When Women Snap: How To Handle Stress Before It’s Too Late
Sometimes we get hungry. Sometimes we have a specific craving for Girl Scout Cookies. Sometimes it’s Denny’s yummy maple syrup. Sometimes those cravings can get you killed… or at least slapped with a sign and popped with a pancake.
What am I talking about? Glad you asked.
In recent news, a 400-pound Florida woman attacked her roommate after discovering that this roommate demolished her Thin Mints; another slightly smaller woman in a Chicopee, Mass., Denny’s walloped the heck out of someone when asked to borrow the syrup off her table. She replied with, “B****, your pancakes look fine to me,” and all hell literally broke loose.
But women have long been the victims of suffering in silence. We take on problems, our own and others’, and completely suck it in. Sure, we’re emotional, but the parts you see aren’t even the half of it.
Here are a few tips that can help you check yourself out of a sticky, snap-worthy situation.
1. DEEP BREATHING
Hey, I know Lamaze seems ridiculous and while it doesn’t take away the pain of a giant head ripping its way through your nether regions, it takes the focus elsewhere, slightly alleviating the pain of the matter. Deep breathing really does work, and yoga does wonders for the stress levels.
Of course, I get a bit upset when I can’t hold my bow position like I did in previous classes, but hey, baby steps, right? The point is, deep breathing-based workouts can serenely separate you from issues and problems of the day. When you find yourself in sticky situations, take a few deep breaths before reacting. It really works. Give it a puff. Can’t possibly hurt to breathe more.
2. COUNT TO 10… OR 100
Everyone remembers that ‘Family Matters’ episode when Uncle Carl has high blood pressure and is told by his doctor to calm down. Enter Steve Urkel, the Winslows’ most stress-inducing family friend. Instead of raising his pressure by bugging out, Uncle Carl starts chanting, “3, 2, 1… 1, 2, 3… what the heck is bothering me?” And it works! Until the last scene, at least. If Uncle Carl had lost it and killed Steve, ‘Family Matters’ would have had no antagonist and would’ve sucked. See? Counting saves lives… and television programming.
3. THE FOUR As
To end this thing on a slightly more serious note, here’s something I found that sounds way more smarter:
*Avoid the stresser: Stay away from people and situations that stress you out.
*Alter the stresser: Change how you react to said situations by communicating instead of lashing out.
*Adapt to the stresser: You may not be able to change others, but you can change yourself. Get used to those people by continually thinking positively.
*Accept the stresser: Learn the serenity prayer and accept the things you simply cannot change. Life has stress, so you might as well accept it and move on.
And when all else fails, go ahead and get on your knees and pray. Lord knows some souls have been saved when they took a little time to ask Jesus what he would do in the situation.
What do you do when you feel like you’re about to snap? Please leave us your comment.
Via: Blackie Collins of www.blackvoices.com
