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larcReducing Stress


On the lighter side of mental health issues, I was curious as to some good ideas you all had regarding the methods you use to reduce stress. I will give two of my favorites and hope that several of you would provide one or two others and then come back in a day or two if others miss a favorite of yours.

Two of my favorites are humor and music. As many of you know, I like to joke around, even though some of my posts are very serious. I love stand up comedy routines, love to tell jokes, and watch funny movies. Humor takes my mind completly away from ponderous issues. On the serious side of humor, Norman Cousins wrote a book about how he extended his life after contracting a terminal illness by watching his favorite comedy movies. Apparently, humor is good for the immune system. Plus, of course, it is down right fun.

Music has good effects on me too. I choose either soothing music or lively music depending wheather I want to relax or perk myself up to get stuff down. I avoid sad songs if I am in a meloncolly (sp) mood.

What are your choices for reducing stress?
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neyankRe: Reducing Stress
Hi larc,
I have to agree with you that comedy is one of the best ways to
relieve stress.
Another one would be excercising.
And taking a nice long drive. But NOT during rush hour.

neyank
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crossroadsRe: Reducing Stress
Hi Larc it's been awhile- Hope all is well.
Well I must agree about MUSIC-MUSIC-MUSIC.

The others-Hugging someone you care about after
the strom has ended.
Rocking a little one to sleep-tranquillity at it's finest hour.
Playing center field-nobody can harm you-your all alone
but surounded by eight others who have your back.
Then the crack of the bat and off you go to run it down
nothing but you and the ball and you KNOW your going
to catch it.
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expatbritRe: Reducing Stress
Larc:

I read the Watchtower and meditate on the marvellous blessings showered upon us by the Faithful and Discreet Slave.

Sometimes I look forward to the joyous new system of things that's just around the corner, with peace and love covering the whole earth.

Or occasionally, I'll call up an elder and have a lovely in-depth biblical discussion.

Oh yes, most of the time I relieve my stress by visualising vile apostates having their entrails ripped out through their belly buttons and wrapped around their necks, while their eyeballs bubble and fizz in their blistering sockets.

I think I'll go have a nap now. The fish I had for lunch might have been a bit funny.......

Expatbrit, relieving his stress through sarcasm.

p.s. Humour is my main way to really reduce stress. Watching Britcoms like Python or Mr Bean etc. I also have a den full of old books and antiques which I can escape to and read a good book while listening to Mozart.
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IntrospectionRe: Reducing Stress
Hi Larc, I have to say what I do to reduce stress is not take on too much in the first place. I have read Anatomy of an Illness by Cousins and I think it is a great place to start for those who are interested in the whole mind-body.

I think Wayne Dyer makes a good point about things you can and can't control. If you have control over it, you can do something about it. If you can't, there's no sense in worrying about it. That covers everything that can happen to you! I think integral to that is acceptance. You have to accept the fact that some things are beyond control and just let that go, but actually we don't want to feel helpless either regarding the things we can do something about.

I think one aspect of humor is being able to laugh at yourself. When you don't take yourself so seriously and can laugh along with others when you do something funny, then I think you've "got it."

Well to add to the list, I also use sleep. This may seem silly, but you need to get your rest! I mean sometimes we miss the basics like rest and nourishment, and I think that's first and foremost. Of course to balance that we do need physical activity as Neyank pointed out, and to that end I enjoy Tai Chi. I think this is a good excercise to connect the mind and body, as the forms and movement are very subtle. It could be considered a type of moving meditation. But of course, you can do something more active, any kind of sport can become a mind-body excercise, it just depends on how you go about it. I think taking that approach helps your performance too, and the key there is not to judge your performance, but focus on the process and just enjoy it. I think the thing is to really play it and not treat it as a job, again not taking it too seriously in a way..

What kind of physical activities do you guys enjoy?
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SevenRe: Reducing Stress
Hi Larc, Since no one technique has a monopoly on quieting the body via the mind-to each his/her own. Music is the ultimate. Listening or playing. My painting is a close second along with owning my own business. Also, snowboarding, hockey(the more physical the better), jet skiing, ATV trail riding, beach volleyball, and nature photography. One of my favorites is to go down to the end of my dock with my dog and sit there with my feet in the water watching him play while the minutes turn to hours. Knowing that I don't have to punch a time clock ever again.

Seven

Keeping an open mind is virtue-but not so open that your brains fall out.-James Oberg
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IntrospectionRe: Reducing Stress
Seven can you point me to a message and/or a website where your art is displayed? I'd love to see it.
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SevenRe: Reducing Stress
Hi Intro, I'll send you a few by email. Probably the earliest tomorrow afternoon.
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larcRe: Reducing Stress
Hi folks,

What is one man's stress reducer ia another man's stress inducer. Crossroads, you mentioned center field in baseball, and I played center field in high school. I love baseball, but I found center field to be stressful. As I told my wife, who is now a baseball fan (I converted her), in the outfield you are either a hero or a bum. But, put me in coach I'm ready to play, today, centerfield.

Expat, I loved your humor regarding the thrill of the Witness life. Great stuff. Seven, I wish I had your artistic talent. I can't draw worth a lick. I do love photography though, and have a good eye for composition. My favorite, like yours, is nature photography. Intro, you mentioned sleep. Now that I'm retarded... er ... I meant retired. I love to sleep until I am done, with no alarm clock and then get up fully rested.

I will add one more. I like to research stuff. I spent a lot of time on my family history and now I'm doing some research of a more scientific nature. The whole process is very absorbing, interesting and gives you the feeling that you have found something no one knew before that will be interesting and/or useful to others.
Thanks all, for your contributions!
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larcRe: Reducing Stress
Opps,

I forgot to mention one NiYank's, taking a ride somewhere. It is one that my wife and I enjoy together, just getting in the car and meandering off through the scenic country side.
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bonnie38Re: Reducing Stress
I try to do something enjoyable everyday, even if it's just for a little while. Two things that are easy for me are reading and playing with my dog (Easy to do and inexpensive)
Bonnie
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larcRe: Reducing Stress
Today is a stress free day for me. For Mother's day, my son got my wife a dozen long stemmed red roses. He also got tickets to the Cinncinnati Reds game for us and him and his wife. (My wife is a big fan.) The seats are in the second row behind the third base dugout, the best seats we have ever had. Life is good.
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crossroadsRe: Reducing Stress
Larc-Life would be great IF...............
Bench, Perez, Morgan, Concepcion,
Rose, Foster, Geronimo, and Senior
were there, but enjoy JR and have a great time.
All I can see is Fisk pulling that homer into fair
territory. That series ended in six games for me
tied 3 to 3
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larcRe: Reducing Stress
Crossroads,

Thank you for mentioning the names of the Big Red Machine. I thought of them tonight when I saw the penant type flags showing their proud moments. One great year, later on, was 1990. They were never out of first place all year, and they swept the arragant Oakland A's in the World Series, whose fans were making the sweep gesture during game one. They were right, just had the wrong team in mind.

The only player left from 1990 is Barry Larkin. He is one of the best shorstops ever, but he is getting older and is making more errors than usual this year. However, two weeks ago he got his first grand slam home run. He looked as happy as a ten year old kid getting is first hit.

By the way, even though the Reds lost and there was a light rain during most of the game, I had a good time. I brought my camera, since we were so close to the field and I think I got some good shots.

My wife, known here as Zazu, had a good time too. My son got the tickets from the internet at a discount price, and my wife and I are going to check out his source for future games.
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larcRe: Reducing Stress
Sorry folks,

I didn't mean to turn the stress reduction thread into a baseball thread.
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IntrospectionRe: Reducing Stress
Seven, I'm still waiting for those pictures of your paintings. You're not one of those shy artist types are you? You know someone artistically challenged such as myself really couldn't even begin to criticize your work, and considering Larc's repeated praises I'm sure I will like them too.
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SevenRe: Reducing Stress
Intro, You've got mail.

Keeping an open mind is virtue-but not so open that your brains fall out.-James Oberg
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SevenRe: Reducing Stress
Larc,
I didn't mean to turn the stress reduction thread into a baseball thread.
Too late Larc! Something that causes me great stress is both Bill Mazeroski and Pete Rose absence from the hall of fame. If Bill had been a Yankee or Dodger he'd have been there. Pete should be there. They can shove the induction up their keisters after they're dead-do it now!

William Stanley Mazeroski

"Maz"


Future Hall of Fame Member

Born: September 5, 1936

Second Baseman

Threw and Batted Right-Handed

"The exclusion of Mazeroski from Cooperstown is a case of simple discrimination against defensive skills." --- George Will.

Year Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG
1956 Pittsburgh 81 255 30 62 8 1 3 14 .243
1957 Pittsburgh 148 526 59 149 27 7 8 54 .283
1958 Pittsburgh 152 567 69 156 24 6 19 68 .275
1959 Pittsburgh 135 493 50 119 15 6 7 59 .241
1960 Pittsburgh 151 538 58 147 21 5 11 64 .273
1961 Pittsburgh 152 558 71 148 21 2 13 59 .265
1962 Pittsburgh 159 572 55 155 24 9 14 81 .271
1963 Pittsburgh 142 534 43 131 22 3 8 52 .245
1964 Pittsburgh 162 601 66 161 22 8 10 64 .268
1965 Pittsburgh 130 494 52 134 17 1 6 54 .271
1966 Pittsburgh 162 621 56 163 22 7 16 82 .262
1967 Pittsburgh 163 639 62 167 25 3 9 77 .261
1968 Pittsburgh 143 506 36 127 18 2 3 42 .251
1969 Pittsburgh 67 227 13 52 7 1 3 25 .229
1970 Pittsburgh 112 367 29 84 14 0 7 39 .229
1971 Pittsburgh 70 193 17 49 3 1 1 16 .254
1972 Pittsburgh 34 64 3 12 4 0 0 3 .188
M.L. Totals 2,163 7,755 769 2,016 294 62 138 853 .260

"No one appreciates Bill Mazeroski more than I do. With the art of fielding under appreciated, I can say no one did it any better. He set the standard.
--- HOF'er Brooks Robinson

Holds Major League record for career double plays by a second baseman with 1,706

Led League in assists 9 times

Led League in double plays 8 times

Won 8 Golden Gloves

Named to 7 All-Star games

Hit game-winning homerun in bottom of the ninth of game 7, 1960 World Series

Considered, by many, the greatest defensive infielder of all-time


----------------------------------------------------------------------

"As an 8-year-old Yankee fan in 1960, I literally wept when Bill Mazeroski's home run cleared the ivy-covered wall of Forbes Field. 35 years later, I believe I have come to terms with it, and can see Bill Mazeroski for what he really was: one of baseball's all-time great second basemen."
- Bob Costas, NBC Sports

"Mazeroski's defensive statistics are probably the best of any player in baseball history, at any position. Intuitively, that seems like a Hall of Famer." --- Bill James


Keeping an open mind is virtue-but not so open that your brains fall out.-James Oberg
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