I am someone who never learned how to handle stress, until just recently. One thing I now know is that parents have a lot to do with how you handle stress. My parents are not the best in stress management, so they never gave the me the right tools to deal with stressful situations.
Things I have learned are:
1. Meditate in the mornings even if it’s just for ten minutes
2. If you feel yourself getting upset, leave the situation and take a breather
3. Exercise, it does more than just the body good
4. Don’t hang with drama-filled people
5. Learn to let go
6. Live in the present
7. Make peace with the past
8. Smile especially when upset
9. Vent in a journal
10. Realize how lucky you are
What are some things that you do to release stress?
I remember when my then 18-year old sister told us that she was pregnant. My younger sister and I were shocked and excited to see our first niece or nephew and the future to behold him/her. When Kamryn came into our lives, we couldn’t get enough of him. He was this pudgy, calm baby who would look at us with his huge, brown eyes.
My older sister wasn’t ready to be a mother, so my 11-year old sister and my 14-year old self practically raised him. We would feed him, take him wherever we went, and spoil him rotten. It was at this moment that I knew that I was destined to be a mother because I already felt like one at this point.
Now, Kamryn is 16, and he is such an amazing young man. He still has this innocence about him that I hope he never loses. One thing that I know that my sister and I instilled in him was his love for music. We tried to get my older sister to put him in music classes, but she never did. However, it didn’t stop him. I love when he calls me “Mommy,” and I hope that he does til the day that I die.
It took me three hours to get to his music concert yesterday, but when I saw him, I knew it was worth it. He was so happy that the kids and I were there, and I couldn’t tear up watching this young man who now overtowers me. I hope that he continues on this wonderful path, and never lets life or anyone get him down.