Coping with Stress

“If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution.”

- John Mackey,

Co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market

People deal with stress, anxiety and boredom in a variety of ways - some healthy, others, maybe not so much. Some take the frustrations out on themselves, yet others will lash out. Stress is normal; the key is finding healthy ways to cope. Since what goes around, comes around, showing composure in tough situations will get you further in the long run. We all have a co-worker with negative energy but it’s best not to be known as one.

One common method of coping with stress is mindless eating. Besides being an unhealthy habit for obvious reasons, the bigger issue is that problems tend to worsen if not dealt with properly. Although eating comfort food may appear to quickly fill a void, it can later lead to guilt. This guilt can bring unhealthy cycles of strict dieting, deprivation and binge eating which can then lead to depression and weight gain. Anxiety seems to be a popular excuse for snacking but rather than reaching for junk food, drink some water or walk around and stretch your legs.

Unhealthy eating habits are only one of the many coping mechanisms. Others find comfort in smoking, excessive drinking and a number of other ways in which we won’t go into detail. Instead of looking for a quick fix every time we feel uncomfortable, it’s important to identify the problem in order to create long-term solutions. Finding someone to talk to, such as a sibling, relative, doctor or other professional can be beneficial depending on the severity of the situation.

I’m lucky for never developing a reliance on drugs or alcohol. For one, I’m frugal but I also don’t like the way I feel the next day. Being hungover makes me want to sleep in later, eat everything in sight, and I can’t get myself to the gym. It’s a recipe to make me feel worse about myself rather than better.

Shopping used to be my go-to stress reliever. I thought filling my life with stuff would help to fill a void. When I moved from a large home to a small New York apartment, I was forced to make a huge purge. Rather than being upset about letting go of so much stuff at once, it was as if a weight had been lifted off. What I realized is that material things don’t bring me happiness. The clutter only caused more anxiety. Another realization was that even if I wanted to go on shopping binges, I’d now have nowhere to store everything. Hence, I found a healthier and cheaper way to cope; I joined my local gym both as a means to better myself and make friends in my new town.

Finding a love for fitness has been a blessing. While others may hate the thought of breaking a sweat, I crave the rush of endorphins. I’m typically not a huge fan of running but I always have my best runs when something is bothering me and I need to clear my head. There’s nothing like getting lost in music and leaving all your troubles behind. Last night, I needed just that. Being an introvert, I recharge my energy by being alone. I put in my headphones and ran to my favorite spot along the water, not far from my apartment. It was a beautiful night and I was pleasantly surprised by the energy on a Sunday evening. Families were barbecuing, friends playing sand volleyball and couples strolling side by side. It was refreshing and exactly what I needed.

Strolling my newsfeed, I came across a friend who posted a video of herself singing. The caption said she likes to sing when she needs a pick me up. There are so many healthy ways to deal with stress. What works for one will not work for all. Adopting our cat, Kali, this past year has turned out to be another great way to cope with loneliness and stress, especially while David or I am traveling alone. David was out of town this past weekend so Kali and I kept each other company.

Making a list of all the healthy and effective ways to cope with stress would be far to long and broad. One way to go about it is to find a hobby or something you really enjoy spending time on. For the longest time, I didn’t have any worthwhile hobbies and had trouble naming anything I was good at. It was Marie Kondo that helped me realize other people had the same issue. While reading her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, she advised looking for common themes across your bookshelf. Genius; the answer was there all along. As you can see from the photo of my bookshelf, I enjoy reading, cooking, fitness, business and self-help. Surprisingly, I work in the clothing industry yet don’t own a single book or magazine on fashion... What’s on your bookshelf? You may be surprised at what you discover.

Well, I’m off to play in a softball tournament. Wish us luck! 

To find out more on the side effects caused from stress and poor dieting, read my article Masking Symptoms.

- Mallory