Do you still remember playing in the streets when you were just a little kid and shouting time first to your playmates in the middle of takbuhan, langit at lupa and other games? I still do. I'm not even sure how it came to be that instead of time out we shout time first as kids. How grammatically wrong are we. But as kids, we understand each other. When someone shouts that term we know that they are asking time to take a break, breath and rest for a while and if you're losing, it also means buying time to come up with new strategies.
How I wish that in grown-up's world, I still can shout time first whenever everything feels like about to swallow me. Thank God for one and a half hour workday break, weekends and holidays when I can't shout time first just yet.
But I know that in truly elevating my stresses in life, I have to manage it and not put it all to chances of vacations.
It is nice to be able to take vacations once in a while but trips can be hard to our pockets and time-consuming too. Managing stress is an everyday thing that should be free or inexpensive at the very least. We should be able to squeeze it in, in our busy schedule.
Here I list down some ways I do to release stress, hope you will be able to find something useful too:
1. run. Or take any sport you like, you can do it after work. Invite friends and workmates. There's nothing like bonding over sweat and tense muscles. Add a friendly competition to it to make it more fun and challenging.
2. walk in the night. I walk from our office to van terminal. You can ask your workmates with the same route going home with you to do the same. While walking, it's a chance to get to know each other more by sharing stories and laughs. Walking is also an exercise. Just remember to be safe.
3. grab a drink. This does not necessarily translate to having alcoholic drinks. Fruit juices and milk teas are the fad now and they are cheaper than coffee too. They also offer a lot of varieties.
3. window shop. Is reading your passion? browse titles in the bookstores. Thinking of upgrading your work or gimik wardrobe? Canvass so when your hard-earned money comes, you know the best buys already. You could also window shop and TRY new things in gadget stores. Before embarking on this activity though, discipline your mind that you are only there to LOOK and not buy :-)
4. acknowledge and release your insecurities. We may not be conscious of it, but our whining and stress is a result of our insecurities. Do you feel that your friend has it all? You feel that all the dirty work is being given to you but your efforts are not properly recognized? Your boyfriend/girlfriend has the hots on a workmate? Acknowledge it. There is nothing wrong in having insecurities. We all have that. Even the most beautiful or successful also feels they are not enough sometimes. But as you acknowledge this, don't be hard on yourself. Forgive yourself and let go of the insecurities. Take comfort in the truth that you have things others don't have or just wish for. Remember that God made you unique and your journey is yours alone. Be confident in knowing that you could love and give what others couldn't. You are chosen to carry the job because your boss believes in you or want to hone you by challenges. Your boyfriend/girlfriend may admire others but they chose you and will be faithful to you. Revel in being you and strive to become a better version of you.
5. smile. This is a quick beautifying tool everyone swears by especially because this is FREE! Look in the mirror in the morning and before stepping out of the office and smile to yourself. Feeling stressed? remember to smile to yourself. The person in front of you or the one you're talking on the phone is annoying you? smile at them. Stretching your lips to form a half moon upward curve is easy. It may not come naturally at the start but with practice, this can be your best weapon against stress and aging. Make this your habit with constant practice :-)
There are a lot of things we can do to be happy and healthy amid our toxic schedules, family problems, work and relationship issues. It's the commitment to do them that is important and we need to build.
But when all else fails don't forget that we can still shout Time First at life.
Take a deep breath, regroup and plan, then with heads up face life again with a smile. ;-)
