6 Ways to Relieve Stress

Now more than ever during the Pandemic, each of us feels more stressful because of the social unrest, the political conflicts, government corruption, social injustice, lose of jobs, no health coverage, worry about getting sick of COVID-19 and on and on. Life can be very stressful and quite depressing during this tough time.

Just know that if you feel stress and anxious, you are not alone, there are other people who might feel the same as you or they might be in a much worse situation than yours.

So be grateful that you are not sick and still survive. Hopefully sooner rather than later, this COVID-19 pandemic will be over, when there are affective vaccines to prevent the infection.

Here are a few steps to help you relieve stress:

1. Exercise can help you relieve your stress. When you are doing exercise you are not thinking much, you will be occupied by what you are doing. It gives you a window of time that you are not thinking about something that can cause you stress in the first place. You will be paying attention to your body, how it reacts to activities/exercises. Pay attention to the heartbeats, sensation on your sweat skin, your breathing, and your feeling. Your mind will be off from the thoughts that cause you stress in the first place.
2. Go for a walk at a park or at a quiet trail where there are nature around you such are trees, birds, creak ect. Observe what you are seeing in front of you. Feel the air that is touching your body parts. Listen to the sound of nature. If you pay attention you will hear the sound of quietness. While you are doing those things, you will not be thinking, therefore no stress. You will feel good.
3. Write down journal/diary entry. I do this almost everyday to reflect on what happened during the day. it gives me perspective and help me see clearer what happened and able to analyze it if I want to. If you observe closely you will learn something new about yourself. Maybe that something is the cause of your stress. You might have new perspective or have new insight that will help eliminate your stressful thoughts.
4. Watch or read something funny. Go to YouTube and search for Groucho Max. He is a funny guy. You will get a laugh. Or read some funny stories. Naturally stress will be released when you laugh. You will feel good.
5. Be playful. Don’t take thing too seriously. Be more lighthearted. Your mood will change when you become less serious.
6. Do yoga. Yoya can actually help you release stress for sure. You will be paying attention to your body when you are doing posts and you won’t be thinking, hopefully. My experience doing Yoga was that, my mind was completely blank and empty. The only thing on my mind was awareness of body tensions, balancing, stretching felling, etc. At the end you lie on your back with your hands to your side and the eyes close, listening to a slow relaxing music, you can be absolutely free psychologically at that moment. There are no thoughts therefore no stress.

Take care of your mental state, use caution, keep distance, wear mask, wash hands, avoid crowd, eat healthy, and you will be OK. This tough time will past and those who are lucky to be alive after the pandemic should be grateful for that. Literally you have been given a second life that some people do not have a chance.

Take are, be safe!