I've been having a very stressful time at work lately. When I come home, I have a hard time de-stressing.
My tub is too small to drown myself in a sea of bubbles. My checkbook can't sustain my shopping therapy. My jeans can't handle eating therapy (don't judge me! lol). I don't want to drink regularly. It's been too cold to go walking lately. Even my old stand-by of losing myself in jigsaw puzzles isn't having its usual effects. So, I guess it's time to ask what everyone else does to de-stress.
What simple relaxaton techniques do you use to help wash away a bad day (or week, or year)? I'd love to hear ideas so I can try something new.
I've been having a very stressful time at work lately. When I come home, I have a hard time de-stressing.
My tub is too small to drown myself in a sea of bubbles. My checkbook can't sustain my shopping therapy. My jeans can't handle eating therapy (don't judge me! lol). I don't want to drink regularly. It's been too cold to go walking lately. Even my old stand-by of losing myself in jigsaw puzzles isn't having its usual effects. So, I guess it's time to ask what everyone else does to de-stress.
What simple relaxaton techniques do you use to help wash away a bad day (or week, or year)? I'd love to hear ideas so I can try something new.
Endless Ocean for the Wii is great to relax to. Haley Westenra (sp) sings background for that game and her voice is so peaceful, relaxing and beautiful I have been known to nod off with the wiimote in my hand. lol Youtube her, I bet you don't even need the game. :)
Video Games. I love Fable II.
Endless Ocean for the Wii is great to relax to. Haley Westenra (sp) sings background for that game and her voice is so peaceful, relaxing and beautiful I have been known to nod off with the wiimote in my hand. lol Youtube her, I bet you don't even need the game. :)
In your rocking-chair, by your window dreaming, shall you long, alone. In your rocking-chair, by your window, shall you dream such happiness as you may never feel. –Theodore Dreiser
These are all very good suggestions but I am cracking up over the censorship. Laughter definitely is a stress reliever but I think that what comes between 5&7 is great too, oz. :-)
These are all very good suggestions but I am cracking up over the censorship. Laughter definitely is a stress reliever but I think that what comes between 5&7 is great too, oz. :-)
I love getting really caught up in a good book, too, and I have one to suggest. Eat Cake by Jeannie Ray is a light, funny book about a woman who discovers her happy place, the one that always makes her feel relaxed, is not on a tropical beach or some remote mountain top. It's right in the middle of a bundt cake, with the the soft warm sides surrounding her, that open out a little as they go up so that she never feels trapped, and the lingering scent of vanilla and cinnamon.
I'm currently reading Seven Sins for a Life Worth Living by Roger Housden and it has simple, short chapters like:
1) The pleasure of all five senses 2) The pleasure of being foolish 3) The pleasure of not knowing
... and so on. The library if free, so it won't hurt your budget.
Aromatherapy is great, even if you don't do it in a formal way. I like Chanel no. 5, and wearing it always makes me feel better. As does a tiny drop of almond extract on the end of my nose, so I can smell the scent of almonds for hours. It's something from my childhood, so maybe that's just me.
Designing imaginary dream homes usually helps me fall asleep when I can't, and a hot shower and tea before bed sometimes works (sometimes it just wakes me up so that can back fire).
I also like a couple CDs I have by Dr. Jeffrey Thompson. Instead of the traditional guided relaxation it's music specifically designed to stimulate certain centers of the brain and affect brainwave patterns to produce relaxation, stress reduction, creativity or enhanced problem solving. Search Amazon (or your library) with his name, if you're interested.
An afternoon off and a matinee movie works well for me, too. You can see anything you want without having to negotiate which flick with someone else. It's dark and calm and the popcorn is great.
And don't underestimate the power of chocolate. Especially very high quality chocolate, which will also give you the effect you want even if you eat less. Seriously.
I love getting really caught up in a good book, too, and I have one to suggest. Eat Cake by Jeannie Ray is a light, funny book about a woman who discovers her happy place, the one that always makes her feel relaxed, is not on a tropical beach or some remote mountain top. It's right in the middle of a bundt cake, with the the soft warm sides surrounding her, that open out a little as they go up so that she never feels trapped, and the lingering scent of vanilla and cinnamon.
I'm currently reading Seven Sins for a Life Worth Living by Roger Housden and it has simple, short chapters like:
1) The pleasure of all five senses 2) The pleasure of being foolish 3) The pleasure of not knowing
... and so on. The library if free, so it won't hurt your budget.
Aromatherapy is great, even if you don't do it in a formal way. I like Chanel no. 5, and wearing it always makes me feel better. As does a tiny drop of almond extract on the end of my nose, so I can smell the scent of almonds for hours. It's something from my childhood, so maybe that's just me.
Designing imaginary dream homes usually helps me fall asleep when I can't, and a hot shower and tea before bed sometimes works (sometimes it just wakes me up so that can back fire).
I also like a couple CDs I have by Dr. Jeffrey Thompson. Instead of the traditional guided relaxation it's music specifically designed to stimulate certain centers of the brain and affect brainwave patterns to produce relaxation, stress reduction, creativity or enhanced problem solving. Search Amazon (or your library) with his name, if you're interested.
An afternoon off and a matinee movie works well for me, too. You can see anything you want without having to negotiate which flick with someone else. It's dark and calm and the popcorn is great.
And don't underestimate the power of chocolate. Especially very high quality chocolate, which will also give you the effect you want even if you eat less. Seriously.
to be honest Naught, I love to shop at thrift stores! I get the biggest high finding a bargain! Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans for 3.00! Hello! I also like to daydream in bed! You know what I mean!
to be honest Naught, I love to shop at thrift stores! I get the biggest high finding a bargain! Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans for 3.00! Hello! I also like to daydream in bed! You know what I mean!
A few things one can do Is :If you have a big back yard plant a garden. For me It helps releive the stress esp doing all the earth work by hand, the smell of the sweet damp earth , the sight of plants and flowers blowing in the wind. After a half hour in the garden , I am pretty calm,and relaxed(more like pooped) from doing all the work. LOL If you dont want to plant a garden get a bird feeder and take up bird watching. It can be relaxing as well. For me If I am REALLY stressed, I go to the hand gun range and shoot a couple boxes of rounds at targets. To me something about Shooting targets helps relax me.I have to clear my mind to shoot well, and the Concentration on the Safe sound shooting practices helps destress me.
A few things one can do Is :If you have a big back yard plant a garden. For me It helps releive the stress esp doing all the earth work by hand, the smell of the sweet damp earth , the sight of plants and flowers blowing in the wind. After a half hour in the garden , I am pretty calm,and relaxed(more like pooped) from doing all the work. LOL If you dont want to plant a garden get a bird feeder and take up bird watching. It can be relaxing as well. For me If I am REALLY stressed, I go to the hand gun range and shoot a couple boxes of rounds at targets. To me something about Shooting targets helps relax me.I have to clear my mind to shoot well, and the Concentration on the Safe sound shooting practices helps destress me.
I usually put on the trusty iPod and go running. Depending on how good I'm feeling physically that day I'll do between 2 and 5 miles. If I don't go running, I'll get on the exercise bike for awhile. That's easy since I'm gonna watch tv anyway. I also de-stress by playing videogames. Then again I'm a nerd.
I usually put on the trusty iPod and go running. Depending on how good I'm feeling physically that day I'll do between 2 and 5 miles. If I don't go running, I'll get on the exercise bike for awhile. That's easy since I'm gonna watch tv anyway. I also de-stress by playing videogames. Then again I'm a nerd.
