Ditching Stress

One of my favorite games to play as a kid was All the kids on my block were super smart so we had to use our creativity to find obscure places to ditch them. Sometimes I was successful and sometimes not so much. But, the end result was a good time had by all. Life was stress-free and easy back then.

During challenging days, I find myself wishing I could ditch stress just like the time I found that when I was a kid. Stress, like the kids on my old block can be rather cunning and persistent. Longing for the simplicity of my carefree childhood days, I've come up with some fun ways to ditch stress. 

Here are my favorites:

Visit the Spa

All I have to do is open the door. The smell of lavender swirls around my head like the intoxicating fumes in an old cartoon. My shoulders instantly lower to their original position and I am swept away. After my massage, I'm so relaxed I can barely put two words together. When I go to the with my daughter, our after-massage conversation goes something like this:

Melissa: (smiling) "Umm ..."

Me: "Ahh ..."

Melissa: "Nice."

Me: "Uh huh."

It takes us a good hour to come back to reality and speak in sentences. Stress?  What stress? We ditched it well.

Read a Book

Do you remember hiding under the covers at bedtime, flashlight in hand reading a book as a kid? Disappearing under the covers won't allow you to ditch stress but, reading a fabulous book will work. When I read, I get so engrossed in the story and the characters, I completely forget about my own troubles. Stress can't find me when my nose is in a book.

Watching a Movie or TV

Escaping into a movie or a favorite TV program works like a charm most of the time when you need to step away from stress. But, I will warn you: at stressful times, do NOT go see a movie that makes you white-knuckle the arm rests. If that happens, stress has found you! You need to watch something lighthearted or funny. I highly recommend animations. Not only do they make you feel like a kid again, but a lot of animated movies have an equal amount of kid and adult humor. 

TV? That's a no-brainer. Tune into Dancing with the Stars to watch our own  dance with her HOT partner, William Levy. Bye-bye stress!

Exercise

Wait!Keep reading. I know most people do not like this word. They don't like the way it looks or sounds and they certainly don't like to partake. But, I have to say, nothing beats stress better than a good aerobic workout. Increasing your heart rate releases serotonin, the "happy hormone."  If you feel stressed and unhappy, you'll be much happier by the time you finish working out. Find a physical activity that's fun for you.  It could be an , or Bring out that inner kid and let it all go. You'll feel so much better afterward.

Take a Stroll at a Park

Another way to alleviate stress is to take a stroll at a local park. Did youknow that Grab a book and a picnic lunch while you are at it.

Stress sf not fun and it can be a pain, literally. Think back to your childhood and recapture that wonderful not-a-care-in-the-world feeling. Find your perfect hiding place and ditch stress for a while. Your mind and body will thank you for it.