Blowing Off Steam
Simmer down or ease up,
compose or decompress;
take a weight off your mind -
relieve a little stress.
Cool your jets and chill out -
release bad energy -
rid yourself of anger
and negativity.
When you're feeling irate
frustrations you must vent,
shed tears if you need to
and cry until they're spent.
Work it through; discuss it -
converse with those you trust;
assuage with loud music
and dance your woes to dust.
Clean your house completely,
indulge a primal scream -
Find your chosen method
and go let off some steam!
Sharon Flood Kasenberg, March 19, 2019
Are you feeling stressed?
We all experience stress in our lives. Major life changes like the death of a loved one, a divorce, a major medical issue, unemployment, or a move will cause anxiety for everyone.
Each person reacts differently to stress; some can handle major calamities while appearing calm and collected, while others seem to fall to pieces over trifling concerns. Part of the problem lies in how we perceive our problems - some seem to see every single problem they encounter as an insurmountable obstacle, while others are better able to see where the really big problems lie, and focus on those problems without being too distracted by the minor irritants in their lives.
Oddly enough, I think I tend to get more bent out of shape over the niggling concerns than the bigger problems in my life. If I were to write a list of the things in my life that cause me the most stress, a whole lot of people with real problems would shake their heads in disbelief. However, I don't think I'm alone, I think this tendency to "sweat the small stuff" is an epidemic that will send far too many of us to early graves.
Stress affects every aspect of our lives; our bodies, our moods and ultimately our behaviors are all impacted by the way we respond to the stressors in our lives. We can't avoid stress - life inevitably serves up unpleasant surprises that may trigger symptoms of stress. Our heart will race when another driver passes too close and almost collides with us. Our hands will shake when we are asked to stand and address an unfamiliar crowd. We might feel nauseated when we're extremely frightened, or when confronted with terrible news. Emotions move to the forefront when stressors make their presence known - we may experience anger, frustration, sadness, or a feeling of being overwhelmed by our circumstances, and these feelings can cause us to react, behaving in ways that increase our own stress levels, and create feelings of discomfort in those around us.
The only thing about stress we can control is the way we react to it. I often handle it all wrong - I dwell on the situation until I feel like I'm going crazy, I lose sleep, I get angry and I create an unhealthy cycle - my mind is on high alert, I can't sleep, so the next day I'm more anxious and preoccupied with the problem so I can't sleep the next night either - or the next, or the next... Understanding your own negative behavioral patterns around stress can help you find better ways to cope.
I still fall into those patterns far too often, but I've learned that what really works best when I'm feeling stressed out is to get the negative feelings out quickly and productively. And when I say "productively", I mean in a way that helps me formulate a healthy plan for dealing with the circumstance at hand, without producing a lot of grief for the poor people around me.
Thus I've learned how I can best "blow off steam" and help myself get into the best mindset for problem solving. I can't promise these methods will work for everyone, but here are a few I can recommend:
1) Talk to someone you can trust - if possible, someone who can somehow relate to what is bothering you. It's helpful to verbally work out our thoughts and feelings while getting constructive input from people who know and care about us.
2) Practice self-care by laying down for a bit and "digesting" the problem silently. Some people love to unwind with a bath, but I'd rather spend quiet time in my room than sit in a tub and wrinkle up while my brain is de-wrinkling.
3) Exercise. I'm a big believer in taking a walk to de-stress. If the weather is foul or it's too late to go walking on my own, I'll probably clean my house or shoot darts - both wonderful ways to release pent up aggression! (And- as an added bonus - your aim improves and your house gets cleaner!)
4) Keep a "stress journal" - or simply learn how to vent reasonably in a regular journal. Reasonable venting includes being able to write your feelings down in a rational way. If it looks like chicken scratch and reads like the ranting of a lunatic (and will be a source of embarrassment later), then you might be better off keeping a separate book, or writing on a piece of paper you can discard later. Some of us find writing down our stressful feelings very cathartic.
5) Listen to some music. For me, loud music drowns out anger and frustration, and soft music soothes sadness. Add stress-busting bonus points if you dance along.
6) Go ahead and emote! Cry. Growl. Punch something you can't hurt. Scream (but only if it won't alarm your neighbours and prompt them to call 911). Do what makes you feel better, as long as it doesn't upset or hurt anyone around you.
Sometimes we all just need to let off a bit of steam.
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