I love this thread!
But not the fact that so many of us are battling the moles.
I’ve always imagined being the circus performer from the 1950s, furiously spinning the plates on the poles.
I like the whack a mole better, I can imagine releasing some stress through the whacking part…
Our disabled DD provides a steady undercurrent of stress in our family to which we sprinkle in my chronic health condition and DH’s recent cancer diagnosis. I’m aware that we are fortunate to have great medical coverage including mental health coverage that keeps me (mostly) sane by paying for my counseling.
I also let the worry scenarios play out in my head sometimes But for me, perhaps the attempt to push those thoughts from my mind are more stressful than actually thinking about them, instead I am basically rehearsing for how I will cope if that scenario happens. Although (thank God) my scenarios are unlikely to happen, as they are pretty awful.
As far as all the physical symptoms you are going through chocchipcookie, what do you find that helps you? I know exercise is supposed to be very good for stress, however, if you feel awful, it’s almost impossible to get out the door to do it. Walking, hopefully at a rapid pace in a scenic place to walk, maybe chatting with a kind friend is a good place to start. I also really appreciate a glass or two of good red wine for relaxation. There are some breathing techniques that are actually really helpful, and I know some people love meditation. Staying away from too much caffeine can REALLY help the heart palpitations. If you drink caffeinated beverages, try cutting down and see what happens. I love my coffee, but switching to half decaf has saved my life.
Bioidentical hormones have helped me avoid a number of the things that I should be suffering from at this age. And my dogs, the little ones in my picture, give us massive stress relief. If you lie down on the couch with these little girls snuggled up to you, holding you down with their paws so you can’t get up, there is nothing you can do but relax. If only I could bottle that feeling and sell it, I’d be a billionaire.
The only thing that I have found to alleviate stress effectively is the gym or going for a long run. I think it is probably a physical response - the release of those “endorphin” things. I find myself more motivated to exercise when I am stressed because I am looking forward to that release.
I started yoga last fall and have found it to be a great stress reliever. Within a few minutes of starting a class I seem to forget about everything else in my life. And I sleep much better!
My job really is whack-a-mole. Most days I can handle it OK, but some days it’s just incredibly stressful. It’s the nature of the position and the industry, and I really like it, but I feel like the balls are always in the air- or at least they are supposed to be in the air…
I run every day. Many days I don’t want to, but I do it anyway. It relieves stress in large part because I accomplish something every time I get out there and do that run. I manage to turn it into additional stress when I compete, though, so I’ve backed off on that temporarily.
My dog and cats are also good for relieving stress. Another thing I did when I was in a really bad stretch after I lost a job- when I would get home from the unpleasant contract job I was working, I would go out on my deck (no matter what the weather) for a minute or two and just enjoy the trees and grass and view. It helped me decompress.
H and I find our TV shows that we enjoy to be very relaxing and therapeutic.
Seriously, I try to get to the gym 6x a week. I saw patients this morning, then went to the beach for a few hours. Just finished preparing my 2 dishes for tonight’s barbecue.
Haha BunsenBurner (#53). Ironically, just two works ago we found a hugh groundhog in our fairly small backyard and a hugh hole right next to our foundation. We filled the hole with contents from our cat box (read they didn’t like cat pee) and filled the hole. We also called a trapper. The hole was only dug up for 7 days so we cancelled the trapper. Yesterday we found it dug up again.
^The hole was NOT dug up for 7 days. Why don’t I proof read?!?!
Stress relief? I exercise fairly rigorously 5 days a week, snuggle with my cat, have long phone chats with my sister, to vent, every few weeks and definitely enjoy a few glasses of red wine many nights. H and I have also decided to make sure we go someplace warm in the middle of the winter and someplace interesting in the summer.
But things just keep happening and the anxiety can, and has been at times, overwhelming.
I hate gophers! Ugh. Hope you will get the invader out of your yard soon, morrismm!
We are currently de-stressing. It helps that Alaska Air has a ton of flights to HI and CA from our neck of the woods. A healthy dose of sun one in a while works wonders.
I too run and exercise to de-stress my body and mind. My work can be a game of whack a mole at times… running does help. I have to periodically use my imaginary dominatrix’s whip to get Mr. to join me in the home “gym” because his work is one big ball of stress, and I know that exercise helps him a lot.
I had a whack-a-mole of a weekend. Let out it this way, the first time I spent my Sunday in a hospital. Let’s leave it at that. Not only that I need to take Monday off, so maybe no pay since I don’t have a lot of sick leave.
For de stressor, I purchased six pack of Klondike bars and had one. Feel a lot better.
Whoa. Hope you are ok.We had a whack-a mole morning on cc. Hope you didn’t sprain your fist pounding it into your head every time you read a post in a certain thread, LOL.
My “go to” de-stressor today was Talenti gelato. Bought 4 jars (it was on sale).
Is this the thread the opposition of the “bragging” thread? So we come here to cry and de-stress?
Oh, I will be so a regular here. Job, family, health, hobby, etc. etc. every thing and every day. There are soooooooooo many moles around, I start to give up.
I guess I am reaching that stage when the saying “life = suffering” is more and more a reality.
