Reducing Your Stress - Part 2

Here are additional ways to decrease your stress:

Music. Playing music is good for the soul. Play something upbeat and fun to dance to when you’re cleaning house or need to work on a project. Check out Lady Gaga’s The Game, a dance record that gets you moving. There are times when you have to dance. If you need to relax, put on something dreamy and relax.

Find Your Funny Bone. One way to reduce stress is to stop reading newspapers and watching TV news. This is really true. Escaping the news headlines and heading for pure fun and escapism is a great way to reduce stress. Also, do not watch the news before going to sleep. This will cause you stress. Turn off the T.V. and turn on the calming music with chimes in the background.

Laughter is definitely the best medicine, and it’s okay to laugh even in bad times. Humor is a good thing, and find your humor wherever you can find it. Here are a few suggestions:

• For political types, check out http://www.cagle.com/. They feature the best political cartoons from around the world.
• TV is a nice short-lived escape. You don’t have to think about anything. Just let those TV rays wash over you. Watching old T.V. series that I grew up with in the 60's & 70's is a real way to escape anything bad. "I Love Lucy" reruns are always good for a laugh.
• Watch your favorite new or old shows on Hulu.com, a FREE website. Check out The Simpsons or the latest Saturday Night Live clips. Need a blast from days when life seemed simpler and less chaotic? Check out The A-Team, The Facts of Life, and Miami Vice. The website adds new series and movies all the time.
• For jokes, check out www.ahajokes.com. Under the one liners category, the site even features gems from Jack Handey’s Deep Thoughts.
• The Fruitcake Lady was a frequent, straight-talking guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Search for her clips on YouTube.com, but a warning – the lady is very, very frank and swears a lot so check this out at home without the kids.

Reduce Clutter. Truthfully, reducing clutter and getting more organized does reduce stress. Being able to find things (and not buy a replacement), getting what you want to get done, and having a clean, organized space all makes you feel better about life. By ridding yourself of old things that drag down your energy and spark bad emotions, you are preparing yourself for a brighter future.

Find Some Friends. Spending time with friends is a great way to brighten up your day. We all need time with friends and family, and having face time is much better than bent over your computer screen, scrolling through Facebook every night. Stop hiding out, and get out. Each city has free activities, such as free nights at local museums. The important thing is to spend time together.

I hope that these ideas help you in some way. Any comments?