Choose You Blog
All our lives have a certain amount of stress; and we’re all stuck with that reality. But hopefully we can find ways to manage the stress we have–each in our own ways.
What would a picture of stress relief look like?
That would do it for me.
Except reality is a little different.
Following my cancer diagnosis, to find stress relief I tried everything you can think of : from yoga to music to meditation to guided inagery to nature walks to every suggestion mentioned in Julie‘s and Catherine’s posts below. Nothing worked.
If you remember George Costanza’s father on Seinfeld, shouting in desperation, “Serenity now!” —- that was me.
So it was a great shock for a non-artist to discover stress relief in a little paint it yourself pottery studio.
Painting and making mosaics were the only way I ever found to relax during cancer. For me, that was the key—my stress level dropped just walking in the door.
For me, stress relief looked like this:
For other people, it’s this:
… or this:
Or whatever speaks to you.
For someone like me, who finds it difficult to relax, working with your hands is a wonderful way to help let your mind loose—you’re in the zone, focused in the present.
The only problem is making time to do it. That’s what my last week of Choose You has been about.
For me, making mosaics is creative stress management.
It’s a commitment to myself that’s been far easier to satisfy than kicking my sugar craving. It even tastes better than chocolate—-because it’s food for the soul.
2 Responses to “What does stress relief look like?”
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Gardening! Cooking! For me, stress relief is the wonderful feeling of being in control of my immediate environment. A clean, homey home. Loved your post.
Stress relief for now is a very large furry presence named Victor. A very large hug … me of him or him of me … does the trick.