My Fleeting, Volatile Stress

This summer, I have been reviewing academics, practicing tennis (and getting frustrated easily with my mishit shots), indulging in novels which I have to finish reading by

September, and–plain out–more studying. I am a sliver from three weeks into summer vacation, and I’m already stressed.

I have always been one to stress. I’m not surprised. My friends say I need to chill. My advisor says I need to relax. My parents say I need to be a little more self-confident. And another kid in my grade said I had OCD. I mean the first three made sense and I understand that I really need to calm down and meander through life a little bit more mindfully, but the OCD theory doesn’t strike me as a mutual characteristic.

I’ve been working out solutions to easing my stress…at least a little bit. Easing stress welcomes a light and fleeting sensation within. It allows my mind to think about life beyond grades, sports, and academics. And although I am one who is frequently (actually, ALMOST ALWAYS stressed about something) I believe that detaching yourself from reality and simply relaxing once in awhile, may give you more benefits than if you housed your stress for too long. How do you ease your stress? Any tips? Anyhow, I’m going to share a list of things I’ve done in the past and thing I do now.

1. Running. It’s painful when the legs are pumping with the arms and my lungs feel like
   
   they will explode. My throat feels parched and my stomach feels fluttery. But this is what motivates me to finish the course.
2. Meditating
3. Yoga
4. Reading??? I put question marks next to reading because in cases of extreme stress and anxiety, I cannot fully engage in the material on the page. I always end up feeling like there’s something to do before I read.
5. Pacing. I know, right? Sounds weird and totally like a waste of time, but walking around helps me re-organize my thoughts and feel less stressed. This tactic is frequently used among people who give presentations.
6. Make a checklist in the morning. Placing that check mark next to each task for the
   
   day encourages a smile and a feeling of satisfaction.
7. Keep the lights off. Mindful Lunch facilitator, Ms. Stefanie, taught me this very special trick. On a daily basis, I attempt to keep the lights off in the house. Most of the light I need, I derive from natural light. It calms me down. It soothes.

Departing question: What do you do to relieve stress?