STRESS, Escape, Resolve or Be SICK

STRESS, Escape, Resolve or Be SICK

Stress is a very serious subject. Science is learning just how stress sickens and kills, but people have known or suspected it for years through their own observations and experience. A doctor said to me, “Everyone has stress or they lie”. So, we all could use some help in dealing with stress.

I know a lot about stress, but that does not mean I do what I know, or that I manage stress any better than many of you. I am by nature a more relaxed and calm person than many, but I am also sensitive and concerned and can needlessly get caught up in problems. I am also a person who may not prioritize really well and have more fun helping others than focusing on the immediate issue. I also like interesting and fun things than the mundane. I focus on the intellectual more than the physical and let the laundry pile up or the leaves or weeds grow in the garden, then stress over their not being done.

So, the best suggestions I have heard lately is, if you are worried about a problem, solve it. I did a blog on decluttering because I have my clothes stuffed everywhere. The stress of getting dressed piled up till I did not want to bother going to many events. Not good at all for me. The bugs were eating up my plants and so forth and so on. My mother taught me well, but she could not afford to buy too much and that whole aspect Decluttering aspect of housekeeping is hard for me. So, I am acquiring skills needed by reading a book. My sister was stressed most of her life, because she could not cook. She learned to cook and she became proud instead of ashamed. You may be amazed at the needless stress you are causing yourself by not managing the aspects of daily tasks.

The next thing is to let things go if they are beyond your ability to solve them. War may be declared. A meteor might hit the planet. A loved one may have an accident. The third one may be subject to your influence so make them promise not to speed or take calls etc and then let it go. Let them all go.

The next way to get rid of stress is to move, any and all movement helps. Knitting, sewing, carving, painting etc. The best movement is in the direction of working on troubling problems. All movement is good. Decide what is most important to you and work on it a reasonable amount and still plan to enjoy the day and have some time for quiet reflection, then get to bed and forget it all till the next day. Your surroundings only need to be in enough order and cleanliness to live comfortably, so do not become obsessive about things. Nobody needs to eat off your floors, and you are not in a competition to replace Julia child, or win the good housekeeping award or become a billionaire or to have the best lawn in the neighborhood. WORK on ALL four areas of your life then be satisfied with a good day well spent.

I don’t want this blog to be too long. For good health, you need to focus yourself on four areas of life, physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. You cannot obsess over one area. If you do STRESS will build up in the areas you are NEGLECTING. You need to work, love, learn, and reflect deeply, every day. Work and think at the same time. Give up on being perfect and having all the answers and forgive yourself and forgive others for some imperfections and that will go a long way toward having less stress.

So how much stress do you have and what to you do to handle it? What do you do in the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual areas of your life? Are all four adequately nourished? You well know the food hunger signals, but do you know the signals for inadequate physical activity, or deprived emotions or inflamed emotions, or damaged emotions, do you know the stress signals for neglected spiritual needs? You probably do not, and you probably suffer a whole lot and don’t know why. Start to become more aware of yourself and then start to work on what is lacking or needs done and that is the best way to deal with stress. Now, I have to go and get busy on sorting my clothes, and pulling weeds in my own garden.

I started this blog with a little poster that said “handle your problems like a puppy” eat it, play with it, pee on it, then walk away”. That sums up most it.

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  1. Hi Rose, good blog, well I don’t sweat the small stuff, I learnt a long time ago what matters in life, and it certainly is not having the shiniest windows or the best kept garden on the Street………nope……Carpe Diem is my motto……….xx

  2. Good morning Bloom, stress is an important part of life , everyone experiences stress of some sort , example ” flight or fright symbol”, the trouble becomes when there is too much stress over a long period of time, that in turn can create an anxious diposition which then is going into the danger zone of mental health issues….
    your explanation of four ways of improving your stress levels is so true, if even one of these feelings is out of sinc, then stress in one or all of these factors can and may ,cause ill health, mental and physical…
    A great Blog Bloom , one worth listening too…xx

  3. Great blog Rose and all so true,as one who has experienced excessive stress and i like to think that I`ve learnt by it without too much outside help,Ive come to the realization any adverse stress felt is created by a stressor.Identifiying that stressor provokes seeing a bigger picture of why we feel the way we do at the time and it enables dissection of that stressor and its attendant parts,any resolution becomes easier because smaller aspects of the whole can be seen.I`ve realised the biggest stressors are other people or more so ourselves because we have allowed outside influences to take control contrary to the way we would rather have things.All is not lost,look within and look without,identify and take action to regain control of the self,piece by piece/

  4. Sylvester, I hope you are better now, I guess you are saying not to ignore stress and figure it out. If it works for you I am happy, and I never mentioned figuring out the cause of the stress.

  5. Good Morning Rose,

    Stress as you call it is nothing else than a DIY – phenomenon and a a word which was unknown in our language until the early 60ths last century.

    What does it stand for, what stands behind??? It stands for people who can’t manage with their tasks and time.

    In business a combination of both ( I want it now ) is forced on business staff
    from decision maker, from the top to bottom.

    They all forget the fact; everything in life takes its time. No one can pull a grass stalk to make it to grow faster!

    1. sorry tosay i feel thatsome stress is brought on by extrinsic forces sometimes beyond one’s control, and even though it may or may not have been labelled as ‘STRESS” , never the less, stresss levels that build up over time wether extrinsic or intrinsic can cause severe anxiety is some, leading to more seriousness illness both mental and phisiological Michael , both in the work place and outside of the work force, in private life , the reason being to my evaluation only, that each of us are individuals and some can have less stress levels than others due to more sensitive natures and other reasons of health issues…..just my opinion as a health and fitness evaluator, but your opinion is valued ……

  6. An interesting perspective on this subject, Rose, which we all encounter in our lives – some of us more than others. Its definitely valuable to employ some of the techniques you suggest. I also find going for a walk, and listening to music or watching a really good comedy act that has you in tears of laughter (best meds!) helps relieve stress levels. Diet and exercise of course play a big part in our whole wellbeing.

    Thank you for sharing your suggestions.

    1. Lani, I read many things, Some of this came from my Mayo clinic newsletter. I also like to put in folk wisdom. Many people don’t need scientist and doctors to tell them how to manage their lives.

      1. So true Bloom , everyone reacts to stressors in their lives at different times to different things, and they usually are aware when they feel stressed… and manage it quite well….

  7. golden girl, thank you and I think doing a check of the four areas is a good idea. Walking is wonderful especially if it is out in your community or amongst people. Walking a dog is good because dogs are friendlier than people and they stop and visit when people are too shy. Music and laughter are great and should by available in large amounts. I needed that reminder.

  8. Hello Lani,

    you see and describe the key aspect on this points very precisely. I would
    also like to differ between ** Stress ** for a man and a women if you don’t
    mind.

    Stress is more a factor that hits women than men and there we are; women
    single and in a job, women married working full-time or part time, women
    divorced having children and working full-time or part time a.s.o. The next
    point which should not be forgotten is the fact ** Stress ** mostly find
    it residence in young women who have never learned to manage a day.

    Men very seldom join the the situations those women do every day but I
    would like to say they are much more prepared for an easy going than
    a woman is.

    Out of my view the key point of **Stress** is mentioned by Rose as she
    says; You may be amazed at the needless stress you are causing yourself
    by not managing the aspects of daily tasks. That nails the point.

    The way Star sees it seems to be the best way of avoiding ** Stress **;
    not must do, not must have, not must buy, cos one thing in life one
    can’t buy is time.