How to Handle Stress in the Midst of Chaos
By Sandy Schroeder
Today’s world generates a lot of stress and a fair amount of chaos. In the midst of it all, most of us try to hang onto a little peace at home and maintain a normal work pace that pays the bills, but that’s not always easy.
Finding ways to stay calm, remain productive, and still enjoy the flow of daily life takes a few tricks that dumblittleman.com understands quite well. It gets easier if we remember to stay centered and step away when we need to.
Stay Centered
I have watched some very brave people dig deep to find their own personal core when life challenged them. We all have those moments when we look around, and realize we have to face the issues at hand with or without the help of others. To do that there are a few steps to take.
- Know who you are
- Know what counts the most in your world
- Know what relaxes you and what makes you worry
- Know what makes you strong and what makes you weak
Step Away
The act of disconnecting can give you a chance to remember who you are and what makes life good.
Take media breaks - News and social media can simply pour over you nonstop if you let it. Turn down the volume and cut back on the time spent online with others.
Reach out to those around you - Go for coffee, meet for lunch or share a glass of wine after work. Turn off your phone (just for a little while!) and enjoy being there to catch up. It could be a close friend that lives on the other side of town, or a former co-worker who has remained a lifelong friend, or someone you see every day. As you sit and talk you can help each other, listening to thoughts, opinions, and issues. Sometimes it’s enough just to listen.
Take a walk outside - Soak up the sunlight. Stop to water your plants. Head off to the nearest park or walk to do errands instead of driving. As you put one foot in front of the other, everything may look and feel better.
Play with your pets - Your dog or cat just wants to play. They don’t know what the latest news is, but they can hear the tension in your voice. Take your dog for a long walk, or play hide-and-seek with your cat’s favorite toy mice.
Cook something delicious - If cooking relaxes you, stock up on some of your favorite healthy ingredients to whip up fresh tomato pasta, bake a banana loaf, or treat your family to their favorite chili.
Staying centered and pausing to let go may be two of the healthiest things that you could do today.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Madison, Wis.