 

Relax with what you love

One thing to consider if you are planning some relaxation time, is what the word relax actually means to you. Relaxing does not always mean sitting around in a hammock between two palm trees sipping tropical drinks(although that would probably work quite well). Instead, relaxing can mean many things to many different people. It can even mean many different things to a single person.

 

The trick to finding what works for you is to look for things that calm you down the most. Start by looking at some of the things you do to calm yourself down when you are stressed out. What eventually gets you back to feeling somewhat normal? Many times the things that you use as stress relievers are things that can be done when you just feel like relaxing (as long as you are not relying on bad habits).

 

Remember, time taken to relax is an investment.

Escape the Day

Escape the Day

escape-the-day-thumbSometimes work can seem like more of a chore than it is worth. There will always be those days where you will feel like your paycheck just isn’t worth it. You know you can’t quit though. You need that money, and the insurance. A new job can also be hard to come by, and it can be hard to live off your savings for months with nothing to replenish it.

Thankfully there are ways to get away from your uptight coworkers, nagging boss, or countless hours of doing nothing.  A great way to escape a mundane or stressful workday is through an audiobook. You can get lost in the story, and the hours can almost seem to fly by. There are audio books on just about everything you could imagine from fantasy, to do it yourself, to even celebrity biographies.

The great thing is that many public libraries also carry audio books, so you might even be able to make your workday better for no money at all. The nice thing about this to is that you will not be wasting your money if you decide you don’t like the book. It also might entice you to pick up something you might have not otherwise, and you might end up finding something you really enjoy.

If books are not your thing, and you prefer radio, podcasts are also another way you could go. Podcasts are free radio shows or even sometimes show length videos that you download from the internet. They are usually much more conversational than audio books, but are also often more realistic or based in reality. However, they to can offer an interesting way to get away from your annoying coworkers, or at least kill a few hours of a boring day. Podcasts are also offered on just about every topic you could imagine, so everyone is bound to find something they like.

Audio books as well as podcasts come in many different topics and forms, so basically everyone should be able to find one that fits their particular interests. These books and shows can help the day at work go by much smoother, and possibly even make those endless hours of wishing you didn’t have a job a little less. At very least, it might make your job a little more tolerable.

Walk It Off

Walk It Off

walk-it-offYou always hear about the physical health benefits of walking, however there can also be many emotional and mental health benefits to walking.  Everybody has had those days where everything seems to be going wrong, and you feel like you just need to get away from everything for awhile. Taking a short walk can sometimes be the perfect way to get away from everything for a little bit and clear your head.

Sometimes even going for a walk as short as 10 minutes can help. I’m not sure if it’s the sunshine, or the outdoors, or just taking a break from everything, but walking always makes me feel a little better no matter how stressed I am.

Walking with a friend can sometimes make you feel even better than if you are just by yourself. They can be there to lend an ear, and help you out. Although maybe all you really need is someone to make you laugh, and realize that things will improve.

If you are looking for more intense activity, a nice run or bike ride can also do the trick. Not only can this help your mental health, but if done regularly, it can also help improve your physical health. This in turn can possibly also make you happier, because you feel better about your body.

However what happens in the winter? You certainly can’t go for a walk or bike ride when its below zero out. In these cases getting in your car and going for a drive can work just as well. Playing some calming music while doing this can also help your mind escape from the days stresses. Be aware though, that with gas prices this can get expensive, and driving in several inches of snow if you don’t have to, would not be something I would recommend either.

Whether it be by walking, biking, or driving, sometimes we just need to get away from life for awhile and clear our heads. Taking some time out once in awhile to do some light physical activity or even just go for a drive can help calm you down and gather your thoughts. This might even cause you to be able to think clearer and make more productive use of your time.  This can lead to more happiness because you will be able to do more of what you really want.

Escape to the Show

Escape to the Show

escape-to-the-showSometimes your mind feels like it just needs to escape from reality for awhile. Other times you might find regular life to be far too boring and predictable.  In these situations watching an interesting movie or show can let your mind escape to an exciting alternate reality where anything is possible.

A very engaging or action packed show or movie can almost make you feel as if you are part of the story. You can begin to care about the characters, and what happens to them. A particularly exciting story can make you forget about real life for awhile, and become completely absorbed in the action of the movie.

Funny movies and shows are also a great way to escape real life. You always hear that laughter is the best medicine. I tend to think this is pretty true. There have been times were I have felt so down, that I didn’t know what to do. Then I watched a funny movie, and even if it was only briefly, my cares seemed to melt away into smiles and laughter. Watching a funny movie with a friend works even better. I don’t know what it is, but for some reason, things are funnier when they are shared with someone else.

A great way to find different movies and shows is asking people that you know what they like to watch.  They might introduce you to something really interesting that you never heard of before.  A friend might even mention a movie or show you had wanted to see, but forgot about because it was released awhile ago. Who knows, they could end up introducing you to your next favorite thing.

Many times you will walk away from these movies or shows more excited or happy then you were before. If it is a particularly interesting story it can also lead to some fun conversions with others who have seen and enjoyed it. This might even help you make some new friends who have similar interests. If nothing else, they offer an exciting or amusing escape from reality for at least a little bit, and sometimes that’s all you need.

Game Away

Game Away

game-awayEveryone worries, but sometimes you worry too much. This worrying can get so bad, that it feels like it will drive you insane if something doesn’t stop it. Often times you can’t do anything about these things, and you just stress yourself out more by worrying about it. In these situations, what you need is a distraction. There are many things you can do to distract yourself from these everyday nagging worries. However one of the best things I’ve found to do that really distracts your mind is playing games.

Games are a great way to distract yourself from lifes little nagging thoughts, especially if its a really intense game. The more challenging the game, the more concentration it requires, the less you will spend worrying about stupid things. Also if the game is really hard, you will feel proud of yourself when you beat it, and you will come away feeling happier, and much less stressed.

I know not everyone has a video game console, or the money to blow on one. Obviously though you all have a computer, and you can find computer games at your local retail store that sometimes cost less than a plate of food at a resterant. You can even go to flash game sites and find some games that are completely free.

There are many different types of games too. You can find games on everything from saving a world, to creating a world, to cooking, to car racing and war. You can even become a rockstar through a game. I’ve even seen games where you babysit pets. With all these choices and more, you are bound to find some game to help you escape lifes everyday worries.

Now you might be thinking, “oh that’s kids stuff.” However, have you ever noticed how much time kids spend playing games, and how much happier kids seem to be than most adults? Now maybe this is a coincendence, but maybe not. Its worth a shot though, if nothing else you might bring out your inner child, and have a bit of fun as well.

Whether it be gaming or not, the point is to get your mind fully involved in what you are doing and keep those worrisome thoughts away. However, a word of caution. Do not get too dependent on games. Addiction to anything, even games, can become a serious problem. So be careful, don’t take it too seriously, and have some fun.

Getting Through Bad Times

Getting Through Bad Times

getting-through-bad-timesJust about everyone will inevitably have some times in their lives that they don’t like. In fact, chances are you have already had quite a few of them. Usually these times have something that causes them. It may be a job you don’t like, a friendship gone bad, or a bad living situation. Whatever the reason, when you are going through a bad time it’s usually pretty easy to spot the source. What isn’t usually easy though, is making things better. Depending on the situation, getting out can be a real big task. Listed here are some things that may help you find your way out.


Don’t make things worse.
A bad situation is not the best place to find yourself, but that does not mean you need to make it worse. Unfortunately though, many times this is exactly what seems to happen. Bad situations like to perpetuate themselves, and while this happens you continuously react adversely to it, which continuously makes things worse. And then the cycle repeats. The trick here is to realize when you are in this cycle and try to break it. Instead of letting the situation control you, take control of it yourself. This requires you to be aware of yourself reacting to the situation as it happens. One important thing to ask yourself before reacting to the situation is: Will this make things better or worse?


Talk yourself down.
Often times you may get yourself a lot more worked up more than you really need to be. This can usually happen automatically as your initial reaction. Getting overly upset about something usually only makes things worse, which is why one of the first things you should consider trying to do is calm yourself down. Everyone has their own ways of doing this. For you it may be doing something relaxing such as reading, or maybe even something active such as exercising. You will need to find what works for you, and try remember to apply it when you feel you may be getting more upset than you really should be about something. Getting overly upset about things usually only hurts your situation and makes your problems seem worse than they really are.


Keep yourself busy.
The busier you keep yourself, the less you will be able to think about being unhappy. This works well when you find yourself in bad situations where time is the only thing that makes things better. This also works well if you feel that the best way for things to get better is to wait it out for a while. Either way, if you spend your idle time in boredom, it becomes easy for you to dwell on the bad things. To avoid this, it is best to keep yourself busy. In order to have the best chance of not letting yourself dwell on the situation, try to think of some of the things that will keep you the most actively engaged. The more “into” something you are, the less you’re into other things(like dwelling on the bad situation).

Here are a few ideas to keep yourself busy:
Exercise.
Finish old projects.
Start a new project.
Learn a new skill or language.
Join a local sports league.
Do something to help someone else.
Take some classes on something that interests you.
Read books/newspapers/magazines/articles.

These were just to get you started. There are so many things out there.


Remember, the situation is only temporary.
Fortunately, most bad situations are only temporary.  Whenever you find yourself in such a situation, just keep in mind that it is only temporary. Remember that you are only in this specific situation until something happens to get you out, or you do something to get out of it. Either way, remember that something usually changes for the better. Situations change minute by minute and day by day.


Talk to someone about it.
Its not always easy to talk to other people about our issues, but sometimes summing up the courage to talk about it is way better than having to just sit and deal with it ourselves. Others can also give you insights that you may not have thought of. It may be that your solution is acquired thorough an outside perspective, such as the advice of a friend of family member.


Use past victories.
Chances are you’ve been through a lot of stuff in life that’s been pretty bad before, which you have gotten through just fine. Draw upon this idea to help remind yourself that this is just another one of these times. Keep thinking to yourself that you will get over, just like all of the other things you have gotten over.


Take care of yourself.
When bad times are running through your life, it is more important than ever to lead a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you remember to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and if possible get the proper amount of sleep. If you do not do this normally, it may be a good time to start. The boost from this can be a great benefit to your overall well being, and help you get through your situation much easier. Yes this is easier said than done, but the work required to take proper care of yourself can far outweigh the work required to recover from an overly extended bad time you had to go through without being in a very good condition.

Call on a Friend

Call on a Friend

call-on-a-friendBottling your emotions seems like a good thing to a certain extent because you know that if you told your boss what you really think about his new company plan, you would probably get yourself fired. However doing this is kind of like filling up a water bottle. There is only so much you can hold, and eventually it all comes out and makes a big mess. These explosions of feelings also don’t tend to come at the most opportune times either.

To avoid embarrassing yourself with sudden outbursts, it is better to get these feelings out before they build up. Letting your feelings build up to the point where they explode can sometimes lead to very undesirable consequences. This can be anything from getting your best friend so mad that they don’t talk to you for a month, to losing your job because you talked back to your boss.

Talking to a good friend, spouse, significant other, or close family member when you are feeling upset or angry is a good way to keep from loosing your lid. However often you are too busy to drop what you are doing and make a phone call. If you have unlimited texting, I find a good thing to do in this situation is to send a long text out to some of your close friends venting your feelings. Often at least one of them will write back quickly with reassuring words or just something to make you smile.

However if you do not have unlimited texting, this option can cause even more stress when you get that phone bill at the end of the month. (Texting can get rather expensive). If this is the case, a good idea might be to write an email to one of your close friends just letting them know you had a bad day, and to just write you back when they get your message. Although the response might not be immediate (people tend to check their phones more than their email), at least you got your feelings out and avoided getting yourself in an potentially embarrassing or unpleasant situation.

Getting out your feelings little by little as they happen could also make you a happier person, since you are dealing with your feelings as they come and not walking around being mad all the time.

Mellow Out

Mellow Out

mellow-outWe all have those days where we swear if we get yelled at again, or the printer jams up one more time we feel like are going to snap. Well there’s less violent ways of dealing with those situations, other than punching your boss in the face or taking a hammer to the printer. I find one of the best things to do when you are stressed is to listen to some mellow music. The right album or song can just seem to melt away your stresses. Sometimes it can almost seem to take you to another reality where everything is calm and good.

Different people listen to different things to calm down depending on their individual tastes. Try out different albums from your music collection and find out what works for you. Also you can try talking to other people, and find out what music calms them down. Switching up your calm down music every once in awhile is good. If you listen to the same cd all the time, eventually you might get sick of it, and it might stop calming you down. Another thing you could do is if you find that a certain cd really seems to work for you, go online or to your local library and see if that band has any other cds.

Getting a good pair of noise canceling headphones is also good idea to help reduce stress while listening to music. It can block out external distractions and stressors, making it easier to calm down and relax.

Listening to the right music can sometimes calm you down no matter how mad you are, and make it much easier to deal with those things that were stressing you out. You might even come to realize that the stupid thing which made you so angry, wasn’t even worth getting mad about in the first place.

Cat Nap

Cat Nap

Cat NapYou hear it all the time that sleep is important, but many times even if you try, it can be almost impossible to get the proper amount. This is because all sorts of things seem to interfere with your normal sleep patterns. It could be a problem at work, a fight you had with someone, an illness you are currently fighting off, or various other worries and stresses. Whatever the case may be, not sleeping is not good, and it can definitely make you unhappy.

In fact those problems which you were up all night worrying about, can actually become worse if you try to face them without proper rest. When you are tired, you get crabby and tend to not think about what you say. You can also be irritable to those around you. Poor sleeping habits can even affect your performanceat work or school.

So what can you do about it?

Trust me, I’ve been there. In my experience if you have been up all night, chances are your body is going to try and sleep at some point in the day whether you want it to or not. So the best thing to do is to take a short cat nap. Your body needs it’s sleep, and even a short 20 minute nap can recharge you and make you feel more alert.

There are many benefits of taking a short nap. You could possibly avoid a car accident by being more alert when you drive, and you could also avoid getting in serious trouble or even fired at work. Imagine having to explain to your boss why you fell asleep at the morning meeting. Chances are, they will not like whatever reason you might give them for you being so tired.

Taking a short nap is also useful whenever you have been sick, or feel like you are getting sick. You will be amazed by how a short nap sometimes really is just the thing to help that headache or upset stomach. Plus it recharges your body, and helps keep your immunity in its best shape so it can fight off new infections.

Anytime you are feeling stressed is also a good time to take a short nap. Sleep is the best, most natural, and healthy escape from reality. When you awaken you will be much calmer, and your problems will seem much easier to take on.