The longest running joke in my family is that I am ALWAYS overwhelmed. To be fair to myself, I use the phrase “I’m overwhelmed” for many things. I use it when I’m overstimulated, when my sisters are driving me crazy, when I see a mess, AND when I’m genuinely stressed or anxious. I’m a pretty naturally stress prone person. Over the years I’ve developed a variety of different strategies I can use to relax from a variety of stressors. Here are seven of them! Note that not all of them work for every type of stress. You have to figure out what works for you and in what situations it will work.
1. Move Your Body
Alright, alright. I’ll admit it. Exercise definitely has not always been a relaxation method for me. In fact, for most of my life I’d say it was a stressor. But since my senior year of college exercise has become one of my most used methods of relaxing for a very specific stressor. One of my biggest stressors is feeling stuck – in a location, a mood, a situation, a project. The best way for me to let go of feeling stuck is to get moving! In college this looked like going to a Zumba class with my roommates. After, it looked like doing a quick Tone it Up or Lucy Wyndham-Read workout video. At work it could look like making the kids stop what we’re doing and do a quick physical activity or jumping into a dance workshop my students are taking. It could just be stretching or walking up and down the stairs to my office. Sometimes, you just need to move!
2. Get Comfy
If I get too stressed, I can sometimes start to feel the stress in my body. This manifests as me feeling like my clothes are incredibly restricting. So I get comfy! I mean full out – sweatpants, oversized Comfort Colors tee, hair in a bun, hidden under a blanket comfy. Sometimes it’s absolutely necessary! This doesn’t happen to me very often anymore, because I’ve stopped buying the clothes that used to make me feel this way. You can still look professional and cute and however you want to look and be comfy. I LIVE in my Torrid Premium Leggings. Don’t compromise your comfort for someone else’s idea of an acceptable appearance.
3. Look Your Best
“But Kayla, you just said to not compromise your comfort!” Yes, I did. But I also said that not all of these ideas work for every kind of stress. Sometimes my stressor is feeling like I’m not good enough. In those situations, getting comfy would increase that stress. In those situations, I need to look glam as hell. And I mean outfit, hair, makeup, all of it! I usually don’t subscribe to the idea that you need to look your best to feel your best. I mean I can feel great in full “get comfy” mode and in my disgusting and sweaty gym clothes post-workout. But there is no shame in needing to feel like you look your best. I can also feel incredible in a dress with my hair straightened perfectly and full glam makeup.
I also said that I dress comfy every day. Even when I’m full glam. Exhibit A – Tacoma Jonas Brothers concert. Those stripy pants I wore? TORRID PREMIUM LEGGINGS. I looked bomb and also could easily dance full out to “That’s Just the Way We Roll” with little sister! Some of my favorite outfits are also my most comfortable – this jumpsuit (that I have in three colors), maxi skirts, dresses, patterned leggings, culottes. All comfy. All stylish.
4. Power Playlist
Music is one of my favorite things in the world and I firmly believe it has healing and relaxing and motivating powers. Sometimes you just need to bump a playlist of songs that make you feel like a badass. Mine has a lot of Demi Lovato and Little Mix and Lizzo and even some throwback Superchick! Any of these songs can change my mindset in an instant and put me back in the place I need to be productive. In fact, I’m listening to it right now while I write this, and guess what? I feel powerful and am productive as hell! So, use mine, or make one of your own and have it on hand always. ALWAYS. You never know when you’ll need it.
5. Change Your Location
I’m writing this post from the Starbucks down the street from my house, drinking a Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte that has a love note from one of my little sister’s childhood best friends on it, watching people come in and get their coffee and then go along with their day. Today’s stressor was my house. I needed out. I talked earlier about how I tend to get stressed by feeling stuck in a location. I already had worked out today, so I went to my second strategy and third and put on leggings and my favorite sweater and did my hair. I pumped my power playlist. But something still wasn’t clicking, so I got in my car and came here. Et voilà! I’m feeling great and almost done with this post! Change your scenery and maybe you’ll change your mindset.
6. Get to Work
If your stressor is feeling like you have too much work to do there is one solution – DO SOME OF IT! If you sit and spiral over how much work you have to do you’ll simply watch your list grow from your inability to work. Instead, pick something and get it done. Top of my long list today was this post. Almost done. Then I’ll pick something else and keep working. You’ll never get anything done spiraling about how much you have to get done. Just get working. It’s hard, and you may need to do some of steps 1-5 before you can do it, but you have to try!
7. Veg Out
This one is last on the list for a reason. It is both a solution and a stressor for me. I hate unproductive days. HATE them. But sometimes when it feels like the world is throwing every stressor at you it has, you NEED one. Don’t be afraid to admit you need to relax. Throw on your comfy clothes, pick a book or a movie, get a snack and a blanket and just chill. We all need a reset every once in a while. Don’t be afraid to veg out.
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