Stress Free Zone

I am in a stress free zone right now.  Sure Sure!  Actually I do relax so much when I am house sitting.  It is not non-stop cooking, cleaning, pets and family.  I do care for the pets here and water the beautiful plants.  Also cook meals for Dear Hubby and I.  But it seems I find plenty of down time where I can sit back, read, gaze at the lake, watch the birds or just pet the dog.  (Cat here is a lil standoffish.) 


Copyright 2012 Nate Williams

So I wonder how is it I can unwind so well when I am away from home.  Why can I not do the same thing there?  Stress just aggravates my mental illness.  How do you Say Goodbye to Stress?  Thankfully my lovely friends sent me just that book from Chicken Soup for the Soul.  Perfect timing.  I am reading how others have let go of stress.  Trying not to have everything perfect is a great way to de-stress.  I am know for trying to make life picture perfect to my family and friends.  If I would just let go of that image and not worry that everything is not done.  I am sure that everyone has seen dishes in the sink in their home.  I could sit down to dinner with the family instead of washing up all the pots and pans from making the dinner.  Would it be horrible to not do laundry for one day?  I bet that the windows do not have to be cleaned every week? (Naw....they need to be cleaned!) 

How do you destress?  Is it a lovely warm bubble bath?  Ice cream at night before bedtime?  Your a master at yoga?  Once a month you buy cheap old dishes and take out to break them in a metal can with bricks in it?  (Oh, guess this is just a me thing?)  I love how one of the stories in there reminds us to "Breathe".  That is something I find myself not doing.  Odd yes, but I find I am holding my breath and clenching my toes many times a day.  Holding on to stress instead of letting it out.  Dear Hubby had just called to ask about some bills we need to pay.  Instantly I was in a knot of worry.  But I need to stop grabbing and holding on to stress.  I know it would make me a happier and healthier person. 

Time for me to really get into reading more in Say Goodbye to Stress.  Do you want to read it too?  If so leave me a comment below.  I can have Chicken Soup for the Soul send out 3 copies to my adorable readers.  Yeah, that means it could be yours to help you get a grip on stress.  Just look for the Click here to leave COMMENT below to send me a message.