myowncalcuttablog.com

Stress is a fact of life. Things don’t go always go “our way”. Bad things do happen to good people. But, what can we do when it’s beyond our control?

If Plan “A” quickly turned to Plan ”EF”, for Epic Fail, look to see if damage control can be done. A cool head prevails. Take a break from the situation. Readdress it with a fresh mind later. Things may not look quite so grim.

Have a network of family members and close friends to rely on for support. But, don’t be a Debbie Downer either. You don’t want them to dread inquiring ,” What’s new?”

I find when stress is acute, I need support. However, for chronic stress, I need to step back from re-living problems by constantly talking about them. It’s better to focus on the good things in life.

Distraction’s a useful technique for dealing with stress. Escape a bit. Watch a gripping movie. Play music. Read a thriller. If time’s an issue, try a crossword puzzle or Sudoku. Keep your brain occupied on something else. Anything else. Your mind needs a break.

Take your dog for a walk. No time for that? Pet your dog. Scratch its belly. Man’s best friend will decrease your stress; it’s been proven.

Life is busy. And can be tiring. Carrying around the weight of the world tires you out even more so. I’ve gone through some crazy times lately. Not myself directly yet like a tornado, the path of stressors was wide.  Wham, I got struck too!

My youngest daughter dealt with her tornado of stress by starting a blog.  That is the life.com I draw my strength from her, and she learned her coping mechanisms from me, apparently.

Another way I de-stressed was to pursue photography. My camera’s in the car now when I run errands. I’ve stopped for ten minutes to see birds gather in a grocery store parking lot. When an older gentleman stopped his SUV nearby, the birds descended upon him and almost into his car.

Because he feeds them every day, he was  familiar to them. They knew he had food!

Pigeons and starlings.  Not most people’s favourite birds. Yet, I see beauty. I seek beauty everywhere. When I’m behind the camera lens, I have no problems. No stress. My mind is focused on the birds, the  Detroit skyline,

the snow on trees

and the subtle beauty in a fog.

I feel alright. I know I’m taking care of my mental health, even if it’s for only ten minutes at a time on a busy schedule. If I can do it, you can do it. Try something new. Occupy your brain with something other than your problems.

I learned something from watching the birds in the parking lot. One minute they’re just chillin’ on a hydro wire.

When the stress of a loud truck startles them, they lose their footing. They fall a bit.

Yet, they recover each time.

They flap their wings and fly. They soar!

We might not soar like an eagle most days. But, even pigeons and starlings soar with beauty. Flap your wings and soar!