Five Things to do Every Day to Keep Stress Away

In our current climate it’s rarer to find someone who isn’t feeling stressed than it is to find someone who is.

Just about everyone you meet is working long hours, concerned about their finances, or struggling with a difficult relationship or personal issue. Whatever the issue, it’s not too much of a stretch to say that most people can benefit from making more of an effort to relieve stress throughout the day.

Whether you’re going through a particularly difficult time and need some extra positivity or are just trying to feel your best, listed below are five things you should be doing on a daily basis to relax and keep stress away.

The Problem with Stress

While occasional (or acute) stress is not a problem -- in fact, it’s healthy -- chronic stress wreaks havoc on just about every system in your body. Chronic stress contributes to a variety of health issues, including the following:

What Do You Do When You Are Blindsided and Can't See A Solution?

Three going on....?

"Have you noticed how much happier everyone is this time of year?"  Someone asked me that the other day and frankly, I was a bit shocked.

I witness the opposite each year. Maybe it is because we are in retail business and people are regularly complaining -- not enough time or money to do what they need to do.  In general, people are impatient and grumpier than the rest of the year - hands down. 

Stress is over the top for many people at Christmas time. Personally, I find this time of year relaxing as I am prepared at least a month or two in advance. My goal is to have all the gifts wrapped and baking done by November.

The Only Explanation is that it was a Miracle

When you pride yourself as being organized and knowing where everything is, imagine what it feels like when you lose something of great value.  Last month I shared that my current circumstances were overwhelming on every front and stress can play many games on your psyche to the point of losing focus.  Have you ever experienced arriving at a destination without recollection of driving there?  You may have been so intense in your thoughts that your brain automatically took over for you.  That is the mode I functioned in for ten days last month.

After a four-day successful speaking tour, I was flying high on adrenalin.  On the first day, I sold out of the boxes of books I had taken for the entire week.   The response was remarkable and many people were encouraged and motivated to make changes in their lives.  

I changed into my traveling clothes, put my jewelry in my purse, got into my car for the long trek home, turned on my phone and what I read caused me to start shaking.  In a couple of words -- I was the victim of fraud, identity theft, and our online business had been shut down.

Shock comes in many different forms

For the next five hours, I sat in my car talking on the phone trying to make sense of it all.  By the time I got home, I was a wreck and my head was spinning.  For the next ten days, I barely left the office trying to salvage the loss, closing bank accounts, and figuring out what to do next.

On day eleven, I had to finally look in a mirror, get dressed and go to work at our store.  When I opened my jewelry box, I noticed that my cherished ring was missing.   Just that one, everything else was there. The last place I wore it was when I was on the tour.  I retraced my steps, called the hotel where I stayed, and searched my car but came up empty.

Why Garden? You Just Have To Do it All Over Again

Let's get one thing clear.  I ain't no gardener.  I hate gardening and when someone tells me that it is therapeutic, it makes me wonder.  What is fun about bending over all day in the hot sun, getting sweaty and filthy?  I suppose some people feel that way about housework or any number of things that we consider chores.  


The weeds grow back, the house needs cleaning......

HOWEVER...last week I looked at the flower garden and decided it was time!  It extends around the entire yard and has a million or so different plants.  Almost all of them bloom, including the weeds.

I spent four-and-a-half hours weeding one day and could hardly walk for a day or two afterward.  I found no satisfaction in it and after looking at the yard, it looked as though it hadn't been touched.  That means I have to do it soon - AGAIN.

Can You Tell the Difference?

How Do You Pull Yourself Out of the Pit?

Some of you may remember my story about credit card fraud which you can read here.    Two men charged a few thousand dollars for jewelry at our store and then called their credit card company and 'reported' that they were never in the store.  The credit card company gave them their money back which means they have the merchandise plus their refund.  I spent over 30 hours on the phone (mostly on hold) over the course of a few days fighting this and was finally able to connect with a supervisor in Visa's fraud department.  What he told me was shocking!

Credit card companies will always side with the cardholder -- even when it is a fraudulent card.  It is the 'rule of law' initially set up.  Going to court to fight that decision would only be a waste of time and money.  The agent was apologetic but explained that is the law and there is nothing we can do about it.  The first time this happened to us, it cost us $6,000.  Now.....it happened again.  These thieves hit several stores in our small town the same day -- we are all up the proverbial creek.  Does that seem fair?

In the meantime, we sold a guitar amp on eBay which we hoped would help recoup our losses.  The buyer decided he did not want to keep it and sent it back but didn't pack it well and this is how it arrived.

Moving Day is Fun - Said No One Ever

I GET IT!  I really do.  "Why don't you hire someone to pack for your move?" they said.  "I can do it myself like I always have!" said I.  What I did not take into account was in the 12 years since our last move, we have collected more and as hard as it is to believe, we are now 12 years older.  So......although I understand why people hire help I don't know if I could.  Too many decisions to make along the way.

I really don't feel my 'age', whatever that means.  And in the normal course of events, I don't feel any older.  But carrying over 100 boxes up a long flight of stairs has a way of making you feel those aging joints.  After a couple weeks of packing and purging, I realized I had built muscles.  That felt great.  Considering I will now be walking up and down stairs several times a day and also carrying the dogs (their legs are too short and they are too old to make it up by themselves) I will hopefully maintain some of those newly built muscles. 

It took two weeks to pack and three to unpack.  There were six or seven trips to the dump and a few to the thrift store.  Saying goodbye to things I had not used for many years was a good feeling - even though there was a twinge of sadness once in a while.  It was difficult putting things in storage that my son had given me.  But I no longer needed the daily reminder that he is no longer in my life.  Not having things in my vision on a regular basis will help ease the pain in the long run.

My business was put on hold.  Actually, my life was!  I certainly tried to stay on top of the daily routine of emails, phone calls and my zillion jobs - basically, it was still put on hold.

I am extremely glad that I stayed in the 'old' house to clean while the movers unloaded at the new one.  Although the moving company had terrific reviews, I later found out that the owners had recently gone through some heavy personal and emotional issues and turned to alcohol.  They arrived hung over and too tired to move.  We have heavy furniture.  A piano.  Oak bedroom furniture.  A cedar cabinet that is six feet high.  I held my breath and didn't watch.

Later, I wondered how my large plants got crushed as they were standing up in the van.  Apparently, the movers thought the plants were a good place to put sofa cushions on top!

 

When they arrived at the new residence, my husband was sergeant major.  He kept yelling for them to wipe their feet because the driveway is not complete yet.  It was raining.  The mud, gravel, and sand were everywhere. 

The house was not quite ready for residency which meant that on MOVING DAY there were 13 construction workers doing finishing touches, three guys from the moving company, hubby, and friends.  It was like a moving party except it was not fun.











Our first guests were daughter Rochelle and kiddos.  What a delight to have them come for a visit.  Rochelle asked me several times if she could help with the move for a few days.  But I kept insisting that when she came for a visit I wanted her to be able to relax, not work.  It was nice to have everything done when they were here and what fun we had - especially with all the new places to play hide and seek!

 




















Two-year-old Brie is a force to be reckoned with.  Like most toddlers, she has boundless energy.  As in the past, my greatest delight is to watch her six-year-old brother interact with her.  He is so responsible and caring.  Brie will tease him, even throw the occasional toy at him to see what he will do.  He 'corrects' her gently and explains that this is not acceptable behavior.  What six-year-old does that!  

Brie is fearless.  She got up on the quad and started it.  Fortunately, her legs were not long enough to reach the pedals but she figured out how to start it just by observation.   
















 


They loved the new bathtub and with it being deep the splashing stayed IN the tub.










Even though most of the work is done, I wonder how long it takes to actually feeling settled.  I wander around my kitchen aimlessly looking for stuff.  As organized as I think I am, when friends helped me organize the kitchen, it may take months before I find what I am looking for.  Wouldn't have it any other way.  What an adventure!  

This is a Fly on the Wall post where bloggers share their adventures monthly.  Have a buzz around and be a fly on the wall at these awesome blogger's homes:

Baking In A Tornado
Menopausal Mother
Bookworm in the Kitchen
Spatulas on Parade
The Bergham Chronicles

                                                                                                                  

11 Ways to Avoid the Christmas Rush and Have a Stress-free Holiday

"I hate Christmas!"  Those were the words spoken by a woman who was looking in the showcases in my store this week.  

"Pardon me?"

"I hate Christmas -- well, not really.  I just hate all the stuff I am forced to do."

I have not been able to shake that conversation from my psyche.

Each year, I watch the craziness and the hustle.  I see the anger.  I hear nasty, grumpy comments by people who generally are easy-going.  

People pushing, swearing, rushing, yelling.  No wonder she hates Christmas.

Christmas CAN BE stress-free -- honest!

Where is Your Focus When Life Throws You a Curve?

When calamity strikes, how do you cope?  Have you ever had to suffer the loss of everything you hold dear in this world?  After years of traumatic events in my life, I was constantly asked to "write a book" because as difficult as it was to believe, people would draw strength from it.

I did write the book and that is precisely what happened.  I firmly believe we need to share our stories to help others who may be experiencing a similar dilemma.  Hence, my talk show was born - interviewing ordinary people who went through extraordinary circumstances and remarkably survived.  They give us tips and coping skills in dealing with the curves life throws at you.

THEN....smack in the middle of one of the greatest pains in my life (read about it here) the fires in Fort McMurray started.  Around the world, people pulled together to support those who had to flee their homes. Many of them did not have a chance to retrieve their wallets, or heartbreaking to believe -- their pets.  That story is here.  That post was written in response to a prompt challenge in a blogging group.  

Imagine my surprise when the next challenge was to use words that tied in precisely with those fires.  A fellow blogger at Climaxed gave me the words honey ~ blowing ~ fort ~ fireplace ~ problematic ~ social anxiety.

I was not expecting to grieve so deeply for the people in Fort McMurray, but it was too close to home.  My daughter and her family recently moved from there and they have friends and family who work there.  This tragedy is far from over and will affect lives for a long while.  In light of the fact that the summer has not yet started, the world prays for rain, the blowing winds to cease, and cooler temperatures.

The social anxiety that comes with these disasters is often bittersweet.  The tragedy can be beyond coping but it draws families and communities together.  We learn very quickly what is important in our lives.  As difficult as it is to lose our possessions, we cherish the people in our lives on a deeper level.

Do You Stay Calm During Stressful Situations?

"Mommy?"

"Yes....?"

"Can you and daddy make me a boy one -- just like my sweetie girl?"

How do you answer that?  Rochelle said she would talk to daddy.......

I adore watching how my 4-year-old grandson loves his new little sister.  Before she was born, William made it exquisitely clear that if mommy and daddy had a boy baby, to PUT HIM BACK.  He only wanted a sister.

Now, he wants another sibling.  He begs to hold her and cuddle with her.   How long do you think that will last?  We can hope....forever.

It is hard to believe that she is a month old already and in a moment I will be recalling at her high school graduation, "Seems like yesterday I held Aubrie in my arms, welcoming her into this world."

Is There Ever A Bad Time For Good News?

When everything seems to be going wrong do you quit?  Or do you think it may be going wrong because it is worth persevering?  I had to make this decision last week when I got THE phone call. Before I can adequately share that story please read this one about the two long-haired Dachshunds we were trying to adopt and why it was so important.....

The hoops we had to jump through trying to adopt these two dogs were much like the hurdles we encountered when adopting our son.  But these were DOGS.  I understand the agencies need to be sure their rescues are going to good homes but this seemed a bit over the top.  We had to send pictures of each room in our home and all parts of the yard. This was to determine if we had a dog friendly home.  We had to have several personal and professional references. Any vets we had previously used would need to contacted. This was a problem because after we switched to a raw diet for our dogs, we no longer needed veterinary services.  The only time we used a vet in the past few years was when Texas was attacked by the Bull Mastiff.

Rescue dogs are a breed of their own.  I believe they are fully aware that they were given away or thrown away or neglected.  They are the most loyal dogs; hands down.

How Can You Be In Two Places At Once?

Are you more than one person?  Many people try to be and most of us act slightly differently in the various roles we play.  Each role is then subdivided into other roles.  Do you believe that if we take on too many roles we can burn out?  At what point should we say "Stop! I can only do so much."

But what if we can't stop?  What if so many people depend on us that we have to keep going and not expect to get a break?

It is a lot easier to look at someone else's life and say "You need to slow down."  Or.."Why don't you just get out of that commitment?"  It usually isn't that easy.  Recently I found myself in such a place.

10 Tips On How To Avoid The Christmas Hustle

"I hate Christmas!"  Those were the words spoken by a woman who was looking in the show cases in my store this week.  

"Pardon me?"

"I hate Christmas -- well, not really.  I just hate all the stuff I am forced to do."

I have not been able to shake that conversation from my psyche.

Each year, I watch the craziness and the hustle.  I see the anger.  I hear nasty, grumpy comments by people who generally are easy-going.  

People pushing, swearing, rushing, yelling.  No wonder she hates Christmas.

Sometimes We Battle the Stress By Bragging A Little

William turned three in October and this is one Grandmom who has never experienced the terrible twos. My children didn't go through them and neither has William. Why am I bragging? Because I am proud. Incredibly proud at how Thomas and Rochelle are raising this little grandson. When Rochelle shares some of the parenting skills they use, I am impressed and grateful for the job they are doing.  It makes me wonder why more parents don't take this rewarding road.

Consequently, William is a funny, happy, content, well-behaved, polite little boy and never exhausting in any respect.

ENOUGH bragging -- now a couple funny stories.   William flunked swimming class.  There are four little three-year-olds in the class.  Two boys, two girls.  William cheats.  In order to pass the class he had to be able to hold his head under water and catch the bubbles he blew.  He figured out an easier way -- blow the bubbles on top of the water and catch them with your feet.  Do you think he maybe wanted to stay in this particular class?  He really likes the teacher!

The Never Ending Wait in Line

Isn't it odd.... the things we remember?  Some of you will remember my day-long stressful experience at the post office that turned out to be hilarious.  Over 50 years ago, I read a poem and every single time I am in a post office -- I still think of it. It was written by one of my favorite poets, James Kavanaugh.  He wrote about life and love.  Most of his poems asked questions - which trigger thought.  I have enjoyed every single poem he has written and they obviously have made an impact. Some of his works dig deep but this is a lighter one.  Suffice it to say, next time you are in a post office, I bet you remember this poem:

The Post Office

I've never dealt with Russian commissars

Nor spent a single day in prison camps,

But I often meet the ghost of buried czars

When I try to buy a roll of eight-cent stamps.

How to Handle the Little (Big) Things

Stress Management. How many articles and books have been written on this subject?  How many medications are taken daily in hopes of managing the stress we experience? What coping mechanisms can we practice? 

Stress...how to cope

As a health coach, I regularly see people suffering from various health issues as a result of being under too much stress.  Since Battered Hope has been released, one of the questions I get most often is, "How did you endure all the trauma?"  After 42 years of marriage and surviving often insurmountable circumstances, (including being arrested) my response is almost always the same, "I learned how to laugh!"

Free Your Mind Now

No more pain.  No more tears.  No more worry.  No more stress. No more let-downs.  No more discouragements.  No more anxiety. No more bad news.  No more.

It's over.  I'm done.  I can't go on that way any longer.

It's a new day.  I will now live in hope.  In anticipation of good things.  

Turning my back on the past and concentrating on the future. Looking ahead instead of behind.  

Can I stay here?  Will I be pulled back?  

I must be strong.  I must focus.  I can do it.  I must.

Will you help me?

This was a 100 word challenge to write precisely 100 words without thinking - Free Your Mind

Photo courtesy of Flickr.com

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