Posting for Anne…
Thanks to grad school (I’m in the midst of getting my PhD), I am currently knee-deep in a ton of stress. Now, my typical response to calming myself down has often been related to food. As I’m trying to break that “need-comfort-food-now” urge to relieve stress, I was curious: what do you guys do when you’re dealing with stress? What are constructive ways we can deal with stress without turning to food? I know that I need help/suggestions! 
Watch British movies and fold laundry - daytime
Watch Combat! and play with beads - nighttime
Take it out on the exercise bike - hard
Sing REALLY loud with some good crunchy music. (crunchy /adj/ a style of music characterized chiefly by heavy electric guitar chords and driving rhythms)
Dance Also
Go make faces at yourself in the mirror - Okay I don’t really do that but I bet it would help.
Snuggle and tickle small children - borrow them if you have to.
Chew sugarless gum and drink water.
Sing “I’m going slighly mad” by Queen. Follow it up with Bohemian Rhapsody.
Get Blair or Blest to send you the funniest e-card ever… (right Blair?)
Take all your panicky stress and use it to type out as many useless/ridiculous/slightly amusing answers as you can to someone else’s question about how to deal with stress…..
Comment by blestwithsons — November 13, 2006 @ 7:52 pm
Gum works for me too. I start chewing it everyday right after I give the kids (daycare) snack and chaw on it until their parents leave my driveway, my most stressful part of the day. It is also great for strengthening facial muscles and toning a flabby under-chin area
Call a girlfriend (or husband, if necessary) and talk it out. Or journal.
Exercise: situps, punching bag, jumping rope, etc.
Try on all your cutest shoes and prance around in front of the mirror.
Knit or sew or make something crafty.
Can’t think of anything else right now, my brain is shutting down…..
Comment by lady laura — November 13, 2006 @ 8:24 pm
P.S. The husband comment was assuming that you are stressed while he is at work (and that you have one) and would not necessarily be able to talk at the time. Not that you should only talk to your husband if there was no other alternative. In case, it seemed that was what I meant…..
Comment by lady laura — November 13, 2006 @ 8:26 pm
Thanks! I appreciate the suggestions (and any more….) There actually is no “husband” yet in my life — just currently a “boyfriend.” But I understand what you’re saying, Lady Laura — his office may only be a 3 min walk away from mine, but he’s often busy.
Comment by anne — November 13, 2006 @ 10:00 pm
Go for a walk and kick down leaves about.
Put on some really loud music and sing along at the top of your voice while dancing round the house (probably helps if no one else is there, but if they are make them join in.
Have some sort of carft thing that can be picked up and done for a few minutes at a time - I’ve been making cards lately. I make a couple and then go back to what I was meant to be doing.
Catch up on OWOA and comment.
Let us know and we’ll pray
Comment by Debs — November 14, 2006 @ 1:42 am
Blog or watch TV and crochet. Reading sometimes helps, but I can read with one hand and eat with the other - know what I mean? That’s why I crochet while I watch TV with Kevin in the evenings, my hands are too busy to snack.
Or I call one of my sisters and vent.
Comment by Carrie — November 14, 2006 @ 9:42 am
YES - that ecard is the bomb!!! My kids requested it for days! TEE HEE, SNORT!!
Hmm, stress…gosh, I’ve had a lot of that in the last six+ months…
My number one stress reliever is to take a walk while listening to Christian music - then about half-way through if it’s really bad, I’ll just start talking to God over the music - works every time!
Gum is big - I’m out at the moment, need to get some more.
Go brush your teeth for two minutes while staring in the mirror trying to figure out which eye is larger than the other. (I won’t eat for a while after I’ve brushed my teeth lol)
Find a hobby that uses both hands, like Carrie, I can eat and read at the same time.
Write someone a thank you note or email.
Take a bubble bath, paint your nails
Clean your baseboards - you’d be surprised how this can take your mind off of stuff lol.
Oh there’s more but I need to get going
Comment by Blair — November 14, 2006 @ 7:20 pm
Ooh, yes - cleaning your teeth, esp if you use mouthwash.
Also, if you’ve gotta drive anywhere stick some Christian music on loud and either sing or pray outloud. Ok, so it’s best not to close your eyes, but it’s great if there’s something particular you’ve got on your heart to pray about, but time seems to be filled up, or if you’re stressing about something in particular.
Comment by Debs — November 14, 2006 @ 11:47 pm