DIY Life

Stress, to some degree we all have it. Most of us have far more than we'd like to have but we learn how to deal with it in our own special ways. One way that I deal with my own stress load is by visiting my chiropractor once a month. He puts my frame back in alignment and that simply makes everything I face on a daily basis a little bit easier.

The last time I had an appointment with my chiropractor I found a list of stress reducing techniques which actually made me realize that I do a lot more to relieve my own stress than I thought. Stress reduction mentally compounds, which means the less stress you think you have, the less stress you'll actually experience and accordingly, the less stress you'll think you have. The idea feeds on itself.

After the jump, get an idea about how well you might be doing in the ways of managing your own stress.

• Get up in the morning early enough to easily do what you need to accomplish. Make eating a good breakfast a regular part of that routine.
• If you spend any time worrying that you might forget something, that's the time to write it down.
  
• Believe in the preventive maintenance of all things.
• Eat a varied and balanced diet most of the time and spoil yourself once in a while with foods you really like.
• The more exercise the better. We're built to move and I can prove it.
• Learn what procrastination is and know when you're doing it.
• Take a break once in awhile and survey your own accomplishments.
• Avoid credit cards whenever possible. This one works really good for me.
  
• Pray, meditate, think, ponder. These work good for me also.
• Remember that Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, Abe Lincoln became an attorney by lamplight and Mel Gibson couldn't give a rat's patootie about whether you like him or not.
• Don't be a liar.
• Dedicate 85% of your brain capacity to thinking and only 15% to operating your jaw.
• Get uncluttered or raise your tolerance for being cluttered.
• Find someone who has already had the problem you have and pick their brain.
• Apply the word love to your thought processes often.
• Learn the serenity prayer.
• Buy clothes you like.
• Remember that it's never too late to have a happy childhood.

Most of the activities and ideas on this list are things that I regularly employ to make my busy life more bearable. I also believe that you should share food often and I try to live by the adage that everyone has an opinion and that's why I'd like to hear it. What are the ways that you reduce stress? Are you into walking or weight lifting? Have you learned how to filter the information you give out as appropriate to the people around you? What appliances have you given up in order to simplify your life a little? Where do you get your balance from? We'd love to hear about it!