Stress!

Yes, folks. Stress! We all feel it, and we all have our own ways of dealing with it. So today, for your reading pleasure, I am going to share with you some of my favorite ways to cope with stress.

First of all, stress isn't necessarily a bad thing. "Stress is the body's reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response" So basically, stress is our reaction to a situation around us that requires a response. It's our bodies way of saying, "Hey, get up and do something about this!" Sure, it typically has a negative connotation, but really feeling stressed can be a good thing! "I am stressed out about this test!" Well... study! Go to the library! Make flash cards! This stress may force you to study which will get you that A you want. See what I mean?

Now I personally am feeling stress because the MA State Convention is coming up in March, and we have tons of work to do. In addition to that my semester ends mid-March, the week before convention to be exact. Being a short semester, it's going to be rough trying to stay on top of everything that's being thrown at us so quickly. And to add one more thing to my list, I'm trying to earn all A's this semester. Not an easy task in general, but when I have all of my FFA responsiblities to focus on as well... well let's just say I'm feeling STRESS!

So how am I dealing with all of this? I'm glad you asked!

1) I study! As simple as that sounds, I am actually working really hard to study at least a little bit every day. I have found a great way to help me focus on this is to set rewards for myself. For example, a guilty pleasure of mine is watching Tyra Banks. So yesterday, I told myself if I studied from the time I got out of class, I could stop to watch the show, relax, and eat dinner with my friends.
2) I go to the gym! I actually have some sort of chemical thing going on in my brain where when I get stressed out, my brain tells my body to create WAY too much adrenaline. Don't ask me what it's called, because I could barely follow my doctor when she explained it. But basically, if I don't work off all that extra adrenaline, that's when my stress turns into anxiety and that's no good. So I go to the gym. I run around the track, or use one of those fancy bike machines, or really anything to work up a sweat and get my blood pumping. It channels all that energy into something productive and beneficial, and when I'm done I always feel like I am more focused on whatever task is at hand.
3) I make lists! I have calendars and planners every where. I write lists on scrap paper for the most mundane tasks. But it's helps me so much to plan every minute of every day. Okay, maybe I throw in a little spontenatity here and there because it's fun... but for the most part I find it beneficial to write down what I need to complete each day, and schedule my time so I can work on it all. Once again, it keeps my focused which is very important when it comes to dealing with stress.
4) I sleep! I try for at least 8 hours every night. Yeah, that doesn't always happen. But man oh man, I need my beauty rest or else I'm a big ol' grump that doesn't want to deal with anyone or anything! If I'm well rested, I can pay attention more to what I need to get done, and I will do a better job because I'll have enough energy to give it 100%.
5) I eat healthy! Well... I try to at least. I'm a college kid, what can I say? But for the most part, I try to take in a lot of protein, a lot of water, a lot of fruit, and a lot of carbohydrates. The healthier I am, the better. More time and more energy, and to be honest I just feel better and happier.
6) I spend time with loved ones! Having encouraging people around you helps so much. A simple "Hang in there, you can do it," can give me that boost of energy to do anything! When other people believe in you, it helps you feel confident about what you're doing. A support system is great to have when things get tough.
7) I remind myself I am blessed! Last but not least, and this may sound silly, but every single day before I go to bed I remind myself why I'm blessed. I ask myself "Why was today AWESOME?!" and it puts things in perspective. Am I busy? Yes. Is it hard? Yes. Could it be worse? YES! God has given me so many amazing things in my life, and I will not take them for granted. I will work hard, because I know my life is ultimately great, and the more I put into it, the more I will get out of it. So if something is rubbing me the wrong way and I start to feel like it's going to affect everything I need to get done, I stop and say, "Is this really worth getting bent out of shape?" and usually the answer is no.

I hope this helps anyone reading. I know we all have things on our plate that don't always seam easy to handle, but try some of these things or come up with your own ways of dealing with stress. Whatever you do, DON'T GIVE UP!

I'd like to leave you with a quote I think of when I start to get stressed out over something.
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It. Goes. On." ~ Robert Frost.

Til next we meet,
Respectfully,
me