I went to the chiropractor yesterday and he told me that he could “feel the stress” in my shoulders. And later, when one of the massage therapists was trying to get the knots out of my back, I could feel it too. Yikes. However, after walking out of that office I felt much better and a lot less tense. Like a fresh start for my old man back!
Seriously, I have the back of a 65 year old man. It’s embarrassing.
I also walked out of that office with the recommendation to engage in more activities that relieved stress and made me feel relaxed and at ease.
So I thought about what exactly those activities would be for me, and what I could actually fit into my busy schedule. I definitely think stress relief is different for everyone. When I really think about it, my life isn’t even that stressful. I’m just a full time student with a full time job and a pet fish. I don’t even have kids or a mortgage or anything super adult.
However, I still feel like I’m going to collapse from the weight of my responsibilities and obligations. College is no joke. Being a manager in retail is no joke. Beta fish are no…well actually they’re pretty low maitenance. But still.
So here a few things that I do to unwind and that I think are totally applicable to all young adults who live life with a considerable amount of stress:
1. HANG OUT WITH YOUR PARENTS
Or your grandma. Or your uncle. Or your family friends who are basically your family. Spending time with people who are close enough to be family, or who actually are, can be so therapeutic. Spending time with anyone who won’t judge you or set high expectations for you is awesome. I drive out of the city to Marin almost every weekend to have dinner with my parents and I love it. I just show up in my PJ’s, eat their food, nap on their couch and pretend I’m still in high school, without a care in the world. It’s the best. These people feed me, I mean they really FEED me. They are not joking around. Last night my dad made me a chilli tator tot casserole. Say whaaaaat? That’s insane. And for some reason even though I could literally feel myself gaining roughly ten pounds with every bite, it felt totally justified because hello, my dad made it for me! What am I going to do, say no? Obviously not. And the best part? My parents totally supported me napping afterwards instead of judging me for not wanting to go on a walk or something. I’m sorry, but eating a huge meal is exhausting. I have never been the type of person who feels motivated to go “walk it off” afterwards. I’m a nap it off kind of girl all the way. And my parents totally understand that. They get me. Which is why I feel so comfy when I’m at their house and totally stress free. Here’s a picture of my dad’s chilli tator tot casserole:
2. MAKE DINNER WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Okay, I promise not all of these activities will involve food (although they should). I just really think that getting together with your friends, cooking a tasty meal, and enjoying each other’s company is so relaxing. The meal can even be healthy. Probably not. There’s nothing better than getting to catch up for longer than the twenty minutes you have between classes, or in person as opposed to through Facebook. A few weeks ago my friends and I all made dinner together, while blasting Beyonce and reminiscing of the times when we actually had time to see each other every day. It was so nice just to spend a few hours not thinking about work or school and laughing with good friends. Also, none of my friends can really cook and so they are always wildly impressed with me even though in reality, I can’t really cook either. They literally think I’m Bobby Flay (just hopefully less waxy looking).
Here’s a picture of our twice baked potatoes, salmon, and sangria:
3. ACTUALLY GO OUTSIDE
I really don’t understand people who don’t enjoy being outside. Now, I totally get people who aren’t into hiking or camping. I mean kind of. I guess for some people it’s just too much time with nature. But I definitely do not get people who don’t enjoy even stepping outside for a few moments. Have they not heard of vitamin D? The sun is lovely. Flowers are lovely. Trees are lovely. Taking a walk through Golden Gate Park, or hiking to Lands End, or having a picnic at Ocean Beach are all such relaxing activities. And sure, living in San Francisco does not always present me with the best opportunities to enjoy the outdoors because of the weather, but that’s even more reason for me to enjoy it when it is nice out! One of my favorite things to do is to go to the farmer’s market on Sunday’s, buy some yummy fruit, and then take it with me to the park with a blanket and good book. Does anything sound better? It doesn’t get more San Francisco than that. Here’s a picture of me lounging in GG Park on a Sunday afternoon with my friends:
4. GO ON A DAY TRIP
Taking the day to experience a change of scenery is such an adventure, without the necessity of packing or excessive planning. Drive an hour or two on your day off to go to the beach or a town you’ve never been to. Go to a fair or try a new restaurant you heard was great. Sure, there are plenty of times when all I want to do on my day off is sleep. Sometimes it’s even necessary just so I can function for the rest of the week. But life can begin to feel so redundant and boring when all you do is go to school, work and sleep. Using your day off to go explore a new place or visit old friends can make you feel like you actually have a life. Instead of just being a mindless robot who doesn’t get to ever do anything fun. Personally, I love going to Santa Cruz for the day and going on the rides at the Boardwalk or driving to the Easy Bay to hang out with my boyfriend. It’s like you get a mini vacation for the day and you feel just as refreshed and ready for the week as you would have if you had stayed in bed all day. Here’ s a picture of when my boyfriend and I went to Half Moon Bay for the day:
5. EXERCISE
Okay, so I realize that I’m totally contradicting myself in this post. But just because I don’t enjoy going for a brisk walk after I eat my own weight in casserole doesn’t mean I don’t see the value and health benefits of making time to exercise. Personally, I get extremely intimidated going to the gym (I’m working on it) but I really enjoy going to yoga. I go to Yoga To the People, which are free yoga classes that operate only on donations. It’s on Mission St. here in San Francisco, but they offer classes in other cities across the country as well. I definitely recommend donating every time because that’s how they pay to rent the spaces and are able to continue offering these amazing classes. Every time I go I feel super comfortable and at ease, and the best part is you basically get to take a little nap at the end. Any type of exercise will release endorphins, which help improve your mood and relieve stress. So whether or not you have time to squeeze in a yoga class or go for a run on the beach, it’s a great way to release tension. Plus then you can feel a little less guilty about indulging in your favorite treats. Here’s the link to the yoga website where you can find a location near you:
www.yogatothepeople.com
What do you do to relieve stress? Let me know in the comments!
