El Mustachio
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2010
- Location
- Eastern Washington, USA
As different as we all are, one thing we all share here is the fact that stress sucks. Whether it's from customers, bosses, employees, co-workers, family business, too much work, not enough work, we all wear it. As much as we'd like to say we can leave work at work, "easier said than done" is an understatement to say the least.
I've been off the forum for awhile, due to stress of all things. Won't bore you with details but will say that it's deeply affected my health. I've seen it slowly building up year after year and just tried to soldier on. Well, this last year was different, I decided I'd had enough of going it alone and enlisted some help. My wife and family have really stepped up and helped me try some things, some worked and some didn't. Although I can't say I'm stress free, I'm feeling well enough to say I'm enjoying life. I know many of you are in the same boat. I think it'd be great to get a thread going sharing what's helped others.
In my case:
1) Sleep. Can't really will myself to sleep, but I can shut off the tv, phone, ipade, etc. Melatonin can help sometimes. If sleep is really bad, diagnosed with PTSD in my case, I do go ahead an let a dr. give me an RX. Don't like pills myself, but found a sleep aid that doesn't leave me zombied in the morning or hooked on pills.
2) Veggies. I've got nothing against a good steak, but apparently my system hates me less when I'm eating vegetarian, or mostly vegetarian.
3) Martial Arts. This one has been a bit tough to stay on the wagon with. Rural areas aren't hotbeds of dojo's. I've been in a kung fu group on and off for almost two years now. So far it's all been taiji (yang style). After the first week I knew it was helping. Biggest thing has been re-teaching myself to "breathe". In my case it's helped me slow down a bit, don't speed walk through the shop anymore, more mindful of how calm or stressed I am, better balance, better sleep. Looking forward to testing into the more "external" forms of kung fu soon. This was probably the hardest on my family. They really need me at home. I had to quit once or twice. Finally we settled on going together. It's more money but it's been great to be there together. Especially love to see my 13yr old daughter picking up self defense.
4) Rage it out. Sometimes you just have to sweat it out, shoot it out, blow it up, etc. Winter is a good excuse to split wood. When I'm pissed and prone to stick my foot in my mouth sideways, chopping wood has an almost magical ability to take the a$$hole out of me. Can't wait to get into sparring, daddy needs to express some rage.
5) Get air, real fresh air. It's hard to find time, but I've found if I can get outside for at least an hour, my perspective starts to change. My schedule is extremely tight, finding time is hard, but it's an almost 100% guarantee help. I've never taken a long walk and regretted it.
6) Talk to someone. I was actually directed by a counselor once to schedule time every week to get on this forum and talk shop with people who could relate. My family loves me but doesn't know and end wrench from an endoscope. This forum has been a help.
Stress sucks the life right out of you. If you've found how to manage yours, lets hear it. Thanks.
I've been off the forum for awhile, due to stress of all things. Won't bore you with details but will say that it's deeply affected my health. I've seen it slowly building up year after year and just tried to soldier on. Well, this last year was different, I decided I'd had enough of going it alone and enlisted some help. My wife and family have really stepped up and helped me try some things, some worked and some didn't. Although I can't say I'm stress free, I'm feeling well enough to say I'm enjoying life. I know many of you are in the same boat. I think it'd be great to get a thread going sharing what's helped others.
In my case:
1) Sleep. Can't really will myself to sleep, but I can shut off the tv, phone, ipade, etc. Melatonin can help sometimes. If sleep is really bad, diagnosed with PTSD in my case, I do go ahead an let a dr. give me an RX. Don't like pills myself, but found a sleep aid that doesn't leave me zombied in the morning or hooked on pills.
2) Veggies. I've got nothing against a good steak, but apparently my system hates me less when I'm eating vegetarian, or mostly vegetarian.
3) Martial Arts. This one has been a bit tough to stay on the wagon with. Rural areas aren't hotbeds of dojo's. I've been in a kung fu group on and off for almost two years now. So far it's all been taiji (yang style). After the first week I knew it was helping. Biggest thing has been re-teaching myself to "breathe". In my case it's helped me slow down a bit, don't speed walk through the shop anymore, more mindful of how calm or stressed I am, better balance, better sleep. Looking forward to testing into the more "external" forms of kung fu soon. This was probably the hardest on my family. They really need me at home. I had to quit once or twice. Finally we settled on going together. It's more money but it's been great to be there together. Especially love to see my 13yr old daughter picking up self defense.
4) Rage it out. Sometimes you just have to sweat it out, shoot it out, blow it up, etc. Winter is a good excuse to split wood. When I'm pissed and prone to stick my foot in my mouth sideways, chopping wood has an almost magical ability to take the a$$hole out of me. Can't wait to get into sparring, daddy needs to express some rage.
5) Get air, real fresh air. It's hard to find time, but I've found if I can get outside for at least an hour, my perspective starts to change. My schedule is extremely tight, finding time is hard, but it's an almost 100% guarantee help. I've never taken a long walk and regretted it.
6) Talk to someone. I was actually directed by a counselor once to schedule time every week to get on this forum and talk shop with people who could relate. My family loves me but doesn't know and end wrench from an endoscope. This forum has been a help.
Stress sucks the life right out of you. If you've found how to manage yours, lets hear it. Thanks.