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What Are Your Favourite Stress Management Activities & Routines?

- daily walks 0.5 -1.5 hours
- staying at bed for 1h after waking up and meditating or listening a podcast
- writing here
-deep breathing as grouding tool (I hate body scan šŸ˜†)
-limiting my coffee intake/replacing it with decaf or herbal tea (lavender, rooibos or chamomile for example)
-Meering Friends
-Attending mass or other church activity
-Trying to live one day at time although it's hard
 
The only stress management tools Iā€™m even aware ofā€¦ when Iā€™m physically unable to play, and mentally unable to think?ā€¦ are chemical.

Booze & Pills.

Not together. Thatā€™s suicide, accidental overdose, &/or major organ damage. But? Just existing, as options.
 
I used to go out dancing, drinking drugging. Loved it. Did it too much. Miss the dancing but not the rest.
Thatā€™s why I learned how to spin fire (fire poi)ā€¦ when I quit drinking/drugsā€¦ I needed my dancing to have a different focus. Even if I only used my poi once or twice for half an hour, and danced the other 6? The shift in focus just let me physically BE there.

I can do it sober if needs be, but preferably with a good friend and some good drinks
I just mentioned this in another threadā€¦ whoops, correction, aboveā€¦ thatā€™s literally why I learned to spin fire. So I could have a ā€œreasonā€ to be there sober, and not mind.
 
Daily things: honestly Iā€™m not great at this. I have always tended to be an ā€˜ignore ignore ignoreā€¦boom!ā€™ Kind of person. Iā€™m working on being present more, meditating a bit. Shower first thing, whether itā€™s required or not. I have a pretty physical job which keeps me moving throughout the day.

Kaboom time? Usually driving. I enjoy driving around the country roads anyway and do it a lot when perfectly calm and contented. Just because. But yeah, the days where I need to let off steam and get that adrenaline rushā€¦car is the answer. How I still have a licence (no points even!) is a mystery honestly!

I have been known to binge drink but itā€™s lost its appeal with age.

Iā€™d like to get back into martial arts, but Iā€™m quite socially anxious and havenā€™t got myself through the door of a Dojo yet.
 
Exercise, esp. hikes in nature, strength training & free dance with a pole, stretching to get more flexible.

Crystals and rocks - make me feel on track with my goals, connected to the Earth even when working in front of a computer.

My cats.

Meditation.

Reading books that remind me of this concept I have of family...

Fasting.

Cooking my own food and keeping on track on my preferred diet.

Lately, communicating with my ancestors who are helping me.
 
Giving myself permission to rest is high on the stress management list. Eat something and listen to music. Distract myself for 10-15 minutes by watching the news, then listen to music/watch a music concert. I recently started going to a Buddhist centre for learning and meditation which is really good on so many levels. I used to do my own kind of meditation but learning about it properly is better. And I've made some good friends/contacts there which is awesome for my self esteem.


Going to the gym is great or even a cycle ride through the park to go get some nice groceries changes your mindset. Phoning the samaritans if I need a chat to someone not close to me that I can vent to is always helpful. Playing my sax makes me feel good.

All of these things are helpful to maintain a stressfree and balanced life.
Who are the samaritans? Im new. Do you have their phone number?
 
The samaritans are a freephone counselling service in the UK. 116123.
Do they still accept email? I used to use them when I was at my worst. So helpful.

It just occurred to me yesterday that there is another thing I do--and have done since elementary school--to manage difficult feelings. I sang when I was young and one of the choirs I was in did a lot of Broadway stuff. The director loved picking out the songs with the most difficult lyrics that were sung the fastest. This was fifth grade. I LOVED learning full scores, breaking down each song line by line so that eventually I could sing them without a flaw. Since we used no words and music when we performed, I ended up being one of the strongest singers in the group.

I've had periods where I holed up in my room and did just this--learning all sorts of songs and full Broadway scores. It helped me focus wholly. Over the years, I've done this occasionally, and it seems I'm doing it again only this time with other types of music. It can take up hours, but I really enjoy it.
 
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