Stress? I have NO idea what you're talking about. My life is stress free, and any stress that does exist is chocolate covered, making it easily digestible. I have the patience of a rock, the grace of a swan, and flow like the waves in the ocean, quietly kissing the shore and retreating seamlessly.
Whatever. (I can dream, right?)
Stress? My world is covered in stress, where as I'd much prefer a chocolate covered world. This topic is actually rather timely for me, as this time of year is pretty stressful and frustrating for me. It's also an opportunity for me to remind myself what tools I do have to get me through stressfully frustrating times like these.
One tool that helps is to focus on my breathing. Usually that involves remembering to breathe! I try to count my inhales and exhales and use my breath to distract myself from the situation that is setting off the alarms in my head. From the breathing I try to move into my phone list - I have a few friends that I know are exceptionally good at getting me out of tough spots in a short conversation. If my phone list isn't available, then I'll pull out my
distraction box. This box is literally a toolbox of distractions that are neatly packaged and always stored in the same place so I can grab it at my lowest level of functioning.
An overarching tool that I try to constantly remember is the slogan
"this too shall pass" as an effort to remind me that the situation may feel stressful at the moment, or I may be frustrated at the moment, but for the moment, I can handle it. The feeling will pass, the situation will end, and all will be restored to it's typical level of sanity.
And when all else fails I reach for a Xanax. In keeping with the goal of complete honesty, sometimes I go for the Xanax first. Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do!
