Staying Sane On Insane Days

Stress! We all experience it. Lots of it. Kids, bosses, sick relatives, too much to do - too little time to do it, too many demands, things going wrong, noise, unexpected interruptions, problem after problem.
How to cope? We all want to feel better and we all have our own ways of coping. I have what I call my "Sanity Kit"; the things I discovered over the years that help me make it through those bad days.

~A fresh air break will help. Just a few minutes outside can relieve stress. Even in cold, snowy,weather; when I am busy at home I enjoy going outside to feed the birds and squirrels or take a walk to get the mail. How can you get outside ?

~Small treats sprinkled throughout a hectic day is nice too. Coffee, a cold drink, a few grapes or some chocolate.

~Take a few minutes to stretch. You can do this even if you are tied to your desk. Stretch those back muscles, legs, arms, roll your neck, wiggle your fingers and toes. This releases stress from your body.

~Lavender - relieves stress, is calming, helps or prevents headaches. There are a lot of ways to use Lavender but the easiest one that will work no matter what situation you are in is to keep a bottle of Lavender Essential Oil handy along with either tissues or some cotton balls.
A few drops of the oil on your tissue - then simply inhale the scent for a few seconds while concentrating on it should make you feel better and you can do this as often as you need to. It isn't very noticeable if you are discreet. The scent will be thought to be your cologne.

~Positive Self Talk! This is the most important one of all and easily forgotten when we are in the middle of a bad day. To get the most benefit from this we need to train ourselves to make this a habit. Since we are always talking to ourselves we might as well tell ourselves things that will make us feel better. Statements such as I can't stand this will make us feel worse. Instead,try
telling yourself something positive: I'll get through this, things will get better, I can handle this ,will work for you instead of against you. Try taking deep breaths while thinking your positive thoughts.

~Give yourself something to look forward to. It doesn't have to be something incredible. What would you like to do at the end of the day? A bubble bath, good book, movie, a nap,your favorite T.V. show or a great dinner? It doesn't matter as long as it is something you enjoy and can remember is waiting for you.

~Remember, the day or situation will come to an end. Relief is on the way and will arrive sooner or later. (Let's hope for sooner)
Written for: http://Carnival of Patience Therapy A great Carnival! Check it out.