Dealing with Stress

November 3, 2015 By Sierra Schneggenburger

Dealing With Stress

I can’t take this! I have so much I have to do! I have to go pick up my brother, go to work after school, and do all this homework! I’m going to collapse, die! I can’t take this anymore! What was that? Stress. Yeah, that thing that most teenagers and everyday adults nowadays have to face like it’s a bull heading straight towards you and you decided to wear all red today to impress your crush. What a mistake that was. And just like you dressing up to impress your crush, you are taking on a whole bunch of day to day things from extracurricular activities, being a chauffeur for your friends or family, handling loads of homework, and let's not forget work. And so now what you are doing is trying to find that exit real fast or an escape goat so you don’t get crushed to death by sharp horns and a one thousand eight-hundred pound bull.

Here’s the problem though, you don’t even know what to do to get out of the way at the moment, to escape all that stress. Well, here are three things that you can do to help yourself.

Stop Doing So Much!

Whether you’re taking your sisters to work or being a personal taxi driver for that friend that you don’t even like, adding on as many extracurriculars as you can, or doing way more in class than you actually have to, overachiever I’m looking at you, there are just way too many things that you are doing for others and not yourself. If these things are stressing you out, they’re not helping you at all. And here’s the beauty of it all, you can stop these.

You don’t need that extra club on your resume, you don’t have to do tons of favors for other people, or put on a pile of work for yourself. Cut off what you don’t need so that you can live a less stressful life, cope with what you can, don’t go over your limits.

You will just regret it and end up glaring at other people and the world, saying, and I quote: “I’m going to die.” Is that healthy? I don’t think so.

So drop off what you don’t need, and cope with what you can.

Relax, Relax, Relax

Take one day off of work to just chill on the couch, get a vacation when you need to, maybe just watch tons of shows on Netflix, laugh and smile with your friends, listen to music so you can unwind and forget about the world for a little while. Watch that tear jerking movie with your family or crush, play a video game, read a book, take some time to unwind and let all that stress go in your life because sitting and worrying about it is like sitting in front of a bird waiting for it to chirp. It’s going to happen when it happens, don’t think so much about it

We all need a little time to treat ourselves in this life otherwise, we end up breaking down, miserable and unable to calm down and feel better.

We all need a little sunshine, treats, and me time. Treat yourself every once in awhile. You deserve it.

Tell Someone

If you have a load of baggage and things you want to dump out so that you get it all off your chest, tell someone; a friend, family member, someone that you can trust or you know won't tell anyone. We all have things that weigh on us so much that we feel like crying or just smashing a wall, maybe even becoming a supervillain.

So if you do have something you want to discuss, discuss it. Whatever it is, just say it. Tell someone so that you don’t have to have it all on you, and maybe someone can even tell you a way out, a plan against whatever is bothering you so much. It may help more than you might expect. At least give it a try.

Just stop and realize what you don't need, let the time pass you by a bit, and don't be afraid to let your worries out. Try some of these things, and they may help you lower down your stress levels. Allow yourself to let some of that negative energy go, and live a better life for you.