“How to survive the stress”

1/19/2025

Tricks and Tips – Personal Growth

“How to survive the stress”

Across the fabric of this country there is a tension that seems destined to rip things apart. We read news articles, watch the impact of natural disasters, wars, and political upheaval on a daily basis. The chaos that we face is, for all purposes and intents, inescapable.

The human brain is an amazing thing. We are capable of making literally thousands of decisions in the blink of an eye. Granted, many are based in routines that we have created for ourselves as a means of survival. But the predictability of any routine may not be the only solution.

For instance, most of us would not walk blindly into a street without looking both ways for oncoming traffic. Likewise, we do what is necessary to get ourselves ready and then go to school or to a job we have committed ourselves to five days a week. Many, if not the majority of our decisions are put into play subconsciously.

So, what does all of this have to do with tapping into our personal creativity?

As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, time plays a major role in how we organize our lifestyle. Some would say that time is a curse and subjugates us to all sorts of conditions that seem beyond our control. Knowing that we only have 24 hours a day and that at least eight of those hours must be dedicated to sleep for our overall health and wellbeing can tie us up in knots. Indeed, this man-made reality only gives us approximately 16 hours to plow through our responsibilities and commitments to those around us.

Free time is not necessarily free. Pauses for work breaks or having to take time to get from here to there, phone calls and social interactions punctuate the day and we must juggle these things to make the best of it. The sheer pace of any given day can and does cause a continual basis for stress for most of the seven billion people on this planet.

On top of the usual stress involved in getting everything done and done “on time”, are the additional psychological stresses so prevalent in these times. Relationships, how we interact with those around us and around the world, can be invigorating or leave us frustrated and feeling overwhelmed.

It is my opinion that creativity can certainly be a product of our reflection on reality. Various art forms use current events as a catalyst for everything from stand-up comedy routines to political statements using visual art, music, and literature. Art may imitate nature or envision a concrete jungle.

But I also believe that stressful situations and dangerous environments can block our creative impulses.

So, let’s begin with the simplest of relaxation techniques: breathing. Pausing throughout the day to take a minute or two to slowly inhale and exhale, does amazing things to reduce high blood-pressure, and thus, tension. The idea is to mentally focus all of your attention on the air moving in and out of your lungs. This is a tried-and-true method of taking your mind off of the external world and putting your life back in your own hands.

There are thousands of books and articles on stress relief. Doing things like taking naps, light exercise, including walking, reading a good book, taking a warm bath, etc., can make for a reduced amount of stress. Talking to family and friends in positive and self-affirming conversations can give one the feeling of being a part of a larger support system.

Finally, I would again like to emphasize the importance of “me” time. It may seem difficult, at first, to take time out for ourselves. However, it is common knowledge that spending time experiencing the joy and beauty that surrounds us, is a key to good mental health. Personally, I would add, that reproducing the uplifting features of your world in any art form makes those positive elements of life more concrete in our consciousness. Being constructive, rather than destructive, is always a good thing. And the act of sharing your visions gives others the chance to consider your take on life, as well.

Follow your dreams – Make More Art! M.True

(C) 2024 Michael S. True - Published by TruEnergy Enterprises