Stress Tips and Tricks

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Asharee011
Asharee011 Posts: 129 Member
in Motivation and Support
I've always been prone to stress and along with losing weight I want to just have a healthier lifestyle. Reducing stress being part of that. My mother was a stresser and worrier so I was raised around it and it became normal. The combination of my weight and stress causes me to have horrendous back pain especially that I have a desk job now. I also stress eat, break out and just want to cry.
Does anyone have some great stress less tips?

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  • darlingdearlove
    darlingdearlove Posts: 8 Member
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    Tai Chi, and I know it seems silly, but hot tea and incense. I stress out a lot too, but I find those things really comforting and relaxing and they keep my mood really calm. My mom suffered from depression and was always anxious or worrying over something, so I think that carried over to me a bit as well, I think a lot of it is just finding your own balance and hobbies, and things that make you happy or relax a bit.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    Tai Chi is great. For me it is aikido. Going to the dojo and working out always helps me to feel better. Nothing unloads stress quite like a little bit of controlled violence. :)

    You can also just invest in some cheap dishes from local yard sales and spend some time smashing them. Just be sure to wear safety goggles.
  • dirtyflirty30
    dirtyflirty30 Posts: 222 Member
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    Do you feel like you have stress, or anxiety, or both?
  • AddieOverhaul
    AddieOverhaul Posts: 734 Member
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    For me it's really important to not over-schedule myself. I need down time or I get totally stressed out. And my biggest stress reliever is hiking - the combination of physical activity, being in nature and away from everything is a perfect combination.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
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    I never thought I'd be able to meditate. I grew up in a less than happy household, and I've always had racing thoughts. I've even been hospitalized for anxiety attacks, and medications haven't helped.

    A couple months ago, I decided to stop and focus on my breathing whenever I identified that I was in a negative head space. I'd think "Breathe" on each inhalation and exhalation. And it worked.

    Of course, it's just a tool, but my breath is always there when I need it. It was natural after that to begin a yoga practice. If I'm going to spend parts of my day clearing my mind and breathing, I might as well loosen up all the body parts that have been wound up over the years by my overactive imagination. Now I'm courageous enough to start putting new ideas into my head, and these new ideas are the things that are going to shape who I will be. I'm taking the time to make better choices.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Exercise. Seriously. Even when I wasn't particularly healthy, smacking the crap out of little green balls (tennis) was great stress reliever.
  • Sweetie_1103
    Sweetie_1103 Posts: 10 Member
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    Number one for me is to practice mindfulness... living in the moment, for which meditation is a big part... but really focusing your entire attention on what you're doing... for example, when I do dishes, I pay attention to the warmth of the water, the scent of the soap, the softness of the cloth. The present moment isn't stressful. It's thoughts of the past or worries of the future that is stressful, most of the time.

    And of course all the obvious ones, like exercise, music, tai chi, breathing, journaling... and learning to identify the thoughts that are problematic to triggering anxiety. It's not about what is happening, but rather how we choose to see it.

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