How do you manage stress?

🍷 How Do I Manage Stress? Well, Pour Me a Glass and Point Me Toward the Pier! 🌊😂

Stress? Anxiety? Worry? Heavens to Betsy Ross! Ain’t nobody got time for all that! 😂🍷

How do I manage stress? Well, first of all, I’ve learned something very important in my 54 years of living on this crazy planet: If I can’t control it, I’m not going to let it control ME!

Now, does that mean I never worry? Absolutely NOT! I’m human, for goodness’ sake! I’m also a stubborn, hardheaded Scorpio ♏️ who likes things done MY way, preferably YESTERDAY! So, naturally, there are times when my stress level goes from zero to somebody better find me a deserted island in approximately 2.5 seconds! 😂

But here’s my philosophy: Why waste perfectly good brain cells stressing over things I have absolutely NO control over? I mean, I can worry myself into a nervous breakdown, pace around the house, talk to myself, argue with myself, and probably lose the argument with myself, but is any of that going to change the situation?

NOPE!

So, I’ve developed my own little stress management program. And wouldn’t you know it? It involves a pier, a beautiful sunset, some good music, and a lovely glass of RED WINE! 🍷

Welcome to Christy’s Stress Management Center! No appointments necessary. Just bring your own wineglass! 😂

Picture this…

I’m sitting on the end of a pier, overlooking the water as the sun slowly disappears into the horizon. The sky is painted with beautiful shades of pink, orange, purple, and blue. Birds are flying around, the water is gently splashing against the pier, and there’s a slight breeze blowing through my hair.

I’ve got my favorite music playing, a glass of delicious red vino in my hand, and absolutely NO intention of solving the world’s problems!

Now THAT, my friends, is what I call THERAPY! 🌅🍷

Some people meditate. Some people do yoga. Some people go to the gym. Some people squeeze those little stress balls until they look like they’ve been through a garbage disposal.

ME?

I prefer to sit on a pier and sip my Cabernet while Mother Nature handles the background music!

And speaking of music, that’s another one of my favorite stress relievers! Turn on some Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, Hall & Oates, or some good old-fashioned 80s music, and suddenly my mood changes faster than Alabama weather!

One minute, I’m ready to pull my hair out. The next minute, I’m singing along to my favorite songs like I’m performing a sold-out concert on the end of the pier!

No audience required. And trust me, that’s probably best for everybody! 😂🎶

Of course, if there’s no pier available, the BEACH works just as well!

Give me the sound of the ocean waves, sand between my toes, a beautiful sunset, and a comfortable beach chair, and I’ll forget half the things I was worried about in the first place.

The other half? Well, they can wait until tomorrow!

Or next Tuesday.

Or NEVER, if they weren’t my problems to begin with! 😂

And let’s not forget my alter ego, Spirit Water! 🌊

She’s always ready to remind me that life is entirely too short to spend it worrying about people, problems, and situations that don’t deserve a reserved seat in my brain!

Although, I do have to keep an eye on Spirit Water because her version of stress management might involve booking a spontaneous cruise, buying three new outfits, ordering another glass of wine, and deciding we should move to an island somewhere!

And you know what?

Sometimes she makes a pretty convincing argument! 😂🍷

Now, don’t get me wrong. Life isn’t always sunshine, rainbows, beautiful sunsets, and wine. We all have responsibilities, problems, disappointments, and days when we’d rather crawl back into bed and put a DO NOT DISTURB sign on our foreheads.

But I’ve learned that worrying doesn’t fix tomorrow’s problems. It just steals today’s peace.

If there’s something I can control, I’ll handle it. I’ll make a plan, take care of business, and do whatever needs to be done.

If there’s something I CAN’T control, well, I’m learning to release it and move right along.

Because I’ve got places to go, oceans to see, sunsets to watch, music to listen to, and a bucket list that’s longer than a CVS receipt!

I’m certainly not wasting all my precious time stressing over things that might not even happen!

So, here’s my advice:

Find YOUR pier.

Maybe it’s a beach, a mountain cabin, a garden, a long walk, a good book, or just sitting on your back porch listening to the birds.

Find that special place where your mind gets quiet, your shoulders relax, and the world doesn’t seem quite so crazy.

And remember, you don’t have to solve every problem today!

As for me, I’ll be the one sitting at the end of the pier, listening to Fleetwood Mac, watching the sunset, and raising my glass to another beautiful day of minding my own business! 🍷😂

Because sometimes the best way to manage stress is to simply STOP giving everything and everybody the power to stress you out!

Life is too short, the sunsets are too beautiful, and my wine is getting warm!

Heavens to Betsy Ross! Somebody turn up the music! 😂🎶

Cheers to less stress, more sunsets, beautiful blue water, and living life MY way! 🥂🌊☀️

YOLO! CARPE DIEM!

And if you need me, check the pier. Spirit Water and I are probably out there discussing our next adventure! 🍷♏️😂