Do you unintentionally invite stress into your life? Do you go about your day totally unaware of the stresses/tensions that surround you? Are there areas of your life where frustrations are a daily occurrence, when they really don’t need to be? Maybe you don’t even realize that the strain is there or that you are being affected? We know that stress and especially continual stress can cause illness and unhappiness, so doesn’t it make sense to try to eliminate as much stress as we possibly can? Let’s take a typical day and see where stresses may be bubbling along under the surface.
Wake up: Did you have a good night’s sleep? Is you bed comfy, is your room conducive to a good night’s sleep or are you experiencing some sleep problems? Try to figure out how to get better night’s sleep.
Morning routine: Do you have something healthy for breaky? Is your routine rushed? Do others in your household frustrate you at this time of day? Are you racing to start you day already bothered or irritable? Do you listen to gloomy news, or irritating music on the way to work, school or where ever it is you are going to? What can you do to change this routine if it is not working? Are you starting your day with a positive outlook?
Day time: If you work is your job stressful? Can you do anything to make your workplace more positive? Is your work station comfortable? Is the area that you work in cluttered and untidy or organized and easy to work at? Are you being as productive as you can? Are you wasting time? Is your attitude toward work negative? Do you have some good work place relationships? If you stay at home, are you on top of chores etc. Or are youfeeling a bit overwhelmed? Do you enjoy your day? Do you get any “me” time? Do you have contact/social interactions with others? What would you like to fit into your day that you don’t? At the end of the day do you feel like you have accomplished things?
Recreation: Do you get some sort of exercise/ fresh air/ fun time? Can you spare 20 minutes for a walk or whatever makes you feel recharged?
Surroundings: If you walked around inside and outside of your house are you okay with the state of tidiness? Are there areas that annoy you and need attention? Do you have a relaxing part of your house/garden that you can relax and unwind in? Are your surroundings visually pleasing or do you cringe at certain areas? Are there half-done jobs that get on your nerves? Do what you can to remedy these areas.
Meals: Are you eating healthy meals often enough? Is your diet balanced and nutritional? Are you skipping meals? Remember….You are what you eat! Do you have some poor food habits that need to be addressed?
Relationships: Are there tensions brewing in any of your relationships? An undercurrent of relationship strain can cause us stress and make us miserable. Take a look at any relationships that cause you unhappiness and see what you can do to improve things?
Night time: Do you watch depressing/annoying television shows, flicking channels, or sit on a computer reading mindless stuff? Do you go on blogs/websites that get you on edge? Is your house too hot/too cold? Is your living area cluttered and irritating or a pleasure to sit and relax in? Do you succumb to bad habits at night…..drinking too much alcohol, eating when not hungry, do you get sugar cravings, or are you guilty of being a couch potato? Are you eating or drinking anything at night that may disrupt your sleep? At the end of your day when you lay in bed are you happy with what you have achieved, how you have treated others and can you rest you head in peace? Or do you take the worries of the world to bed, wondering why you can’t get to sleep?
So how did you fare? Are there areas that you recognize could do with some tweaking? Are you going to try to reduce your stress? This reminds me of a quote that one of my lovely readers said once “It is better to remove the rock from your shoe, rather than learn how to limp comfortably” Instead of continually being stressed by a recurring issue why not make a change?? Why keep walking with that stone in your shoe…why not remove the cause of stress??? Let me know how you go?
happyasapiginmud 