Coping With Stress: How We are Coping and What Can We All Do to Better Help Ourselves and Others

Coping with stress by keeping busy, busy!  I'm on week #8 of my Great Attic and Garage Organization and Clean-out.

I've always resisted the "hoarder" designation and when my parents died in Alaska, I took relatively little and only things that were usable or sentimental.

But three kids (all grown, life partnered, and with little ones of their own) are drawn to my saved items (for my continued storage) and every time I've tried to pass along board games or toys from the past 40 years, all it took was 1 grown child to exclaim "oh no, those are keepers" for me to agree! Yes, they are taking things but our old house with only 2 occupants has the most storage space ?‍♀️

I've managed to pass on to family  most of our Star Wars Toy collection and am major lamenting the giving away of our best and newest set of Legos in a large bin to a thrift store long long ago. (You know how you think you're providing for a needy child but collectors are getting them  ahead of time and reselling on eBay) What my lego obsessed grandson would give for those now ?‍♀️

And now, every newspaper or school clipping accolade or award has me in tears of remembrance! And i started "Memory Boxes" for each one but those old small boxes are now becoming bins ☺?

At this rate,  the organization and cleanout may outlive the virus! I sure hope so really as I am ready for this highly escalating virus to end! I mean aren't you?

And other than bringing out some very sentimental sadness, I'm actually loving my time outside with my 80s radio/cassette/turn table record player blasting the 70s, 80s, and 90s Top Hits!

What are you doing to keep busy and cope through news or real life stressors? 

I had no idea where to post this, but thought this "Coping..." thread was appropriate.

This is a good NY Times article on sensitive children:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/well/family/sensitive-child.html?algo=hot_ranking_feed_click_weight_500_diversified&algoTimeout=false&block=1&campaign_id=142&emc=edit_fory_20200807&fellback=false&imp_id=499803615&instance_id=20661&nl=for-you&nlid=110129729&rank=1&regi_id=110129729&renderPosition=0&req_id=515776863&segment_id=35580&surface=your-daily-five&user_id=be71d0209e7fff2694ee434ff338bd34

I walk and exercise the other day I got 5 miles while walking in the park it makes me happy, usually I listen to podcasts. I want to lift weights but my cousin who is an Allergy/immunology doctor said no, not for another four months. In Houston we have parks built within the water reservoirs, and they are rather large. There are hills, dips, straightaways, and lakes. I went to a new park that I have never gone to on Sunday and it was fun seeing something new. I wear a mask when I walk, it doesn't bother me. It surprises me how much I enjoy it because usually I would be at a treadmill in the gym but walking in the sun is rewarding. Now we have this rain for the next couple of days and now I'm stir crazy. Oh well. 

@jsr78 - Stay safe, with all the rain!

Friday and Saturday were so horrible, after hearing the news about RBG. Friday night, I was sitting on the couch, watching Rachel Maddow, drinking a hefty cocktail, and thinking, "That's it ... we're screwed." Saturday, I joined a large group of people doing a Women's History Month ride on the Peloton ... 60 minutes of pushing my body to the limit while listening to amazing words from artists like Melissa Etheridge, Annie Lennox, Ani DiFranco. By Sunday, I was seeing the rage and fire and determination building, and it helped me feel like there is yet another growing swell of motivation to vote and activate.

Beyond that, I've been keeping a Covid scrapbook of what life looks like during this time. I didn't anticipate I would still be adding to it, nearly seven months later.

Someone in my extended family circle has died unexpectedly. She was a joyful and positive spirit. Her passing has made me realize that I frown more than I smile, and talk more than I listen.

I have made a conscious decision to be happy every single day, no matter what challenges I face. Although I am in pain today from a physical issue, I still laughed, I still smiled and I am still courting abundance,

I think that this may be one of the best decisions I ever made.

@ghandigirl 

It’s really all we can do if we are to carry on.

I’m sorry this light in your life has moved on. It sounds like you learned valuable lessons from her about gratitude; how wonderful she must have been in the life your family! ?

@deetoo

I really wanted to read this as this applies to do many of us in my personal tribe especially my littlest ones!

Even though i have a temporary free account still standing and supposedly should work on my phone it just plain doesn't but even the first paragraph i could see to read was great! 

I just noticed this thread carries the "I am so angry" tag. Just as an aside i prefer to see anger as a corollary to fear and not the opposite of love and gratitude which to is what being able to cope is all about. 

I truly appreciate the honest but not angry posts we have so far. Blessings,  love and great gratitude for and to each and everyone of you!

@ghandigirl

I am deeply, deeply touched, moved yo further joy and heartfelt expansion by this beautiful and wonderfully amazing leap of understanding you just created in not only yourself ghandigirl but the world. 

Each and every time one of progresses on our individual paths of enlightenment we help others on this site who think they are "woke" and really all who think they are by this faddy word then really they are still in maya the true word for the illusion of who we earth bound beings truly live under and within.

You, my dear precious spirit of a being get and see the truth every day and best of all you see it by our worlds examples and you are so wonderful to share so much with all of us!

Just plain love you woman!

?????????

PS i am however truly sad for the loss of this dear heart from your circle " but yes as @lowlide posted the gifts/teachings/your quick understanding is so great that it actually frees her entrapment as i understand from those who don't want her to go and cling to her spirit from prolonged wailing as many of us have done in the past with others transcending.

@ghandigirl I am so sorry to hear this.  I’m sending you a big hug and so much love right now.   Moments like this shake us up and rock our core.   They also help us to see with a different lens.   So even though you have grief in your heart smile your beautiful smile.  You are here and we need you.   We are here for you.  ❤️❤️❤️

@ghandigirl I saw a little hummingbird gazing at me this morning while meditating on my balcony.  I always see hummingbirds as spirited souls sending a positive and peaceful message from the other side.  I am deeply sorry for your loss but it’s beautiful that you can see an inkling of positiveness and find joy and love in the little things that’s present in your daily life.  Stay safe and May you be filled with singing hummingbirds throughout the month.

share the love and light 

Can air be oppressive?  I keep telling myself to breathe, but all I am feeling is a huge thick wave of oppressive air weighing me down.

I found out last night that the son of the Occupier is visiting my city today.  Not only that, but the event is one mile away from where I live.   When I heard the news last night, I thought about walking there to protest.  I thought about slogans on signs "I dissent!"  or "200,00O reasons to elect Biden" and so many others.  I thought I would/ could  go alone if need be cuz 2 is an odd time for friends/people to gather for a protest.  

But here at home I reside.  

I shouldn't go alone.  Not wise to go especially after the Breonna Taylor officer indictments today.  Trump people are VERY vocal here and I would be big target carrying a sign as I walked through  neighborhoods, there and back.  So here I am stuck at home (roads are mostly closed and blocked off).  

The event has started and I am feeling this horrible energy.  I have never "saged" anything before, but I don't suppose you can "sage" your entire neighborhood anyway. 

This would be an excellent time for Stay Puff to march down the street and wander over to the rally don't you think?

@michele-b Hi I write about Emotions.  I want to say you are spot on about anger being a collary to fear.  So many 'experts' want to put emotions on a map or chart or wheel and explain them away as if they can be defined like a chemical, atom, shape, or compound. I believe emotions are experiences individual and unique to each of us. 

There is power in emotion.  There is energy in it too.  I believe we ALL can send positive vibration of healing love compassion caring kindness and protection for America and hate speech will begin to sound hollow.  Let us do a five minute blast of light into the hearts of those attending his gatherings ten minutes in.  Mark them on your calendar. Pray for humanity each time.

Please send a blast of love and prayer of protection for the State of Florida. Pray for protection from hate speech.

Thu, September 24, 2020
07:00 pm (EDT)
Doors Open: 04:00 pm

Cecil Airport
13365 Simpson Way
Jacksonville,FL,32221

There is unfortunately more of these in the TP events page.  Remember light shines in the darkness. Lightworkers can send light to change history for the better.

OK, Lovendures,

You keep making me laugh with your Stay-Puft comments, so I will tell you a secret. I have a three-foot tall rubber Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.

He was originally a Halloween decoration, but he cracks me up, so he stays out all year. He looks good in my kitchen.

@polarberry

That is hysterical!!! What are the odds on you having a Stay Puff Marshmallow Man in your kitchen? and me talking about him today?  Thanks for telling me.

Wonder if I was picking up on your Marshmallow Man?

I remember the first time I saw that movie. When Stay-Puft appeared, I couldn't stop laughing. I've always loved him. 

You might guess that I have a horribly warped sense of humor.

Thank you @firstcat!

"I write about emotions."

An intriguing discussion can easily branch off from this as pretty much all we say and do is triggered by range of emotions we all share but that can be so amazingly expressed by each of us from moment to moment as we go about this uniquely human experience here on earth.

As we often share and discuss here many of us have strong bonds with the animals we connect with whether personally,  such as the domestic animals that we can so love and the  responsive emotions we see, feel, and love in our cats and dogs (primarily) and how treasured these special connections are to how our less than loving variety of emotions play out on outer threads 

As we might also discuss how disruptive,  painful, and separating some emotions are when then create chasms between ourselves and friends or family (especially politically) in our IRL or Virtual experiences.

I think we all will find that if we look --really really look -- at the role emotions play in the things we say and do- (all day long) there are many, many opportunities here to chime in with more understanding (from each of our unique perspectives) in our discussions on this forum.

Whether it is here, on one of our many "coping" threads, or in any of our many multi-faceted threads under a variety of topics, recognizing our emotions is an excellent way to begin the excavation of our selves along the path of so many incredibly stressful challenges in these changing times.

Really and truly understanding emotions is a huge part of our journey and our reactions to them and the patterns they create in our lives really connects to the ways we cope.