Creative Ways to Destress

 It's not stress that kills us, it's our reaction to it--Hans Selye

Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it. Hans Selye
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/hans_selye_381380?src=t_stress

Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it. Hans Selye
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/hans_selye_381380?src=t_stress

Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it. Hans Selye
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/hans_selye_381380?src=t_stress

These days it seems like pretty much everyone is stressed out! I've been feeling it myself lately, to the extent that it is starting to negatively affect my health. So I've been thinking of different ways to alleviate the stress and help get back to proper health.

I'm sure many of you have tried the popular suggestions, such as, meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises, which are good ways to reduce stress for some people. However, not everything works the same for everyone!

I've compiled a list of other creative ways to help us feel more relaxed and less stressed:

Craft! Making things with your hands, whether it be things like quilling, crocheting, or carving, there are many crafts to choose from!

Be Artsy Draw, paint , sculpt, photography, like crafting, there are many ways to enjoy the arts!

Get Your Hands Dirty! grow a garden, or find other ways to play in the dirt!

Spend time with animals whether playing with your pet(s), volunteering at an animal shelter, or going to the zoo, spending time with animals often has a soothing and feel good effect on people!

Embrace Your Inner Child! hop, skip and jump down the sidewalk or a path in the woods, play with your kids, if you have any, or with nieces and nephews or kids you know!

Take a Walk or ride a bike preferably in the woods or other natural spot

Take a Nap, or lie down and rest sometimes we just need a little more sleep!

Sit in the Sun! or under a natural lamp if there isn't any sun, soaking up those rays helps relieve stress and helps you feel better!

Read a book! Grab a cup of warm or iced tea or hot cocoa and escape to another world, or into someone else's story for awhile

Watch a movie or show same idea as a book, they provide a temporary escape from our everyday lives

Listen to Music! whether it be more relaxing, slower music, or rock, music is a proven way to help you feel better!

Make your own Music! whether playing a musical instrument or singing, there's just something about music that lifts your mood!

Pray talking with God in a quiet place helps us refocus on more important matters

"Be Still and Know that I AM (is) God" (Psalm 46:10) equally important is listening for God's will for your life, and knowing that, whatever happens, God is in control and has good things planned for us! (Jeremiah 29:11)

Hang Out with Family and Friends talking, laughing, doing fun things and sharing each others' burdens helps to reduce stress and make us feel better!

Play Games! Cards, puzzles, board games, video games...there are lots to choose from!

Journal, or write a story/blog many people find that writing, no matter its form, helps them relieve stress. Sometimes it's good to get it all out on paper!

Practice an Attitude of Gratitude! when we focus more on all the good in our lives instead of the bad, it helps us gain perspective and feel more thankful and less stressful!

Get a Foot Rub/Massage soothing physical touch also helps reduce stress

Travel! sometimes just getting away, whether it be down the road, out of the state, or out of the country, removing yourself from a stressful situation for a while helps you destress

Clean  some people find cleaning cathartic as well!

And last but not least, Get Enough Sleep! easier said than done sometimes, I know! But getting at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep a night definitely helps us feel better and more able to deal with stress!

Destressing is a process, and sometimes we have to try several things before we find ones that help us feel more relaxed, but in order to properly heal and feel better, it is worth the effort to discover which methods work best for you!

What creative ways have you explored to help relieve your stress?