Stress Be Gone: A Guide to Unwinding

It is a bright and early Monday morning. I spill coffee on my new white blouse, while avoiding a car accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the beltway, during my excessive hour commute to campus; where upon arrival it takes half an hour to find a parking spot. It is barely 9am and I am already feeling overwhelmed. The sad part is that is just a low-fat glimpse of daily stressors. Let's face it, shit happens, and just 'dealing with it' does not truly aid the situation. No matter what tends to occur, we often times forget that stress is a psychosomatic illness, with physical effects. Rarely do we ever associate physical ailments with stress, at first diagnoses; but in all actuality, many health complications are caused by un-tamed, built up anxiety. This is why it is important to handle stress when it first starts. Here are five ways that you can relieve stress during the course of the day. Engaging in these stress relieving activities allows one to take a breather and remember that life is going to go on regardless; no need to hassle over trivial happenings.

1.) Vent

Take a moment and communicate how you are feeling, what has happened, and why this is bothering you. I carry a little journal where I write down what happens throughout my day. Aside from that I utilize the status features on various social networking sites that allows you to fill in others with what's going on. Oftentimes my friends will leave inspiring or empowering comments to help remind me that the day must go on. This is helpful because it reminds me that I am not the only one who has rough days.

2.) Take it out on something

As corny as it may be, stress balls are very, very helpful in relieving tension; they are compact and easy to carry around. If you don't have a stress ball, just take 5 minutes and stretch. Do some deep breathing, focus on the extremities of the body and the temperature differences. I have a tendency to use interactive gaming to take out my frustrations. I highly recommend Wii Sports, and Dance Dance Revolution. They are activities that make you focus on something other than the unsettling events of your day; allowing your mind to focus on the physical, instead of the mental, thus helping in worry relief.

3.) Tune in

Music is therapy for the soul. Taking a few moments during times of frustration to listen to a favorite tune is helpful in keeping you mentally and physically calm. My favorites are Smooth, Mellow sounds like James Morrison or India Arie. But sometimes switching to a new genre can be soothing as well. Trying new things is always beneficial to personal peace.

4.) Drop out of the loop...temporarily

Sometimes the various communication devices incorporated in our lives restrict our ability to break away. Try just cutting off the phone, laptop, and any other advice that electronically connects you to the complex bubble of the world. Doing this is a mini-vacation from the daily demands of life. And it gives you time to do something you enjoy. Read a book, take a walk, do a puzzle; whatever, just take a 'me-moment'.

5.) Have an intimate experience

There is no easier way to forget about your stressors than to share yourself with a significant other. Now, this is not to say go and sleep around, using stress as an excuse. Nevertheless, it is proven by numerous medical studies that sex is a reliever, physically and psychologically. And if you don't have a partner, try self exploration. It is a safer approach to relief than random intercourse, and has parallel benefits. However, always remember to practice safe sex. Bear in mind, encountering a sexual transmitted infection is counter-productive to relieving stress.

Whatever you do to help relieve nervous tension, make sure you emphasize changing your focus from the things that are stressing you, to something that will ensue a change in thoughts, and bring about a lighter mood. Remember, the key to being peaceful and stress free starts and ends in the mind.