Conversations through the middle

Life from a (slightly) more mature perspective

Stress less – five tips

I don’t know about you, but sometimes life just gets too hectic. There’s so much going on with family, home and work I feel like I just need to stop the world and get off for a while, take a step back and breathe, to find the energy to get back on that merry go round.

I’ve found the following actions work for me when my stress levels threaten to go through the roof…

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1. Find a quiet space (if that’s possible) and just sit. Try and block all thoughts from your mind and just cover yourself in quiet. Even 10 minutes make a difference. 

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2. Go out for a brisk walk or even better, a run. I’m still at brisk walk stage, but I hope to rise to a decent jog over the next few months. When I say brisk I mean so you’re out of breath, not a slow saunter.

    

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3. Find a horse to cuddle. Be careful though if you’re not familiar with horses and don’t go cuddling equines you don’t know as not all of them (or their owners) like it. There is nothing like a horsey cuddle to cheer you up, burying your head in that warm neck is such a joy. Luckily, I know several horses that love to be cuddled and fussed over. 

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4. Chamomile tea – several cups of it. Chamomile has a calming effect, it soothes and relaxes; it’s also good if you suffer from tummy upsets or sleepless nights. If you find the taste a bit bland it’s worth persevering or try adding a tiny touch of honey to your cuppa.

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5. Lavender. I know many people find this plant a little old fashioned, but along with roses I think it’s my favourite floral fragrance. It’s an amazing herb, with both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, it was even used during World War I in hospitals to treat wounds and burns. Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to an aromatherapy burner, or add a few drips to warm bath water, to enjoy its relaxing and anxiety-lifting effects.

 

 On top of that if all else fails, there’s always wine….

How do you get rid of stress? Let me know your top tips.
 

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Stress less – I wish

I think it’s a constant in life that you are most stressed when it’s the least convenient time to be so. Or should I say for me it’s a constant. It doesn’t matter how well I try and plan in advance, – work, time, weekly meals, meetings, visits – there’s always something pops up to throw things out of kilter. And I make lists. I list tasks, pieces of work, things I need to do – and I feel satisfied afterwards, as though I’ve achieved something great. Then at the end of the day, when I look back at my list, I realise almost everything is still on it! How is that? How can you work all day and still not be able to tick off your list?

It’s one of the mysteries of life, along with where do all the second socks go and what happens to the chocolate I buy that vanishes into thin air when I’m not looking…

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Christmas crackers

Why is it everybody has to have the perfect Christmas? Every magazine I pick up at the moment has ‘handy hints and tips’ on how to achieve it, or even a complete countdown to the big day, from when to wrap presents to when to carve the turkey? Surely it’s just one big lesson in how to become completely stressed out over an occasion that should be fun and relaxing?

‘Relaxing’ I can hear you shout from here. ‘Christmas, relaxing, how mad is she’? Well quite, as it turns out, but that’s another story. Think about it – does it really matter is you’re still shopping for gifts on Christmas Eve, never mind wrapping them? Does it matter if the dinner isn’t ready dot on three, or the potatoes are out of synch with the bread pudding? Everybody will enjoy the meal anyway and you will certainly enjoy it a lot more if you are more chilled and less frazzled.

I think we all risk forgetting this is supposed to be a happy time, and whether that’s because of the expectations heaped upon us or us heaping them on ourselves I don’t know. I’m not being bah humbug, I love Christmas and the build up to it. I just don’t see why it should be a time that puts so much pressure on people. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate, to cook dinner, to shop or spend time with family and friends, just the way of the individual – that’s what matters. And if you eat your dinner at 5 and forget all about the Christmas pudding, that’s up to you, and not some cookery editor on a magazine somewhere.

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