Stress Busters

I get stressed out because life; diabetes, trying to make a living - stuff like that. I’m trying to get a better handle on my stress for my mental and physical health - and let's face it, who wants to be stressed out?

Here are some stress busters I’m doing to help cut down on stress and live a good life.

Stretching/breathing

For a few years I attended an amazing gentle stretch/restorative yoga class twice a week, religiously. Then my teacher sold the studio, I couldn’t find a class I liked and life got busy. Lucky for me: I knew the basic moves down so I practice at home and when I remember.

I make it a point to stretch and practice my yoga breathing - it makes my body feel better. I also found a gentle stretch yoga class that starts up in a few weeks - I'm stoked.

Reading for pleasure

As a child, tween, and teen I was veracious reader - reading two or three books at a time, getting lost in the stories within the pages. As a grownup, I don't read much for pleasure anymore and that sucks. I’ve been making a conscious effort to set 20 minutes (usually before bed) unplug, and read for pleasure. Now I find myself looking forward to my “book time,” throughout the day. Snuggling in with a good book widens my horizons, calms me down, and it's relaxing.

Hobbies

I love photography and always have. For my last birthday, I bought myself a DSLR camera and I'm teaching myself to use it. I'm reading the instruction book and setting aside time every week to “play” with my new camera. As in, taking pictures; experimenting with camera settings, photographing new and old surroundings, and just having fun!

It's a hobby I not only love - it's a hobby that teaches me new things - both technically and artistically, and it boosts my confidence! Now instead of being bummed about the days getting shorter, I’m looking forward to capturing a few weekend sunrises!

So... what are you guys doing to help cut down on your stress?