Lists of Resources Relevant to Me

Stress! Yes, I'm very familiar with this feeling these days. I decided to write this blog about what is weighing me down at the moment, what is impacting my day to day life right now. Ironically, believe it or not, I used to spend my days helping other people relax. I have been a Massage Therapist for the past fifteen years, and up until last September, my life was very different than it is now. I would see a few clients a day, take my son to school and pick him up, have lunch with a friend occasionally, visit my sick mother everyday, take care of the house etc... It was a pretty great life. Unfortunately, arthritis in my hands and a bad back caused me to reconsider my career options. Now, I am a full time student enrolled in both the MAT program and the TIE program. I will resume my duties next month at Baker Demonstration School as a Teaching Associate/Intern in a second grade classroom. I will be taking three classes this fall. This summer I am taking four classes (I don't recommend this!) I have a nine-year old precocious boy at home, an aging mother in a nursing home that I visit several times a week, a house that is in desperate need of attention, a partner who works too hard, a bad back, and I've gained way too much weight. My health is not where I want it to be, I'm behind in all my classes and pretty much freaking out most of the time. All of this has got me thinking about how different my life is now. I still have some massage clients, but when I was doing it all the time, it really helped me to relax and chill out. Turns out it's a big deal to change your whole life at my age; it's had a huge impact on my family this past year. (And now you know a lot more about me than you ever cared to, but...) So, as I spend more of my time now in front of a computer or in class, I am reminded that I need to remember what I know from my previous life if I am going to get through this next phase of my new life.
So... this blog will be about my attempts to combat stress. Maybe some of it will help you too. The first thing that comes to mind is music! I love music; it can affect your whole outlook on life. You know how it is... we all listen to different kinds of music depending on what kind of mood we're in or what we're doing. I used to have certain CD's that I would always play when I cleaned the house. Now, I just don't clean the house - ha! Or if you're writing a blog or a paper, you probably want to listen to something without words. So, I just scroll through iTunes and find something to chill out to while I'm typing. (Right now, I'm listening to Peter Kater; great massage/woo-woo/mellow music). I'm guessing most of you are familiar with Pandora.com; it's an Internet radio station where you can set your own radio stations depending on your interests. I love this! When I'm bored with my ipod music, I just turn on Pandora. You select different artists, such as Shawn Colvin, and they connect you to "Shawn Colvin Radio," which will play her music, as well as various other artists who sound sorta similar. It's a great way to hear other people's music that I might not normally listen to.
Of course all the sitting and driving that I do related to school does a number on my back, so I put a plug in for bodywork. I highly recommend regular bodywork of some sort for everyone (of course, my own self-care has gone out the window). If you are looking for a massage therapist, you can always check the referral service at amtamassage.org. I used to be on this list... ahhh, my former life. Another great form of bodywork is CranioSacral Therapy, which is a gentle approach that works with the central nervous system. You can check their practitioner referral at craniosacraltherapy.org (I'm still on their list.) I also highly recommend finding a good acupunturist. There are several online referral sites for this, such nccaom.com and ilaaoam.com

While I am doing school work, it helps to remember to breathe. There are many relaxation videos and guided meditations are YouTube; just enter "meditation" or "relaxation." Just listening to the music is great.
Other ways to reduce stress include exercise, walking, being with friends and family, and doing something you love. Get outside! Be in nature! There really are trees and grass out there! Also, enough with the fast food. Eat more fruits and veggies -- really. The farmers markets are amazing! The main thing, it turns out, is to chill. Keep things in perspective, and try not to get so overwhelmed that you can't sleep at night and your family wants to send you away. Stress affects your immune system and your whole outlook on life. Of course, doing what I know, I preach to the choir, as a reminder to myself.