Why don't you destress?

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking that we have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." - STEVE JOBS

I'm sure that we are have times when we are stressed. Some people react to stress differently. Some people might eat enough chocolate to sink a ship. Other people might go for a run. 

Whenever you are stressed, here are some ideas that you can use to, lets say, destress. 

1. Solitude

Make sure you get away from it all. That doesn't mean you go to a cave in the mountains somewhere and hang out with the bears and the bats. It just means that you might want to go for a walk or sit in a cafe alone and contemplate the meaning of life. Just make sure you are by yourself and you don't have anyone else pestering you. 

2. Move your body

Yes! That's right. Go and do some exercise. It could mean go for a run. It could mean go for a swim. You could play a little bit of three-on-three basketball if you have five other friends (although that might be difficult). My exercise of choice is CrossFit. You just do whatever you want. Whatever you enjoy. If you want to do Tai Chi, that is another option.

3. Pick up a book

I read a lot. Mostly I read non-fiction but I do enjoy the odd fiction book, especially when I am sitting on the beach. My books of choice are Jack Reacher novels, John Grisham books and also Stephen King. I find once I get into a book that it is as vivid as a movie and that is where the phrase, "it is hard to put down" comes into it. If you can find a book like that, it is very, very special. 

4. Write

Some people keep a diary. Other people write a daily journal. (To be honest, I don't know the difference. They both seem the same to me.) I know that I write the blog on a daily basis. Some days it is quite relaxing and on other days when I don't know what to write, it can be downright stressful which is not really great. Whatever you do, the best advice I can give is to start. Pick up your pencil (that sounds so old-fashioned) and start writing. I wrote a novel a few years ago. It was about 65,000 words. I just wrote a few words everyday. It was good. It was a great accomplishment. You can do the same.

5. Relax in the hot tub

I don't get in the bath often, but when I do I make the most of it. After a stressful day, you can literally wash your problems away in the bathtub. Get a good book or my choice, a good magazine and relax for a few minutes. In the winter, especially, it is always the precursor to a great night sleep. Before you men out there say, that a bath is a woman's thing, remember that there are some great bath cultures in the world. I'm thinking of Japan where there are some awesome public baths scattered around. 

6. Listen to music

Sometimes when I was younger, I would be in the kitchen because it was my turn to do the dishes or something like that and I would hear this noise like the cat was being tortured. Actually it was my father who had his headphones on and he was "singing" along to whatever music he was listening to. He was just hanging out and that was one way he relaxed. 

I don't like it how we are judged by our taste in music. Who cares? If you like a certain genre of music then that is great. Who cares what others think, right?

7. Hang out with a pet

I'm not the biggest dog fan in the world, but this was quite relaxing. He certainly was very happy to sit with me for awhile. Once I got over the scary part (Yep, even this kind of dog scares me from time to time) it was very relaxing.

8. Meditation

When I have tried this, it actually feels really great. You are clearing your mind and it has a great almost cleansing experience where all of your worries are washed away. I would, if I was you, give it a try. Don't think of it as the new-age hocus-pocus carry on. It isn't like that at all and it has a great feeling of nothingness when you have finished. 

9. Have sex

Enough said. Just remember to give 100% of your attention to your partner. He or she will know if you are distracted and the experience will be flawed for both of you. Also go into the experience  with the mindset of wanting to give as opposed to receive. That is all it is give, give, give. 

I would like to finish today's post by with a quote from Maya Angelou:

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style."