live mighty

de-stressers.
i need lots of those.
because, if you know me at all, even by just reading my blog, you know that i tend to be a stressed-out individual.
i don't know why i'm that way.
but i do know, i've been that way ever since i can remember.

in fact, i remember as a toddler, being so stressed out by my dad eating my cotton candy that i couldn't stop crying about it and screaming about it. i was not the sharing type. cold-showers often did the de-stressing trick then.

then, i remember as a high schooler getting so stressed out about tests and papers and piano practice and girls gossiping and boys thinking that other girl was cuter than me and not being skinny enough and i'm getting stressed just thinking about all that nonsense.... but i remember locking myself in my room, pulling out dozens of magazines, and cutting out all the pictures of who i wanted to be and my favorite hair-styles and outfits...and i'd daydream into the wee-hours of the night. that did the des-tressing trick then.

now i'm me. an older version of me, that is. and bigger things stress me out. i mean, i at least think they're bigger. they feel bigger. and i find myself still needing de-stressers.

some destressers of mine include:

• exercise (gotta love those endorphins)
  

• a long talk...often with my mom...but also with M or a friend
  

• reading a good book

• eating something delicious. like frozen yogurt. mmm.

• clenching my jaw down really hard (creepy, i know. i feel sorta vampire-ish when i do it. but it helps)

• blogging/writing

• screaming really really loud while going through a car-wash

• cleaning something

• picking up lil E and hugging her extra hard...even if she pushes me away.

• if hugging her didn't work, just looking at E or singing to E would often do the trick as well

• a nice long drive

• using my grandpa's favorite phrase: breathe in, breathe out. breathe in, breathe out.

• and of course, being spiritual...reading scriptures, etc.

on my way to school today, i practiced one of my all-time-favorite destressers: blasting the stereo in lil ol swan (yes, the swan lives on). the louder, the better. something i can sing to is preferable. today's pick: jason mraz. M & i love mr. AZ. one of the songs on his latest CD has stuck with me all day- the chorus says these words:

live high
live mighty
live righteously
takin' it easy

i felt so much less stressed after hearing that.
because, i feel like most of us give life our best (living high).
i feel like most of us leave the world a better place (living mighty).
and i feel like most of us are doing good and fighting against the bad (living righteously).
so, dudes, we can take it easy. (be less stressed).

so, in stressed out moments, i can tell myself: breathe in, breathe out. breathe in, breathe out.
take it easy.

will it always work?
probably not.
but today it did.

{grin}

curious:
what destresses you?