Seven Ways To Relieve Stress

I think that it is safe to say that everyone deals with stress sometimes. Some deal with it more than others and it may seem as though you never fully get rid stress because there are so many things that cause you stress in your life. If you are like me and you can't afford to treat yourself to things like foot massages or a vacation on a tropical island far away from everyone and everything, then you have to be a bit more creative and find some simpler things in life that can still bring relaxation and an ease of worries for some time.

The first obvious stress reliever for me is going near the water on a bright and breezy day. There is nothing that says relaxation like a day at the beach with the sun shining, the wind in your hair and the water lapping at your feet. Somehow the beach makes you relax even when you don't need to. I always leave the beach ready for a good night's rest because my mind has been cleared from all the worries that plagued me during the week.

If you can't get to a beach then the pool works just as well for some (I choose the beach any day) and even better for others. I know quite a few people who say just a little time in the pool makes them feel so relaxed and at ease.

• Peppermint oil
• Eucalyptus oil
• Epsom Salts
• grated ginger/ginger powder
• body wash (for the bubbles)
• baking soda
• lavender oil
• hot water (of course)

So what if you can't get to a beach or to a pool? What if the "weather outside is frightful" and you absolutely do not want to go outside?

I would suggest a long bath with everything but the kitchen sink in there with you or a lovely foot soak to ease your tired limbs.

As someone who suffers with foot problems I know that my feet need some TLC every now and then but I have met a few people who are pleasantly surprised when they treat themselves to a little foot soak. It is one of the most relaxing things because you just get to sit there while the water etc. does the work and you can listen to music, watch television or read a book while waiting. A good conversation is also something great to pair it with but the conversation should be light and I would not do it on the telephone because to me talking on the phone is a stress in and of itself.

Sometimes listening to music really helps get the mind off of things. For some people classics like Beethoven and Bach work wonders and for others it is the music of their generation that really does the trick.

It is always fun to sing along to the music that you like and if you are by yourself then dancing is a great way to relax as well. The sillier the dancing the better because then, at least for awhile, you won't take yourself so seriously and your worries won't weigh on you as much. Singing and dancing really lighten the heart.

You might think to yourself, 'Coloring is for kids' but you might be very surprised to find that coloring is very relaxing. I remember loving to color as a child because the focus on coloring the picture just the way I wanted it took up my thoughts and I was usually very happy after coloring a certain picture. As an adult this does not really change.If you give coloring a try you just might find yourself feeling calmer than you were before. There are coloring books available for adults and you can treat yourself to your very own set of colored pencils, markers and colored pens ( I am dead serious here ) and give it try.

Every time I go outside and tend to the garden I feel a lot better. I do not know if it has to do with digging the soil, playing with water ( I still do) or watching things grow and thrive. Maybe it has to do with helping other living things with their struggles and watching them get out of their problems of blight or bugs and becoming the beautiful plants they were designed to be. The odd thing is that I have never heard someone complain about gardening (mowing the lawn is a different matter).

I am not a great gardener and do not have a 'green thumb' at all but I can still plant things and watch them grow. It is a great hobby that can actually help economically and so relieves stress in two ways. I plant things like peppers, onions, ginger, herbs, and tomatoes so that I do not have to buy them at the store. I also plant things that grow from cuttings so that I do not have to spend to much on turning the garden into a sanctuary. Some plants that grow from cuttings are African violets, geraniums, and impatients.

I would say that of all the ways to wipe away stress gardening might be the best one of all.

The reasons for this are:

• it distracts the mind while you are doing it
• it benefits from the work that you do and pays you back with the reward of beauty for weeks to come
• it can help to feed your family cutting down on some financial worry however small
• it becomes a peaceful place where you can simply sit and relax and look at what you helped to grow

It had to be on my list of ways to get rid of stress because reading a book can take you anywhere in the world. You can go to Paris or Rome if you want to in a book. You can visit the jungles of Africa or the market places of Morocco if you want to in a book. Books can also transport you to the past, keep you in the present, or take you to the future and there is no plane on earth able to do that! Books even invent places that do not exist and you can go there too if you like!

You can pick a book on any topic and once it holds your interest, then your stress and anxiety will melt away while you read it and it will provide that great escape that your mind so badly needs.

What is a book that you could not put down? Please let me know in the comments!

I know it sounds shocking but when you are particularly stressed and the main reason is anger or anxiety scrubbing the bath or floor or any kind of vigorous cleaning helps tremendously. You are able to take all of that emotion and let it just pour into the tile and the grout. Your bath will sparkle and your anger will be spent if you will go through all of the things you wished you had said while scrubbing and all of the things that were said while cleaning!

If you would rather not think about whatever is causing you stress at all then you can listen to the music and sing along at the top of your lungs while you work. Forget about whistling! Just let it rip!

Whatever way you choose to get rid of stress it is important to try to get rid of it so that you can be well mentally. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health but unfortunately, many times people leave it on the back burner until they have a nervous breakdown.

Please pay attention to your state of mind and try to remember to fight stress and worry as much as you can.

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