Welcome to Self Reflection

My last post was, though I hate to admit it, pretty much all angst. I have been a bit stressed out and am for some reason a naturally high strung person. I know I am not perfect, no matter how much I pretend to be in my own mind. I fear failure, though I tend to learn best from it. I have several ways to combat the stress. Here are my five ways to calm myself down. 

5) I work out after work. I almost always feel better after I have burned a few calories. When I was in college, rugby was my way of beating the stress out of me.  Currently I cannot afford a gym membership not is it convenient to join the rugby club in the nearest city, but I do have a few good workout DVDs. I enjoy the high intensity workouts that are between ten and twenty minutes long. I can replay them for however long I have, which is not always very long. 

4) I eat healthy “comfort” food. I cannot eat a lot of milk products, so instead of ice cream I eat frozen fruit or smoothies. On a hot day (or even a cold one wrapped in a blanket), I love munching on frozen strawberries or peaches. I also love making my own chili and soups. I’m not saying to stress eat or over eat, but food is comforting and having something that reminds me of when I was a little kid just makes everything seem better in the morning. 

3) I go to church. I know many of my friends are either not religious or are a different religion than I am.  I do not like fanatics. In fact the way fanatics act is the exact opposite of how we are told to act in the Bible. I also do not always agree with things that are said and taught. That being said: I do find comfort in the belief that there is a higher power that is not out to get me. I do not feel that a higher power that has so many other people to watch out for would come strike me down just because he needs an entertainment source. The pastor at the new church I started to attend also pointed out in his sermon today that the Bible is full of imperfect people. If a higher being could put up with Jonah or (ugh) Saint Paul, I think he can put up with me. 

2) I drink a cup of calming herbal tea. I love tea. My personal favorite is oolong (not herbal), which is sometimes hard to find in the US. Luckily international food and drinks have become more popular, so it is now easier for me to get my hands on.  However I would not use oolong tea to calm down, instead I like ginger (helps with stomach problems), peppermint (stomach and head), and chamomile (head) for calming effects. They are great for the days I have trouble getting to sleep. 

1) I call a friend, family member or my significant other. The best thing for me to do when I am stressed out is call someone and talk it out. I do not always like to annoy them with what I am going through, but hearing another person’s opinion is always helpful. Sometimes I cannot calm myself down and need someone to remind me to take a deep breath. This is why roommates can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. 

I am currently trying other methods to keep me calm throughout the day. I have started meditation and would like to pick up Tai Chi. Keeping sane and healthy (both physically and mentally) is a high priority.