Stress! Ahhhh!

The last few months, I have been under a tremendous amount of stress. And now, recently, the stress seems to have come to a head, or rather, the manifestation of stress has come to a head...in the form of pimples, all over my face. (I'm 30 years old; why am I still breaking out? Shouldn't this have passed years ago?). Fortunately, I have a simple remedy to cure the little jerks; lemon juice and baking powder. It works quite well and is an inexpensive and quick fix.

I started thinking about the source of the stress. It has also shown up by way of poor sleep, a constant feeling of anxiousness, lack of concentration, and a general feeling of discomfort. Prior to the recent onset of the actual stress symptoms, life had been going quite well. However, when I get stressed, I return to some of the not-so-great habits I have developed over the years as unhealthy ways to cope with my stress.

Having identified the source of the stress (senioritis! job search! apartment search! life search!), I can effectively counter these symptoms. The general practice of meditation and leaving room in my life, each day, for some simple quiet time (quiet when I'm washing dishes, getting ready for work, etc...just briefs moments when I am not bombarded with noise), letting myself go to bed earlier and just let my mind slowly unravel in the comfort of my sheets...PLEASURE READING! And just in general, allowing myself the freedom and liberty to enjoy life.

When I go through these stressful periods in my life (as we all do) we tend to get hyperfocused on what NEEDS to be done, not thinking that taking care of ourselves in such simple ways is a necessity. Well, folks, in order to combat the negative effects of all this stress, taking bits of time to do the simplest mindfulness exercises is what will save us from poor sleep, lack of concentration, and, if you're like me, breakouts all over your face!

Being able to do these things, despite the stress all around, helps us remain in that balanced place. I like to envision a long line with a circle; the trick is to try to keep the circle in the middle, but that's not always the case. Sometimes it will slide to the left or the right (or up or down) and that's perfectly okay. But it is important to be mindful of the center and slowly coerce our balance circle back to the middle. That is where the simple exercises aforementioned come into play. They help to move us back to the middle in a slow and healthy manner.

I hope all is well; I appreciate my readers and I find it flattering when you do read my blog. Thank you!