A lack of patience and high stress levels are not good for anyone, much less a pregnant woman. I wonder why it is that we can get so wound up? Hormones. Always those blasted hormones. There should be a hormone blocker we could take.
Typically I'm high strung, but, how do I put it, I don't have confrontations with people. I take and take and take and then I might eventually blow, but it takes A LOT. I'm high strung when it comes to housework, school work, getting everything done in a 24 hour period that would normally require double that. But I don't get "ill" with people.
Case in point. I went off like a bat out of you know where today on my co-workers. One little statement put me over the edge. Half the time I can't tell if they are joking or being smartelics but I take it. I don't let things get me worked up. I hate confrontation and typically feel so bad if I have one that I can't sleep at night. I'm a small town girl working with big city girls. I'm the red headed step child and constantly picked on. Whatever, we have fun with it. Most of the time. Today was not the day.
So, now what do we do to calm these raging hormones? Go for a walk? Read a book? Find a quiet place? I have 2 children already, a husband, dog, cat and a farm. There is NO QUIET PLACE. My husband works 2nd shift so I'm here most nights with the kids by myself when I get off work. I can't afford a babysitter and when all the family members work, no one wants to watch the kids for me. So I can't have any "quiet time" to cool down. It used to be that doing my crafts calmed me down, but everything is so chaotic. If I can't do my crafts without interruption then I just get stressed all over again.
Everything I read on Baby Center talks about saying "No" and asking for help, talking to your partner (ha! he's probably more stressed than you are!!), deep breathing, go for a walk, go to bed early, eat healthy, yada yada. Look, it's not that I'm not trying. I am eating healthy and I'm "talking" to my husband (and he seems to be getting more and more terrified of me by the day), but as far as going to be early? I'm lucky if I can get in the bed before midnight. I would love to go to bed earlier but it never happens. By the time I get the kids down, and back in bed, and fill up sippy cups, and back in bed, then fix dinner for my husband (who gets home usually after they are in bed), get my shower and lay down...it's midnight.
So, I'm looking for some "let's get real here" techniques to calming down. Actually, typing this little blog here has already seemed to have lowered my heart rate back to normal. Maybe just having a place to vent is what you need. I'm going to put this as my number one way to calm stress:
Journaling
Whether it be a blog, a notebook, a diary, just pick something. After it's all said and done you may want to go back and read it one day for a good laugh. Or, save it for a daughter or one day daughter in law. Man, I wish my mom would have kept journals. It would be nice to see what she went through and how she did it. Or, if you are more private, toss it when you're done.
Okay I know this got kind of long and there are no fun pictures to look at. But if you are sticking with me on this (or find it years to come), I hope you are enjoying. I'd love to hear from you on ways to maintain your stress levels. I'm up for any option!
Amy
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