How do you cope with stress?

I find that, the more projects I try to juggle, the more stressed I tend to become.... Recently, I've been feeling kind of stressed-out....

How do you cope with stress? Anyone have any good stress-reducing tips to share?

Thanks,

Dien Rice

I'll share my own favorite way of dealing with stress....

It's simple. I meditate. It really works!

I use a technique which I learned from this Zen Buddhist guy I knew. He told me to sit and let any thoughts arise in my mind. Then, just watch them float away up into the sky. "It's like watching television," he told me.

So, if the thought of a sales letter you have to write (which you've been procrastinating about) arises, then you just see the picture of that letter in your mind's eye.... Then, you just "watch" it float away into space and let it go.... And let the next item arise.

One interesting consequence is that I seem to do better work after having done this, when my mind is relaxed and I can be better focused....

It took me a while to get used to doing this, but it seems to work for me. :)

Best wishes,

Dien

There are various ways all on a simillar theme. Stress is all about how you see the world not necessarily what the world is actually doing. If you can change your perception then you can destress yourself.

Would definitely recommend you read Stephen Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people.. or get a tape from Simon and Schuster and listen to it while driving... a good destresser with many good tips on getting control of things.

Another idea is get a project management package and list everything you have a- just as a list - then work through and be very honest to your self about what you really should be doing first, what you can delegate etc. If your stress is with projects nothing works best than simply writing everything you can think of down.. then estimating time, writing a feeling of how important it is and making a note of who you may be able to delegate it to...

Also.. if you need to change the physical side of things: look for some Siberian Ginseng.. this can help lower your adrenalin levels and generally calm you down... but again this is just a tonic.. stress is all about how you see the world and changing that.. that is why mediation is also good, pointed out in another reply.

all the best
Michael Guilfoyle
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> I find that, the more projects I try to
> juggle, the more stressed I tend to
> become.... Recently, I've been feeling kind
> of stressed-out....

> How do you cope with stress? Anyone have any
> good stress-reducing tips to share?

> Thanks,

> Dien Rice




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Hi Michael,

Wow, there are some amazing responses in this thread.... :)

> There are various ways all on a simillar
> theme. Stress is all about how you see the
> world not necessarily what the world is
> actually doing. If you can change your
> perception then you can destress yourself.

Now that you mention it, I think you're right! :)

> Would definitely recommend you read Stephen
> Covey's 7 habits of highly effective
> people.. or get a tape from Simon and
> Schuster and listen to it while driving... a
> good destresser with many good tips on
> getting control of things.

Thanks for the recommendation! I haven't read Stephen Covey's book.... I'll check it out next time I visit a bookstore (which should be very soon, I'm drawn to bookstores like a mouse to cheese).... :)

> Another idea is get a project management
> package and list everything you have a- just
> as a list - then work through and be very
> honest to your self about what you really
> should be doing first, what you can delegate
> etc. If your stress is with projects nothing
> works best than simply writing everything
> you can think of down.. then estimating
> time, writing a feeling of how important it
> is and making a note of who you may be able
> to delegate it to...

Thanks also for the recommendation here too.... :)

> Also.. if you need to change the physical
> side of things: look for some Siberian
> Ginseng.. this can help lower your adrenalin
> levels and generally calm you down... but
> again this is just a tonic.. stress is all
> about how you see the world and changing
> that.. that is why mediation is also good,
> pointed out in another reply.

Michael, I thought that was very good advice.... And I especially like what you said on it being how you view the world.... I thought that was very true!

Thanks!

- Dien

Hi Dien!

What a timely theme for me. Just finishing the school year, this morning sending off my first born to the United States to begin university life . . .

Whew! It has been something else!

We own a little mountain cabin here in Costa Rica. It is gorgeous. And it is really out in the boonies. There are toucans, parrots, and many other species of birds that visit. There is a lovely view of the valley. It really is a piece of heaven.

So, when the stress gets really heavy, I escape there. In fact, I am going this weekend!

Plus, I pray. I give my burdens to Him. And that is a great relief to me.

Blessings,
Brenda


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Hi Brenda!

> What a timely theme for me. Just finishing
> the school year, this morning sending off my
> first born to the United States to begin
> university life . . .

It sounds like she will have a good solid grounding for her future life.... :)

> Whew! It has been something else!

> We own a little mountain cabin here in Costa
> Rica. It is gorgeous. And it is really out
> in the boonies. There are toucans, parrots,
> and many other species of birds that visit.
> There is a lovely view of the valley. It
> really is a piece of heaven.

> So, when the stress gets really heavy, I
> escape there. In fact, I am going this
> weekend!

Brenda, it sounds like a fantastic place! :)

After reading one of your posts, I looked up information on Costa Rica.... It sounds like a great place, with a lot of natural beauty! I've never been to Central America.... I've been to the South America (Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil), but that's it!

> Plus, I pray. I give my burdens to Him. And
> that is a great relief to me.

Brenda, this works for me too.... Sometimes, I forget (believe it or not), thank you for the reminder.... :)

Thanks! :)

- Dien

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things."

Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV

> Recently, I've been feeling kind
> of stressed-out....

> How do you cope with stress? Anyone have any
> good stress-reducing tips to share?

Dien,

There is NO SUCH THING AS STRESS. So thinking you have it and trying to get rid of it does no good - how can you get rid of something that doesn't exist?

Instead, try only to realize what it is that you're actually feeling and calling stress.

Are you nervous about something? Anxious? Doubtful? Frustrated? Angry things aren't going your way? Uptight? Overwhelmed?

Knowing WHAT you're actualy feeling solves half your problem. Saying you're "stressed" is like going to a Doctor and saying "I'm sick, how can you make me better?"

You think You have problems? How 'bout the millions of people who will go to bed tonight and not wake up in the morning? Bigger problem than you have?

Those who live in the Third World. Think they have more to be concerned about?

How does your "stress" whatever it really is, relate on the grand scale of things? Still a big deal?

Does it really matter at all to anyone but you, or a close few? And in 1000 years, how will it have mattered?

NOTHING MATTERS WHATSOEVER. Nothing at all.

We ALL move on. The world changes and eventually it will be gone as well.

I've seen couples come to blows over money... or rather... a lack of it. Yet the reality is, money isn't real. And the worse thing that could happen is nothing really that bad. Phone turned off. Electricity cut. Car taken away. Whatever. Nothing really ever happens to THEM... the person. Only to things... all of which will be gone in time any way.

Many years ago I backed my car (van) into a concrete pillar in a shopping centre - if you've ever driven a van you'll know how this is possible.

My wife sat quietly not sure how I was going to react to this.

I got out and had a look. Hoped back into the car and said, "Oh well, that'll need to be fixed" and drove off. Certainly blase. A least I wasn't "stressed" ;o)

Hope this helps.

Michael Ross

PS - as Gordon says sort of, if you go to the beach for a day, will anything happen to this "stressful" thing?

Hi Michael,

> There is NO SUCH THING AS STRESS. So
> thinking you have it and trying to get rid
> of it does no good - how can you get rid of
> something that doesn't exist?

> Instead, try only to realize what it is that
> you're actually feeling and calling stress.

> Are you nervous about something? Anxious?
> Doubtful? Frustrated? Angry things aren't
> going your way? Uptight? Overwhelmed?

Michael, yes, like other responses I think you've hit the nail on the head.... I think it's some anxiety regarding some offline business activity I'm doing.... I'm learning a lot, but everyone here has helped me to re-evaluate it....

> I've seen couples come to blows over
> money... or rather... a lack of it. Yet the
> reality is, money isn't real. And the worse
> thing that could happen is nothing really
> that bad. Phone turned off. Electricity cut.
> Car taken away. Whatever. Nothing really
> ever happens to THEM... the person. Only to
> things... all of which will be gone in time
> any way.

Yes, that's especially true for us here in Australia (there's a pretty good system here to catch you if you should fall, but we pay for it with higher taxes)....

> Many years ago I backed my car (van) into a
> concrete pillar in a shopping centre - if
> you've ever driven a van you'll know how
> this is possible.

> My wife sat quietly not sure how I was going
> to react to this.

> I got out and had a look. Hoped back into
> the car and said, "Oh well, that'll
> need to be fixed" and drove off.
> Certainly blase. A least I wasn't
> "stressed" ;o)

Heheh, nice story. :) That's a good attitude to have.... :)

Thanks! :)

- Dien

Dien

While there are many variations on what you're about to read, I've found these two to work the best...
[*]Imagine yourself at the beach. You're laying down at the water's edge. A wave crashes and the wash covers you briefly before going back out. And as it goes back out it takes with it all your tensions/troubles/stree/whatever. Another wave comes in... again it takes away your troubles/tensions/stree whatever. Then another wave, and another and another. However many you want.
[*]Imagine you're holding a deflated balloon. Now begin to blow it up. And as your blow it up your fill it will all your tensions/troubles/worries/stress/whatever. Once you blown all your "things" into the balloon, knot it, release it and watch it float away - taking all your tensions/troubles/worries/stress/whatever with it.


Try these. I think you'll be pleased with the results.

Michael Ross.