Managing stress doesn’t have to include a trip to a therapist. In fact, many people who are able to conquer their stress have found other more enjoyable ways to do so. Sometimes, overcoming stress just takes a little more creativity and some time off for your brain. When you are able to change the way you are looking at your life and relaxing your body at the same time, stress doesn’t have to cause any worry. In fact, you might find that stress is more under your control than you may have realized. Stopping stress can even be fun.

Keep Your Mind Off Stress

A good way to keep your mind off stress is to create a practice of arts and crafts. When you take some time to create, your mind will be occupied with that moment and not with the things happening around you. You can then begin to change the way you feel about your stressful situation. Often, in creating something new, you activate the part of the brain which is designed to problem solve. Though you may not be actively thinking about your stress, your brain is working on it. By the time you’re done with your craft, you may understand what steps you need to take.

Finding Comedy in Your Life

Laughter encourages your body to release feel good hormones. When you do this, you will be able to resist the stress hormones which your body creates when it is tense. Instead of focusing on the bad things in your life, try to give your body a break with comedy. Watch funny movies or head to a comedy show. In doing so, you will remind yourself there is more to life than just being dour or scared of the future. You can begin to change your attitude and you can reverse the stressful feelings altogether.

Bringing a Pet Can Help Manage Stress

A pet is not only something that children can enjoy, but having a creature to take care of (one who loves you unconditionally) can help you manage stress. Going to play with a cat or a dog will allow you to forget about your own worries for a while and enjoy this special time. You might also find that having an animal to talk to or to help reassure you after a stressful moment, allows you to come down from your feelings of anxiety and relax. Of course, you will want to choose a pet who is not going to cause you more stress, so finding one which is low maintenance and which fits into your life is best.

There are many fun ways in which you can prevent your stress from taking over your life. Try using one of these this week to see how you feel as a result.