When do you know that you’ve taken on too much? How does stress manifest itself in you? What do you do to keep juggling? How much is enough for you to drop the balls, for you to reach tipping point?
Life gets to all of us. There comes a time when we’re too sensitive to something that another person has done or said. For me, I’ve noticed my sensitivity to the small things from others is directly related to how many balls I’m juggling. And right now, for me, I feel like my juggling skills are lacking; balls are dropping with increasing rapidity. So, it’s hardly surprising that the smallest thing took its toll on me this morning, and caused me to float in a pool of sulkiness for most of the day. Once I brought the kids home from school, I realised that my sulky, self-centredness was over the top, and I changed my mindset about it. It sounds cliche, but it worked.
But how did I bring about my change of mindset? Here’s a few tips.
- Drink herbal tea. Peppermint, green, lemon and ginger, chamomile. Whichever you choose, I guarantee you’ll feel better.
- Get a massage. Stress often shows up in the tightness of muscles. Find someone who can massage those knots out of your body.
- Talk to someone. You need to get these thoughts untangled and the best way of doing this is to talk to someone about it. That someone can be your partner, your best friend, or a professional counsellor. It’s up to you.
- Get exercising. Whether you choose to run, walk, head to a gym, take a boxing class, or do pilates or yoga, it matters not. The benefits of exercise to one who’s under stress cannot be overstated.
- Write down your thoughts. Journalling or keeping a diary is a fantastic way of taking stock of what’s going on in your head.
- Draw or paint. Take an art class, or even just do a rough sketch of the vista right in front of your eyes. Even if you’re not in the league of Monet, it will calm you and take the focus off your issues.
- Be grateful. Remember that things can always be worse. It’s a choice to be grateful for what you have. It’s sometimes a difficult choice, but I recommend looking at what’s around you, taking a deep breath and choosing to be grateful for what you’ve got.
- Plan a holiday. Nothing brings about a sense of peace and happiness than planning a getaway. That might be an overseas trip, or maybe even just a weekend mini-break.
- Cook. Get in the kitchen and cook or bake something. Like drawing and painting, it really helps to take the focus off your issue and onto a task that is a little more productive and beneficial.
- Read. Get your nose into a book. Writers write to take you elsewhere. Let them guide you there.
There’s nothing new in this list of ten tips. You might even be able to think of some more, ones that are particularly helpful for you. But I’ve found that any of these do actually help to bring perspective in your life. Try them, and let me know how you go.
Musings from Melbourne 