What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger

It’s a phrase I have heard over and over through the years and right now I think of it and I really want to stick my tongue out and give it raspberries.  It may be true that I will get stronger in life with all of these things going on right now, but it’s not always easy to see it.  That said with everything going on in life lately I am really looking at what I do to help with stress levels.  It’s something I do on occasion to help keep my sanity anyway and right now things have been tough.  Let’s just say I live in a crowded house, help as a caretaker for someone, and have a tendency to hold on to stress as it is. 

• Pray– if you don’t pray maybe meditate there is a lot of stuff we cannot control in life and handing it over to God or your higher power/the universe helps to release that.  It reminds me too that things will be okay, maybe not what I want, but okay.
• Family– I have an awesome family that I know is praying for me daily and that I can call any time I might need it.  Even if I don’t call, knowing they are there is a huge comfort.  I am very blessed with my family.
• Exercise– big surprise here right?  The endorphins and feeling that sweat along with a sense of accomplishment helps.  Negative emotions have their own energy to them so expending energy only makes sense.
• Breathe/relaxation– I’m practicing deep breathing a few times a day, it’s good for you and helps lower blood pressure too.  For relaxation I am listening to my mellow songs play list whenever I can.
• Friends/laughter– I am reaching out to and hanging out with friends for support and to help me laugh.  They also give me perspective and feedback when I need it.  Again true friends are not always easy to find and important to hold on to.

I also am going to start doing a food diary; I hate doing them, but I know they work and I know that I stress eat in a big way.  I have also noticed my body composition changing and I have increased my fat vs lean muscle.  Part of it is due to interruptions on my workouts, but part is what I am eating and writing it down makes me accountable.

I want to have these things in place, these other habits because I don’t want to make the same mistakes in life that I have before.  In the past I ate and sat on my butt when I was stressed.  That is how I ended up being 250lbs, out of shape, and depressed.  Relapse prevention is not just for substance abuse it’s for any kind of negative habits that you want to change.  The more I have healthy habits established the less likely I am to do the negative, it’s about a lifestyle change not just a list of coping skills.  You have to implement the changes for them to work.

So when you have one of those days or weeks or months what do you do to help with stress?  What lifestyle changes do you need to make to stay healthy?