Laughter's the Best Medicine

Sometimes, laughter really is the best medicine, so this week I thought I'd share a funny post, The 25 Most Ridiculous Stress Relief Products. The article shares everything from Adult Milk, endless bubble wrap, a hand pillow and a robot chicken. Its a great source for some stress-free giggles, so check it out! See you in the New Year!

The Christmas Season of Stress

Schools off, the weathers cold, and trees are up. It's almost Christmas!
If you're like me, Christmas is your favorite holiday; the yummy treats, the family, the lights, the presents, what's not to like? But as great as Christmas is, like any holiday, it can be extremely stressful. But not to worry, cause luckily there are lots of things you can do to limit stress. You can sit by a fire and drink egg nog, or you can bake cookies and roll out all your tension. However, one area that never ceases to stress people out during the holidays are gifts. People stress about finding the perfect gifts, how much to spend, if they can find it in time, and so forth. So for my post for Christmas, I wanted to address this issue.  Starting with price: People always stress about how much to spend, but from personal experience I can tell you price doesn't matter. One of my favorite gifts I've ever received were hand made letters from my best friend. She probably made them for under 10 dollars, but they still hang on my wall today. How much you spend doesn't matter, its just the thought that you were on someone's mind during this season that counts.  Second, don't worry about finding the perfect gift. Yes, we'd all love to find that one magical gift that someone absolutely adores. But, most be are just as happy to receive a gift card or something else that they know they will actually use. And lastly, if you're on a time crunch for finding a gift, I like to suggest to easy and fail prove methods: Go DIY or a theme. With little time left, home made cookies are always a great gift. They're easy, cheap, and fast, but also meaningful. For a more craftier person, checkout Pinterest for some great ideas. You can do DIY letters, hand soap, PJ pants, all sorts of cute things that are super quick to make at the last minute. If your not so crafty, but your still on a time crunch, go for a theme. If someone likes makeup, do a cute makeup gift basket, throw in some gloss, polish, blush, and your done. If they like a good spa day, get them a mask, some bath salts, a good book, and a candle. For the handy man, a basket of tools. For the sweet tooth, a basket of candy. The options are endless and best of all its quick and easy.
Hope everyone has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
                             

Finals

As the first semester of the year wraps up, and christmas break approach, I, like many other students, have been preparing for finals.  Finals are every students nightmare. Just a series of tests after test after test and endless hours of studying. Even worse, these test can constitute anywhere from 10, 30, or even 50 percent of your grade. Talk about nerve racking. While the only preparation one really can do for finals is study, getting enough sleep, eating right, and taking breaks can help too. It's hard not to stress and freak out over them, but just remember, there only one week and you can make it through it. Wishing everyone luck! And lots of studying!

OVERWHELMED

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas just always seems to fly by to me! There's school, finals, work, gift shopping, trip planning, and parties to attend, and little time left for anything else. With a schedule like that its hard not to feel overwhelmed, so this week I thought I'd share some of the tips I found here to help with that feeling overwhelming-ness.
Tip 1: Set realistic goals. As much as you try, you probably couldn't be able to finish your english research paper and attend your aunt's Christmas party all in one day.  So understand it's okay to say no; though you will be missed, your aunt should understand.
Tip 2: Organize and Prioritize tasks. Sounds simple and it is, but sometimes just writing down what you need to do and ordering them in order of importance can help you visualize and achieve what you need to do.
Tip 3: Delegate. Don't  be afraid to ask friends or family for help.

For the rest, check the link, but those were my top ones :) Hope it helps, and stay stress-free!

Turkey Day

Holidays are great. Time off from work, fattening food, no alarms, whats not to like? But as relaxing as holidays can be, being home and around family can also be overwhelming. Scrambling to try and finish dishes, the shouting over the game, the bickering between siblings, and the overall jumble of family can defiantly take away from your "relaxing" break.
But in order to stay stress-free during the holidays, all you need to do it is PLAN AHEAD.
1. Plan to have breaks. Run to the store to get something, set aside time to finish some work, whatever gets you out of the commotion for a little bit.
2. Plan to have relatives do some tasks. If you know your Aunt Sue and Uncle Joe don't get along, assign Aunt Sue to work on stuffing while Joe watches the game. Or send Joe to the store, while Sue chats with Aunt Cathy. Problem solved.
3. Invite so friends. People who aren't family and can buffer between relatives while also giving you someone to break and laugh with.
4. Keep your phone charged. Worst comes to worst, get lost in your phone. Sit and play candy crush or call a friend. Distract yourself.

But most of all, just enjoy yourself. Holidays only come once a year! Happy Gobble Day!

"Seven Ways to De-stress in a Minute or Less"

This week's post is taken form Huffington's Post Seven Ways to De-stress in a Minute or Less. I just loved the idea and was eager to share it here. So be sure to check out their site!
1. Take a deep, relaxing breathe
2. Let it out (Scream in a pillow :) )
3. Visualize a calming place
4. Listen to your favorite music
5. Peel an Orange
6. Pet your puppy
7. Clean your desk
Short and sweet, but none the less helpful!

Apps That Can Help You De-Stress!

While technology can be a source of stress, with its constant twitter fights or depressing tumblr posts, it can also be a source of relieve. And what better way to de-stress your self then in the mist of everything? With apps it's easy, you can just pop out your phone and BOOM instant stress relieve! But trying to find the best apps and can tedious, so I thought I'd share some good (and FREE) ones:

1. The Worry App
When your feeling anxious, this app is great. Just type your problem into the box, and it will either offer ways to cope or potential ways to deal with your source of stress.


2. Healing Music Radio
Kinda self-explanatory, but none the less a great one.



3. Buddha Board
An app that just lets you draw, doodle or scribble, its a great way to distract yourself for a few minutes without any stress.

4. Calm
An app that guides you through some quick relaxation techniques.


5.  Relaxing Sounds of Nature Lite
An app that plays relaxing sounds of nature, it can help you escape the distracting sounds around you and let you escape. While maybe not as good as the real thing, it is defiantly better then the annoying sounds of chatter or busy streets.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hope everyone is having a great halloween! 

Ill be out of town this weekend, but I just wanted to wish everyone a great weekend! Enjoy some candy, watch some scary movies, relax, whatever makes you happy :)

Also, just as a side note: Recently I've been working on a research project that I'm VERY passionate about. However, i'm looking for applicants between the ages of 8-18 to participate. Its all online and its very easy. So if you, or anyone you know could take it, it would be very helpful and very much appreciated. Thank you!

Those Pesky Five Pounds

Every now and then we all worry about out weight. Its normal. But sometimes gaining a few extra pounds can be an extra source of stress. The things is though, the more you stress the more likely you are too gain weight. Annoying right?!

So this week I thought I'd put a link to a site that lists tips on how to destress and lose those few extra pounds. So check it out!

Click here for those extra tips!!

Relationships: The Good, The Bad, and The Stressful

We all have them. Whether it be a boyfriend, our girlfriends, our parents, even our grandparents, we ALL have relationships. While relationships can be great and give us lots of joy, they can prove stressful too. But when a relationship is more stressful then not, thats when you've got to ask, "Is it worth it?" If not, it probably means you should move on. Now this is easier said then done. I recently went through this with a family member. Because they were family, it felt like the right thing to do to visit them, but every week leading up to my visit I'd become so stressed and full of anxiety that it'd take me another week after the visit just to decompress. Eventually I had to confront this person, and explain this to them. It was hard, but in the end I felt better. I still see them from time to time, but its now on my terms and causes me substantially less stress. In the other case, that the relationship means enough to you, then its important to still talk to the other person and try to find ways to diminish the stress within the relationship. This can be hard. But at the end of the day, you have to take care of yourself if you want to alleviate your stress.

RELAX: Some tips:)

Since relaxation is so important to de-stressing, I'm always looking for new ways to relax. One technique I've yet to try is aroma therapy. I've heard amazing reviews, and who'd doesn't love things that smell good?! But in all serious, the different scents are said to have impactful affects on your mood. I don't wanna bore you with the details but here's a link to explain the relationship between anxiety and stress (http://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/signs/smell). Instead of boring you though, I thought I'd share the best, most relaxing scents. So without further adieu the most calming scents:
Frankincense, Sandalwood,Ylang Ylang, Chamomile, Lavender, and Jasime
So thats the list! I'm on my journey to try them and will report back soon!

Test Stress

Continuing my theme of teenage stress, I wanted to talk about test stress. Whether its test anxiety, stressing over finding time to study, or just worrying about your test grade, test stress affects us ALL.  But conquering test stress is just a matter of preparing yourself!

If you have test anxiety:

       Remember everyone takes test and it completely normal to be nervous! It's even been shown that having a little nerves can help you perform better!

      Second, just prepare yourself. Don't cram the night before, but set up a manageable study schedule. Try visualizing yourself taking the test and get a good night sleep.

      Lastly, go into class and just focus on the task at hand. Don't stress over it or discuss it with others, just go in and take you're test. 

If you are stressing over finding time to study:

     Try planning ahead and creating an easy study schedule. Beyond that it's just a matter of finding effective time saving study tricks. One of my favorites is the flashcard app- take the 10-15 minutes to make your flashcards on this app and then squeeze in study time anywhere you have your phone with you! Also, it sounds silly, but make recording of important information and listen to them while you're doing something else. It will help reinforce the information and won't take any extra time!

If your worried about your grade:

     First, know that your grade DOES NOT define you. Everyone, even Albert Einstein, has failed sometime in their life. It doesn't mean ANYTHING. And one bad grade won't wreck your overall grade. You can always make it up! Just make sure you study hard and you will do fine! Maybe even try some of the tricks above to aide in your studying skills or calm yourself down. 

Keep it up!!

     

    

You get out, what you put in!

Being a student, I know how stressful it can be. Balancing school, sports, friends, etc, you can often come last. I try to address student stress as much as possible on here, but I know I probably miss more than I think! So starting this week, I thought I'd start a few week theme of student focused ideas on this blog! I will be gather a lot of the info from  this totally cool site, Totally Stressed Out, so BE SURE to check it out!!
This week I wanted to focus on how what we listen to, read, and watch, can affect our stress. This topic is often unthought about, but its actually really important!
While watching an hour of CSI or House seems like the best thing after a long day may seem like the best thing, it actually has quite an impact on us- and not in a good way. Watching such shows, (medical dramas, cop dramas, or even a really aggravated news rant) with all their negativity, have been shown to rub off and make you feel worse. So inside, maybe tune into a lighter comedy! Or start a new habit, like drawing! The same can off for aggressive music. Now I'm not saying you should avoid all aggressive music, causes there's some great stuff out there, but just limit it!
Its the same with dark media images and movies, while they can be good, if looked at excessively they can cause your mood to darken too.

Another under thought of thing that we consume everyday is media about body image: magazines, movies, even tumblr photos. As a girl, I know how much of an impact these images have on me. I know they're fake, but still, the constant reminder of whats "right" makes me feel worse about myself. No one needs that stress, especially since what you're stressing after doesn't even exist! So my advise, try not to let those images get to you, and limit exposure as much as possible! Everyones beautiful, whether you're a size 2 or not!
I'm sure there's lots more! But these are the ones that affect me most, so I thought I'd share them!
Keep stress free! :)

Love yourself!

Yes, it sounds so cheesy. But its true! Being a girl, I always find something I don't like. My thighs are to big, my pores are huge, my hairs so frizzy, there's always something. And its horrible! It never makes me, and any one else I imagine, feel good just focusing on the negative things all the time. All it does is bum me out and stress me out, niether of which I like to feel. And though its hard, the best way to battle this kind of stress, is yes, cheesy as it sounds, to learn to love yourself. In this link, the author shares her story and some great tips about accepting yourself, so check it out! But I thought i'd also share my story, just cause sometimes its nice to hear that other people have the same things as you happening to them to. Well at least I think so haha. But anyway, when I went into high school, all my friends were athletes, and looked like it. No one was bigger then a size one, and I was at least a 5 maybe a 7. They all had soft, straight hair and no problem with pimples. I had frizzy hair and acne. So I hated standing next to them, they always made me feel so ugly. I would get so upset over it and always try some new hairstyle, exercise, whatever to make me prettier. And it only got worse when they all got dates to the first dance and I didn't. But one day, I just got so fed up with always being so self conscious. I was getting to the point where I wouldn't do anything for fear of being judged. And it sounds crazy, but once I decided "Who Cares?!" I begin to feel more comfortable with myself. I still had slip ups, and fats days, but I was doing more and having so much more fun. And the crazy part, is that people noticed. People weren't shy around me any more, instead they reflect my confidence and were more fun too. And today, I still haven't perfected my hair or lost all the weight I would like too, but instead I value myself for what I am. I'm a great friend, a good student, and can rock sweats like nobody else :)
So just know, if you ever feel down your not the only one!

Applications on applications

Like many other seniors at this time of year, I am in the process of applying to college. I knew it would be work, but I had no idea just how much work goes into applying to  colleges! I already feel like I have so much going on with senior activities, class work and clubs, it seems impossible to add the extra load of writing essays, filling out form after form and being sure to stay on top of all the different application materials. If you're anything like me, you're probably under A LOT of stress too. While there's not much I have in the way of tips to make applying easier, I can tell you what has helped me tremendously through this process.
1. Get essays started early. Having a little if any work on them is better than none and helps alleviate some of the pressure too.
2. It's OKAY  to say no. I don't know why it's so hard to say no to people, but as hard as we try, it's not possible for one person to do everything. It's just not! So don't shy away from saying no. You don't need to add yet another thing onto your plate
3. Schedule time to relax. No matter how busy you find yourself, give yourself something. Otherwise you'll just burn out. So maybe treat yourself to some funny youtube or vine videos if your short on time, go for a quick walk with your dogs, or take a bubble bath instead of a shower. Just give yourself some down time.

Good Luck!!

"Life Is Too Short"

Like I've said over and over again, stress has a tremendous impact on our body. Just see the picture i've put in!
<--------------
Crazy. So when I came across this article in the Huffingting Post "Life Is Too Short: 10 Things to Stop Tolerating" I thought I'd share it. Each of the things on this list can cause stress, which we don't need! So why not stop? Easier then it sounds, I know, but maybe just being more aware and hearing some times here and there would help. I think that one of the best part about the list is that it covers a broad range of topics, some of them we probably don't even realize we are doing/stressing over, like comparing ourselves to others. Others are more obvious, but all in all its a good list and a great starting place to start tackling those problems. Hope it helps :)

For the Busy Bees

So, still a little busy, as you can probably tell, but better than last week! Only a few days off this time. Anyway, if your like me and can get CRAZY busy, crazy fast, this post is for you. When I'm busy, it feels like I can forget what ways left and what ways right, I don't even think it possible how fast my brains juts from one thing to the next. And with a head like that, its almost impossible to think about the little daily things like exercising or eating right. But when your busy, even though it seems impossible, its important to take care of yourself. Not only can being busy make you stressed, but it can also weaken your emotional state,  and even your immune system too! So, bottom line, its important. But that doesn't mean we have to some how manage to try and squeeze in an extra hour of me time somewhere in our busy schedules, it can be much simpler ( or longer if you like). But heres a LINK to some ideas, 55 ideas actually to help you take care of yourself when your busy! Hope it helps!!

Stress-OUT

Sorry about not posting last week! Crazy how busy you can get. Anyway, this week I thought I'd keep it simple and share some interesting quotes. Yes quotes, sounds weird, but its actually kinda cool. They are all quote/tips from people who specialize in dealing with stress. The site is a British site, and is actually geared at city stress but I still thought it was applicable. Sometimes its nice to have a quote to stick to, and all these ones help battle stress-bonus!
So check it out here!

Stress Defense

Sometimes, the best way to deal with stress is to prevent it in the first place, i.e. finding a defense against stress. While I think determining what works for you is a process, I did find a great site this week that list a couple of good ideas that anyone could use. (Check it out here!) Some of these suggestions include regular exercise, making time for friends or family, and keeping well organized.  Personally,  my most important stress defense is scheduling enough alone time for myself. Im just that type of person who needs that time to introvert and figure things out for myself. But I think that a lot of time, we focus on just dealing with the stress we currently have, rather then trying to prevent it in the first place; I mean I know I'm defiantly guilt of that. So, I thought that maybe this week's blog could just be a little reminder to try and prevent it in the first place
. Hope your having a great summer! :)

A.N.T.s

Currently I'm reading a great book called Change Your Brain, Change Your Body by Dr. Amen. So far its been a very interesting read, and I've learned A LOT about the human brain. But one of the things in the book that caught my attention and seemed like a perfect fit for this blog was Dr. Amen's theory regarding ANT's ( or Automatic Negative Thoughts). Sometimes when were stressed are brains directs us toward these negative thoughts, anything from only focusing on the negative to blaming ourselves or others. Dr. Amen approaches ANTs like this: When your brain has a though, it releases chemicals. Thus, if you have a negative thought, your brain will release negative chemicals; chemicals that can make you feel tired, tense, or maybe even dizzy. Pretty simple right? So, if you want to feel better, you need to train yourself to let go of the ANTs. He recommends a system of "identifying and killing" your ANTS.  First you'd write out your ANT. Then you'd identify it. Is your ANT a always/never ANT (using vocal like always or never), or are you focusing on the negative, predicting negative thoughts about your future, thinking others are thinking negative things about you, believing negative feelings, having guilt, negatively labeling, negatively personalizing events, or blaming others?   Now after completely addressing and identifying your ANT like so, you need to kill it; you need to talk back and problem solve your negative thought. And volia! You slowly, by doing the above process, train yourself to limit your ANTs and make yourself feel better!

Stressful Situations

Sometimes, its not stress form everyday life that gets to one-self, instead its stress from one situation that makes us anxious. We've all been there, presenting a report, seeing a sick family member, maybe even running into your ex, there's stressful situations every where. So this week, I thought I'd keep it short and just post some helpful sayings I found online! Hope this helps!

General Statements

1. I'm going to be all right. My feelings are not always rational. I'm just going to relax, calm down, and everything will be all right.
2. Anxiety is not dangerous -- it's just uncomfortable. I am fine; I'll just continue with what I'm doing or find something more active to do.
3. Right now I have some feelings I don't like. They are really just phantoms, however, because they are disappearing. I will be fine.
4. Right now I have feelings I don't like. They will be over with soon and I'll be fine. For now, I am going to focus on doing something else around me.
5. That picture (image) in my head is not a healthy or rational picture. Instead, I'm going to focus on something healthy like _________________________.
6. I've stopped my negative thoughts before and I'm going to do it again now. I am becoming better and better at deflecting these automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) and that makes me happy.
7. So I feel a little anxiety now, SO WHAT? It's not like it's the first time. I am going to take some nice deep breaths and keep on going. This will help me continue to get better."

Statements to use when
Preparing for a Stressful Situation

1. I've done this before so I know I can do it again.
2. When this is over, I'll be glad that I did it.
3. The feeling I have about this trip doesn't make much sense. This anxiety is like a mirage in the desert. I'll just continue to "walk" forward until I pass right through it.
4. This may seem hard now, but it will become easier and easier over time.
5. I think I have more control over these thoughts and feelings than I once imagined. I am very gently going to turn away from my old feelings and move in a new, better direction.

Statements to use when
I feel overwhelmed

1. I can be anxious and still focus on the task at hand. As I focus on the task, my anxiety will go down.
2. Anxiety is a old habit pattern that my body responds to. I am going to calmly and nicely change this old habit. I feel a little bit of peace, despite my anxiety, and this peace is going to grow and grow. As my peace and security grow, then anxiety and panic will have to shrink.
3. At first, my anxiety was powerful and scary, but as time goes by it doesn't have the hold on me that I once thought it had. I am moving forward gently and nicely all the time.
4. I don't need to fight my feelings. I realize that these feelings won't be allowed to stay around very much longer. I just accept my new feelings of peace, contentment, security, and confidence.
5. All these things that are happening to me seem overwhelming. But I've caught myself this time and I refuse to focus on these things. Instead, I'm going to talk slowly to myself, focus away from my problem, and continue with what I have to do. In this way, my anxiety will have to shrink away and disappear.
   Full site here!!

Summer Break??

I love summer. And at the end of a long school year there is nothing better than hearing the bell that marks the begging of summer, a two month long break, or so I thought. I've always had busy summers, but a normal get a few weeks to relax and recharge for the next school year. But this summer I'm almost a third of the way done and I'm beginning to realize that this summer was nothing like a break at all.  I thought summer: no school, no stress. Yet, I didn't realize how much of a toll traveling, working, and balancing friends could be. Personally, I relax best when my minds distracted: TV, a good book, or movies normally do the trick. But over break I've barely had more then a week at home, and barely any time to relax while I am at home. Its exhausting. I had no time that f all my outings with friends, family vacations, and work would cut so much out of my summer. Now, I find myself just as stress as I was in school. So, with that said, I've decided to take my own advice and having a relaxing day today; painting my nails, a long hot shower, a movie, and maybe even some yoga later. Hope your summers aren't as stressful and if they are that you get a break soon!

The "Calm Down" Jar

This week while browsing the web I cam across this amazing idea for calming down. The site suggest that it be used for angry management for children, but I think it would be a great relaxer for stress too. You may need to change somethings out, like some more updated books, but leave others, I mean who doesn't like to color still?  Personally I think the box/jar is a great idea; It offers some great suggestions, but also allows LOTS of room for your own ideas! And I think that even putting it together would be a great outlet for stressful energy. Check it out here! Hope this helps you keep up a stress-free life :)

Stress Rant

As we all know there are a zillion and one sources of stress; technology, relationships, school, work, body issues, family issues, etc. But one of the crazy things about stress is that it effects everyone differently, as I mentioned in my "True or False?" post. Thus, some get physical symptoms like a stomach ache, headache, or stiffness, while others get more emotional symptoms like crankiness, depression, frustration or anxiety. But, whats important about this is that we target and battle our stress. Now, I know I have mentioned lots of tips and tricks about dealing with stress, but sometimes even those can't help and you can still end up feeling frustrated and alone. When this happens, I always like to reach out; sometimes it helps knowing that you have someone there, or just knowing that other people are going through the same thing as you. So phone a friend or even just check out some websites, I personal like this one. (Plus nothing is better than a good stress rant!)  Hope this helps reduce some of your stress!

Add caption

 And heres a another fun info graphic :)

Burnout

Sometimes, being over stressed can result in burnout and exhaustion. Being burnout can only make things worse, your tired, not interested and maybe even depressed, none of which are good. However, burnout can be avoid by making sure you don't over stress yourself. It defiantly sounds easier then it is, so to help you out I added this great info-graphic. Enjoy!

Stress Relievers

So this week I am on vacation, and as much as I enjoy blogging, I would like to spend as much time as possible soaking in this leisurely lifestyle :) Thus, this week's post is going to be short and sweet. Last week I talked about how everyone deals with stress differently so it's expected that everyone copes differently, well this week I was able to find this great site that helps  offer different coping methods based on people's predominant sense (if the person is visual, auditory, etc). Check it out hereeeeee. Enjoy your summer! Hopefully it's stress free thus far :)

True or False?

Sorry I keep being so sporadic with my postings! I guess life just gets in the way sometimes. But this week I wanted to talk a giant stress myth that people often forget about. This giant stress myth is that  stress is the same for everybody. This has to be about the biggest lie I've ever heard. I mean, this is a really common example, but its totally me and my best friend, and I'm sure most people shave experienced it, so I thought I'd bring it up anyway. But, whenever I get stressed I'm the type of person who likes to turn to food, the sweeter the better, but on the other hand, my best friend can't even stomach food when she gets stressed. Dumb example, but just something to keep in mind. Anyway, since people handle stress differently, its important that people treat their stress differently. On my blog  often share what works for me, but I also try to emphasis just that; Just cause it works for me doesn't mean it will work for someone else. Everyone handles stress differently, so it makes sense that everyone would cope differently. Thus its important not to be afraid to try different things or develop your own personal tricks to deal with stress. Likewise, everybody's body also copes with s tress differently. If yo unjust google stress symptoms, you'll fins some popular ones like headaches, weight loss or gain, etc., but just cause you don't necessarily get those symptoms doesn't mean you should discount your stress. As strange as it may sounds, I've heard of some weird side effects, like bloating or excessive sneezing. Just strange things. So as you continue to de stress just keep this old myth in mid. Stay stress-free!

Half Full? Or Half Empty? You Choose

First off, my apologized for not posting last week- I got distracted! Secondly, this week I wanted to talk about having a positive outlook. It may sound really cliche, but "looking at the glass half full" can really make a difference when you're down. Even though when you're down nothing may seem better than having a pity party for yourself this can actually make you more down and stressed. Open the door, and a flood gate of negative thoughts can enter your mind; start with a bad day at work, and before you know it you're picking yourself apart, and NO ONE should needs to be pushed when they're already down. So here's my advice, next time you're having a pity party for yourself, try to turn it around. Just start with something small. For example, if you start thinking about how much you hate your body, tell yourself something you love about yourself , body or not. Because you know what? Everyones beautiful and is amazing and size shouldn't be what determines that beauty. And,  I swear, if you just think about the positives, like what you love about yourself, you'll slowly you'll get yourself out of that negative attitude and be in a better, more positive one.  

Hobbies and Stress

I know I've mentioned it before, but sometimes having something to focus on, helps you forget about stress and let go a little. For many people this can be as simple as painting their nails, while for others it can be a more complex activity like house remodeling work- whatever works for you, right? Anyway, what every your thing is great, as long as it keeps your de stressed. But sometimes, people haven't quite figured out what works for them, so this week, as I was reading , I came across this great article; it helps you determine what you can do to relax. In this article they mostly focus on hobbies, but I don't think it necessarily has to be a hobby to work; it could be something as simple as playing catch if you like to play sports-like I said, whatever works! So check it out for potential ideas :)

Cough, Cough

Growing up people has always told me, stop wording so much or you'll make yourself sick. I never really though anything of it and just figured it was on of those old wives tales, but did you know that being overly stressed can actually make you sick? Being under constant stress causes your body to suppress immune system response, making you more susceptible to getting an infection. One study even showed the individuals under stress were twice as more likely to catch a virus if they were under stress. Yet, as much as we'd like to avoid  it, we can't always keep are lives stress free. So what are we suppose to do? Basically, all the same old other silly wives tales our grandmas told us; Get lots of rest, drink your orange juice (the vitamin C will help your immune system), drinks lots of water, and eat balanced meals.

Expectations

As a teenager, one of the things that stresses me out most are the expectations that people have for me. My parents want me to be their perfect, AP, straight A student, while my friends want me to just be like them, carefree and fun-loving. All the while I'm just trying to find myself! Its one of the most stressful things I deal with on a duly basis. Whatever I do, I will end up disappointing someone, even if that someone is me! I try hard to be all these ideas, but they don't really mesh well. I just end up feeling like I'm getting stretched to fit all these different people, which I can never quite fit anyway. Unfortunately, I have yet to find any tips to deal with this problem yet, but I can say that balance has been working for me so far, at least part way. So, I have this theory that no one fits in a single box; you're not just a jock, or only a nerd, but you can have one foot in each box; you can be a nerdy jock. So, instead of just trying to be my parents perfect straight A student or my friends carefree teenager, I take my favorite aspects of each, and make it my own. Heres what I mean: While sometimes its nice to just go with the flow and enjoy time with friends, I defiantly not the type of person that can be completely carefree. I tend to over think the future if anything. And likewise, as much as I want to get good grades and be a good student, there's other things out there that are also important to me. So, I try to find the balance between the two, an aspiring to be a good student, who gets decent grades, but also enjoy the carefree time that I have now. No extremes for me!  I take the more "middle of the road" approach.

Hello? Its for you

As a teenager, I'm attached to my phone; I don't think there's a place I don't bring it! But, this got me thinking, how does being so connected to my phone affect me? Well after doing some research, I found some upsetting new, being heavily connected to your phone can actually increase your stress level! After several studies, researchers found that people who used technology frequently lacked sleep and were often displayed more symptoms of depression. ( You can read more about it here.)This news was startling to me, but after thinking about it, it made A LOT of sense. I charge my phone next to my bed, so its constantly there to distract, whether thats from notifications, calls/texts, or just an excuse to distract myself. No matter what it's there, disturbing my sleep. Likewise, one of the main things I use my phone for is social networking, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, and everything else. And while these sites can be great for catching up with friends, they can also be dangerous; they are often places of online bullying and  reminders of what were not, with all their displays of the "perfect" person. So, with  me always seeking ways to limit stress, that in mind, I've decided to limit my phone use by turning it OFF at night and to only check of social media to once every hour. Wish me luck!
P.S. I forgot to post it in my last post, but yes, I was able to stick with my goal :D… And I've kept it up!

VAY-K

Right now I'm on a beautiful (surprise) vacation in Hawaii, and other than enjoying my  time in the sun (and later the burn :( ) I got to thinking about stress and vacations. I don't know if its just me, but after a good vacation I always come back feeling recharged and de-stressed. I find that having time in a new place and on a new schedule gives me a change to really step back from everything going on at home and allow me to truly relax. Likewise, the extra time with family and friends, while it can get frustrating, always puts me in a good mood.  Also, I've noticed that it'd not just the bigs things, like having a change of scenery and a whole week with family, but the little things too; allowing yourself to get dessert, having extra time to get ready, the chance to wear your summer clothes, getting to eat out, buying souvenirs, etc. Something about these little things always lift my mood, and help me transition from "rush mode" to "relaxation mode". So, thats about it, just thought I'd share my little input about vacations. If anyone has anything they wanna share PLEASE feel free to add!

YUM! Dessert pleaseee

  

The End of Spring Break :(

I'm sure the right now many of you are on spring break (like me) and hopefully have had a very stress-free week. I know I've been able to try out many relaxation techniques this week(including last weeks "winging it" and "acting like a kid"!). I've even been able to do some yoga and running in my spare time, bonus!  But with spring break coming to an end, I'm no longer going to have plan-free days to relax and leisurely spend my time :( , instead i'll be back in the swing of balancing work, school, friends, and whatever else comes my way. But i'm going to change it up and make a goal for myself in this coming week. I plan to do at least two relaxing things in this next week. I know its not the biggest goal, but I think that even something as little as this is really going to help keep me calm throughout the coming week. (I know that by Tuesday I'll already be looking forward for any kind of free time!)  So, I thought I'd share it with you to see if A, I can keep the goal (maybe posting it will make sure I commit to it- fingers crossed!) and B, that maybe some of you will also try it achieve this goal or a similar one. Well I hope that everyone has had a good break, or will be having a great one soon!

Stress and Relaxation

So I know I've stressed (how pun-ny!) how important relaxing can be in dealing with stress, but this week I came across some great tips and I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to share them. Like I said, while searching for a topic this week I came across a great website with tips on how to relax at home. Not only did I think the tips were great, but they weren't the same "everyday" ones that you hear- some are even a little quirky! Overall there's fourteen tips ( check them out :) ) but, like last week, I thought I'd just recap my favorites.
#1- "Wing It"
Every once in a while its nice to have a day not filled with stuff to do, so they recommend you plan one. I know I personally love days like this, nothing's better than getting a day to ourself to do what you want, but at least by planning it you have something relaxing to look forward to and you won't have to stress about making things up if you've planned ahead.
#2- Rub Down
While this one wasn't my favorite (i'm not a big massage person) I liked their tip on how to do it: two tennis balls in a sock. Very clever.
#3- Act like a Kid
I LOVED this one. I never even thought about it before, but something about doing things you loved from childhood can really brighten a day. The website mentions gardening, but for me this was swimming. Something about being in a pool brings me back, and the extra bonus of being in the sun and exercising makes it even better! Likewise, on those winter and fall days, when the weathers not quite right for swimming I love to do "crafts". When I was little I loved to do anything crafty, sewing, baking, coloring, redesigning my room, building models, doing makeup, etc. So whenever I have the chance I always dive into these activities to brighten my mood.
#4-Blasting Music
Simple yet effective, blasting some favorite "happy" songs.
#5-Random Acts of Kindness
They suggest giving your coupons to someone else in line, but I think giving back in anyway lifts the spirit. I know that especially right now there are tons of great random acts of kindness on the web that would work great, so you can always google those, but my go to's are always donating old clothes ( plus I love spending the extra time cleaning my closet), pick up trash, or pay for the person behind you at Starbucks.

Okay, so at this point, I released that so far I'm I can limit my list down from twelve (yeah their list is that good) so I'll just leave you with these ones and you should check out the site yourself! You won't regret it!

Stress is Universal

This week, while going through the web I came across an interesting piece from Health Magazine. The piece explains how different countries deal with stress. I just thought that some of the ideas were so interesting that I'd share them here. One of the interesting tips I came across was the Russian practice of going to a banta (a hot sauna). While most of us don't have ready access to a sauna, we do have access to a hot shower, and I think that hot showers are some of the most relaxing things. In both Argentina and Sweden people use a more social approach to deal with stress; in Sweden people often take coffee breaks with friends and in Argentina its common to partake in the sharing of mate, an herbal drink. Both of these practices are great because the sharing of food with friends release oxytocin into the body.  In India, many practice laughing often- the surge of endorphins can help raise anyones mood. So I suggest calling up a funny friend or watching a great comedy every . In Ireland people often go for a walk- the brisk activity will produce endorphins, lower anxiety and the sunlights will help boost your mood. And in China, many practice zu  yu, placing feet in hot water for  about 15 minutes. This is easily replicable and well help improve circulation. So those were my favorites, but theres lots more, so click the link above!

Helpful Sites/Posts!

Or in this case, their blogs!

So this week, I thought it would be fun to share some other great stress blogs or posts that I have come across. I hope you like them and/or they help you out!
Lots of Different Choices Here
Stress and Daily Goals
Ways to de-stress, in 45 seconds!
Stress Relief
Student Stress (with tips)

For those extra long study nights!

As a student, one of the things that stresses me out the most is school. Now, I know that in the past I have given some tips on how to battle school stress by managing your time and not procrastinating, etc. But sometimes we can't help but put off certain tasks, although it only creates more stress for us. While its best to limit this as often as possible, I thought I'd share some tips that may make these situations a little less stressful. One, create a peaceful work environment. This is probably the most important because not only can it relax you if its comfortable, but if it is free of distractions, you'll have more focus on the task at hand-that means no multitasking with the TV:) …but if music helps you thats more than okay-I know I can't focus without it! Two, try having a healthy snack before that will keep you focused and keep you from getting cranky by stabilizing your blood sugar. Three, give yourself rewards as you complete chunks of the work. For example, give yourself a 5 minute brake or grab a treat- some ice cream after doing something always makes me feel better. Four, focus on one tasks at a time. If you try to juggle a bunch of different things at once you'll only stress yourself out more. I'd suggest breaking up everything into smaller tasks and just completing one task at a time, or, if you need more variety, allow yourself a certain amount of time on each item. Five, when you feel tired go to bed! Don't try and push yourself too much. You'll only be more stressed, and being tired and not focused will only make your work suffer. Just wake up earlier and come back to it. So thats that, hope it helps!

Perfection- Friend or Foe?

I think that one of the hardest things is about growing up is what we think were suppose to be. Forever, I always had this picture in my head of what I needed to be, and it caused me so much stress. I always felt like I needed to get good grades, look good, look the right ways, hang out with the right kind of people, listen to the right kind of music, and I always putting so much pressure on myself to be that right person. What I never thought though was that this was causing me more stress, I just thought I was making myself the best self I good be- I meant that doesn't sound like a bad thing right? But for me it was. I put wayyy too much pressure on my self and it ended up causing me to become really stressed and even depressed for a little while. But it wasn't until my depression got bad enough that I needed to get help for it that I realized what I was doing to my self.  The idea of achieve perfection was literally doing the opposite- it was making unhappy and unhealthy. While I use to think I was one of the few that felt this way, I have found that a lot of my friends  have felt that way, and even went through a similar stage in their life. And I have to say that was one of the most helpful thing in dealing with my perfectionism. So thats why I wrote this, is so if someone else out there is stressed out because they feel thus way, maybe it will them like it helped me to know that theres someone else out there who went through this. Also, if you want more information i've attached some links below that I think have some helpful information on how to help fight perfectionism

• Heres a good one:
• This ones good too:

Big Time Stress

Thats a back handspring for those that don't know ^ :)

Sometimes its not multiple things, but one big event that can make your stress level rise.  For me, this type of stress came when I had to learn my back handspring. While it seemed like relatively simple thing, I was so  terrified to do it and trying to do it caused me so much stress. I was ALWAYS thinking about it; what could go wrong, what if i wasn't doing it right, etc. It was sooo frustrating! It even got to the point where I wouldn't even attempt to do it because I was just so stressed and nervous about it that I would just freeze mid way through. But with cheer tryouts approaching I knew I needed to figure something out. I tried everything, muscle conditioning, doing basic drills, using extra matts for protections, everything, but something was still preventing me from doing it. It wasn't until I finally thought about changing my attitude that I was able to achieve my back handspring. At first, I just tried channeling all my energy to motivating myself; I stopped saying that I couldn't do it and exchanged my all negative thoughts for positive ones. I also tried not to focus on it, or how scary it was, all the time. Instead,I just keep it off my mind with distractions, and when I did think about it I tried to remain neutral, not scared, not upset, just neutral (which is harder than it sounds, it defiantly takes a little practice- the trick is to just breathe when you start thinking about it). The last thing I would do was visualize my self doing it. And, eventually, it paid off. I got my back handspring. So thats why I shared this story, sometimes if something is stressing you out, the best way to deal with it is not nit picking the thing to death, but fixing your stress instead. 

Foods that Fight Stress

I'm writing this blog as part of my last food and stress post. Last time I talked in general terms about how eating right can help you combat stress, but this time I thought I'd share some specific examples, make it easier and limit some stress :) So heres my list of the best stress fighting food- I got much of the informations from here! 1. Oatmeal. Besides just being yummy oatmeal can increase serotonin levels, and help you relax. Add that with some vitamin c enriched strawberries and you'll feel better and have a super scrumptious meal. 2. Off my last note, fruit is great at fighting stress-the vitamin C is helps improve your immune system. (My personal favorites are oranges and pineapple. Yum!) 3. Avocados. Wipe up some fresh guacamole and add some chips and veggies, and you'll have a appetizing snack that will also give you some healthy fat and potassium, and lower blood pressure. 4. Fish. We all know fish is a healthily choice, but did you know that the omega three in fish can actually prevent stress hormones? 5. Tea. Not only is drinking a hot up of tea relaxing but in a study people who drank tea four times were able to better recover from stressful situations. So thats my list, enjoy!

Stress Check: The App

Now I know I've done an entry like this before, with the Take a Chill app, but whenever I come across an new app that interest me, I always think its fun to explore them. So, this week, I checked out the app Stress Check, which does exactly as the name says. By monitoring your heart rate it estimate your stress level. The super cool part though, is that the app uses your phone camera to measure this! You just put your finger on your camera and it measures your heart rate! So cool! And, while its detecting your heart rate it even shares helpful stress facts. Bonus! Finally, after about two minutes, it uses your heart rate to calculate your stress level. You can then save this information and use the app to track your progress over time (if you use the app frequently). Overall, I thought that the app was very easy, provided a great resource for managing stress, and, best of all, it was FREE! So give it a try, you have nothing to lose!

Yoga Relief

I had always been curious about yoga, so last week I figured I'd try it out. Start off my resolution right, you know? Anyways, my friend and ventured out last week to one of the yoga classes at our gym. Both of us had never done yoga before so we had no idea what to expect. When we got there though, we were a little skeptical- all the breathing and namaste-ing was kinda strange and even a little funny. But, as the class continued, we grew more use to it, and we actually started to enjoy it. It was very peaceful, and while it could sometimes be challenging, you felt accomplished afterwards- not to mention your body feels great too. Best of all though, it totally clears your mind, which was a great way to relief some stress.Overall, I loved the experience and would recommend it to anyone. So, if you're looking for something to relieve your stress, or just wanna try something different or relaxing, I'd give it a try. Namaste everyone :)

Back from Break

Hi everyone! I hope you've all had a great holiday season and a happy new years- maybe you even made a stress-free related resolution! I apologize for not having posted in a while, I busy enjoying time with my family:) But, now that I'm back at school, and everything else, I'm more aware than ever about how hard it van be to transition back into a stressful environment like school and work . So, with that said, I thought it would be a good idea to start of the new year by sharing my tips for easing back into work or school, or any like enviroment. First off, after the transition from a relaxing break to work,  I find the most helpful thing is to set aside time after work, or school, to just spend at least 20 minutes or longer de-stressing. Since it's so hard to transition from one extreme to another, I find that this time helps me to balance out the first few days back, until i'm able to get back into the swings of things. Second, with the new work load I like to prioritize each task; I compare the each of the task's work level with its urgency, and then I try to compile a list from most important to less off (based of those two factors). Then I just slowly work my way down the list. Finally, I like to treat myself during the day. Whether it be a yummy snack or a new pen set of pens, I find that having a little something gives me something to look forward to and brightens up when I enjoy whatever it is. So those are my top three! If any of you have any you like that I have forgotten feel free to share!