1. Deep breathing. Lots of people recommend this and maybe it works for some folks, but for me? I’d say deep breathing has a 20% efficacy rating. 22% if it’s a sunny spring day.
2. Stretching. Give me a break. See #1. If that’s how I feel about breathing, what do you think the odds are that I’ve even tried stretching to relieve stress? Exactly.
3. Meditation. Okay, now we’re just being silly.
4. Taking a twenty minute walk. Highly effective when the weather cooperates, none of the animals are tearing up the house, and there aren’t any kids in crisis.
5. Honey BBQ potato chips. Because sometimes salty fits the bill.
6. Taking a long hot shower. Yes, even in the summer, because there’s just something about warm water on the back of my neck that makes things better.
7. Snuggling with a fur baby. 100% success rate with this one. 100%.
8. Enjoying a glass of wine on the back deck. Full disclosure: I don’t do this nearly enough but I’m certain it would be excellent stress relief.
9. Cheese fries with ranch dip. Because nothing says mmm, that’s perfect like cheese fries with ranch dip.
10. Writing. This might not work for everyone but it does the trick for me every time.
Just a pleasure!🦋
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I suggest revisiting point 1:not deep breathing, which can actually increase anxiety, but rather SLOW breathing. On the other hand, the wine on the deck plus BBQ chips sounds good too. Maybe stick with that😊
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That’s an interesting point on deep vs. slow breathing. I’ve never heard that before. Will have to give it a try (while keeping the BBQ chips and wine on for backup).
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Yes, deep quick breathing can lead to hyperventilation so the trick is to regulate the breathing by slowing it down. I learned a few things about breathwork as a yoga teacher and practitioner
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Very cool tip. Thank you so much for sharing it.
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Laura, I think you covered the bases for many folks. I would need to pair the walk with the fries, though. Keith
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Shoot, I walk so I don’t have to worry about eating things like cheese fries and ice cream. 😆
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Sometimes it’s salt, sometimes it’s chocolate. We have ice cream in the house now, because we got an upright freezer for the garage so we have room (my daughter’s husband has a penchant for purchasing large quantities of strange meats – yak, bison, etc., which take lots of space). Salted caramel ice cream – yummm! And a glass of wine or beer on the patio when the weather allows, watching the birds eat, bathe, and flit about – priceless.
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Several people have recommended salted caramel ice cream to me – now that I think about it I can’t believe I haven’t tried it before! Maybe if I get creative I can sneak some in and hide it under the frozen chicken thighs. They’ll never think to search there.
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Writing does the trick for me. Better still is reading blogs like yours. That really helps.
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What a kind thing to say. I certainly slept better after getting this off my chest yesterday so there’s that.
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Cheese fries to go might do it.
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Agreed. I’ve fought off lunch urges for cheese fries but this might be the day that changes.
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😊
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Good ideas, but ice cream would make most of them better. Not the shower or the cheese fries, but meditating over a bowl of toffee crunch…
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Mmmmmm, toffee crunch!! Having a teen in my house who TONS ice cream we’ve realized we just can’t keep it here. Seriously, a tub is gone in two days, three if it’s jumbo. But when this child goes off to college you can bet I’ll never be caught without some ice cream in the freezer!
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They just started carrying Tillamook Ice Cream here. We’ve been able to buy their cheese for years. We used to have to order the cheese from Oregon. Our freezer is now holding a container – luckily no need for jumbo.
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Writing works for me along with walking and something yummy to eat.
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Yep. I pulled out the BBQ chips before bed last night which isn’t a great choice health-wise but it was necessary. Starting fresh today. 🙂
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Monday is a good day for fresh starts.
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