Enjoy simple pleasures of life

Spring and summer are exciting times of the year. You plant flower seeds and wait for them to come up. You plant tomato plants and watch in anticipation for tomatoes to develop. Another fun aspect is watching birds in your backyard. Fill the bird feeder with sunflower seeds and the hummingbird and oriole feeders with sugar water. Watch for all the birds to arrive. Orioles especially like grape jelly put on a dish outside. These pleasures are one way to manage stress in your life.

No matter your age, we all experience stress which can affect us physically. Everyone experiences stress a little differently. While you cannot rid yourself of stress, you can learn to manage it.

The first step in stress management is to identify the stressors in your life. Are there any stressors you can change by avoiding, reducing exposure to, or eliminating completely? No single method works for everyone or in every situation; therefore, it is important to experiment with different stress-reduction strategies to lessen your feelings of stress. Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control.

Two common strategies for managing stress include changing the situation and changing your response to the situation. If there is a situation you can identify that causes stress, avoid it. For example, if the crowds and chaos of attending an event makes you feel anxious to the point that you do not like to go, stay home. In unavoidable situations, such as a family reunion with a cantankerous relative, you may have to change your reaction. Accept it for what it is, focus on what is really important, adapt to the environment and move on.

Changing the situation is one way to manage stress. Evaluate your physical environment. You may need to paint the color on the walls a different color if it affects your mood. Take a look at the people in your life. Is there a person or a group of people who really cause you stress? If so, you may need to distance yourself or resign from that organization. Review your calendar. Learn to say “no.” Look at your commitments. Are you over-committing yourself? If so, lessen your commitments if it is hurting your health.

Changing your reaction is another way to manage stress. Laugh, don’t cry. Some things you just can’t change. These are the things you need to learn to accept instead of letting them bother you. Compromise is another strategy. The need to be “right” often interferes with good communication and can cause stress when you are so focused on what the other person is doing. If you ask someone to change, you need to be willing to change yourself. Letting it go is another strategy. Ask yourself, “Does it really matter? Will it matter in five years?” Sometimes you just have to pick your battles.

Set aside time every day to relax. Take a break from all your responsibilities and recharge your batteries. Connect with other people. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. Do something you enjoy every day. Keep your sense of humor—including laughing at yourself.

Having realistic expectations of yourself, shifting your focus to looking at what is really important, and taking care of yourself emotionally and physically will also increase your confidence to deal with stressors. Sometimes, taking a deep breath, meditating, relaxing or taking time to smell the roses allows you to appreciate the little things so you don’t overreact to the big things. Enjoy the simple pleasures of life today.