Stress. These are just six letters that can mean the difference between two eight-letter words - survival and insanity. What a fine line the 6.6 billion people of this world walks on! But as we still see human beings ruling the planet we call Earth, we can safely surmise that humans have the most developed sense of coping with stress. Us and crocodiles, maybe. But that is another story.
One of the better ways to cope with stress is to burn it off and be gone with it. Before you get ideas about getting out your cigarette case, selecting a fine roll of cigarette, lighting it most suavely, and drawing upon it with deep breaths, this is not it. Smoking is but a temporary relief from the symptoms of stress and can do more harm than good to both your emotional and physical health. And what good does that do except feed on your stress?
Rather, you can burn off in other ways. Here is how.
#1 Burn Off Calories
You can exercise to burn off both calories and stress. Scientific studies have shown the beneficial effects of even moderate exercise on physical health, which can help in developing a well-balanced mental health.
When you exercise regularly, you produce less stress hormones and more happy hormones. Thus, you will feel less depressed, less anxious and less restless, all of which you will appreciate in stress management. And you will have a more fit and fabulous body, to boot!
#2 Burn Incense and Candles
And while you are at it, meditate! You need not meditate on spiritual things if you are so inclined. The important thing about meditation is its positive effects on stress reduction specifically in attaining an enhanced state of relaxation and concentration.
And the fact that meditation allows for control on blood pressure and heart rate is a welcome bonus. You will come out of meditation feeling more relaxed in both mind and body. Soon enough, you an meditate even without the scented incense and candles to set the mood, maybe even do a walking meditation like the Buddhist monks.
#3 Burn Your Thoughts
Not put your head on fire literally with those Zippo lighters of yours! Gee, that would be a very horrible sight indeed. Rather, you can write down all your negative thoughts on paper and burn them literally.
This can be a symbolic sort of goodbye much like how you burned all the personal mementos, even the littlest of personalized cufflinks, of that jerk whom you call your ex. Very cleansing, don’t you think?
So, the next time you feel like dragging on a smoke and burning your lungs to chase away the stress, why not opt for burning other things like calories, candles and crap?
Posted under Self Help
This post was written by conversation on November 20, 2008
