Monday, October 31, 2011

Coping with Stress

Whenever I am feeling particularly stressed, or the weather has got me down, I turn to my well-read copy of Simple Abundance for comfort. Usually I read my Simple Abundance in the bath. As all of you parents will know, that is often the only place you can get any privacy. Even then, I sometimes see shadows under the (locked) door. Don’t feel guilty. Tell them to go away, like I do. Surely you deserve this moment alone.

The warm bath water has restorative powers, and the quiet provides a nice opportunity to clear your head and set some priorities. Oh, and add some epsom salts for your sore muscles. I know you have them.

The October 9th Simple Abundance entry is called “Coping with Stress,” and there is a list of suggestions for doing so. I want to share some of them with you, because I know many people who are stressed right about now.


Cultivate gratitude.
Carve out an hour a day for solitude.
Keep your house picked up.
Don’t overschedule.
Never make a promise you can’t keep.
Allow an extra half hour for everything you do.
Create quiet surroundings at home and at work.
Go to bed at nine o’clock twice a week.
Always carry something interesting to read.
Breathe—deeply and often.
If it’s not delicious, don’t eat it.
Be instead of do.
Laugh more often.
If you don’t love it, live without it.
Don’t answer the telephone during dinner.
Nurture friendships.
Savor beauty.
Express love every day.
 
I love the fact that the author, Sarah Ban Breathnach, incorporates some ideas for your home, because we all know how the state of our homes can affect (and reflect) our state of mind. I also appreciate the advice about taking an extra half hour for everything you do. This is particularly applicable to parents, because those kids can take a remarkably long time to get out the door, and there is bound to be less threatening and yelling if we give them more time. As for the going to bed at nine o’clock, that takes care of itself, because I fall asleep whether I want to or not. And, I look forward to spending more time breathing deeply, enjoying quiet surroundings and nurturing friendships.  Just don’t call me during dinner.

A plaqued black and white Marilyn Monroe poster makes
a nice addition to the bath. I use a vintage
tea cup to scoop epsom salts (below).


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1 comment:

  1. VictoriaNovember 1, 2011 at 2:47 PM

    Keeping your house picked up is totally something that will relieve stress. When my place is a mess, I feel like a mess no matter how much is currently on my plate!

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