Often I hear the ever popular phrase… `When I get stressed out, I go shopping’. I cringe when I hear people say it, and I hear it too often while coaching. Shopping while you are stressed damages your budget. Although you’ll feel a false since of freedom, it won’t make you financially independent.
Just relax
Instead of spending emotionally, which never works, try one of these ideas instead…
- Go for a walk. This is my favorite. Walk alone, walk your dog or spend quality time with someone. When you’re stressed to make a difficult decision, take it for a walk.
- Work on a Hobby. Take a break and work on something you love. Something that makes you want to smile. Find something relatively low cost that makes you happy.
- Write it out. Keep it simple. Take out a sheet of paper, write down your feelings. Throw it away when you are done.
- Breathe. Breathe slowly 10-12 really deep breaths; get oxygen to your brain and throughout your body. This calms the nerves.
- Stretch. We tend to get really tight in the shoulders when we’re stressed. Stand up, stretch your arms, roll your head and touch your toes.
- Make faces in the mirror. You laugh, however, this is great when someone on the phone is aggravating you.
- Clean something. Scrubbing the bathroom tub, not only it is constructive but it gives you a great arm workout.
- Call a friend. Call a loved one, someone you trust. When I want to vent I call my sister and say ‘I need to vent’, this tells her I’m having a difficult moment and wish to tell her my woes without judgment.
- Volunteer at your favorite charity. I love to build things. I have found that hitting something with a hammer makes me happy, I find great pleasure in volunteering at Habitat for Humanity.
We all get stressed from time to time. Maybe you have a way you like to de-stress? Share a comment below.