Under Pressure

If you haven't noticed, I am a neurotic individual. I typically am stressed out, all the time, for no apparent reason. If I do not consciously think about it, my shoulders are tight and lifted towards my head, and I am always shaking my leg. Some may call that a "calming strategy", but I call it neurotic nancy behavior.

Yes, I have a lot of responsibilities. Who doesn't? I still don't have any human lives to look after except for myself, so my life really isn't that difficult. It doesn't matter because one of my flaws is that I always get stressed out, even if I don't consciously know it. I have tried self talk strategies (I start talking to myself about all I need to get done), getting massages (I have had massage therapists say "ew" when working on me), taking warm baths (sitting in my own dirt makes me anxious), shaking lavender oil over my bed (I pour too much), drinking tea (typically, but not always, burn my tongue. I do like a nice cup of tea because it makes me feel British), you name it. Doesn't work. The only thing that relaxes me is watching my shows, but that is distraction, not relaxation.

This stressed out Mer thing is a real bummer because I have learned in my classes and in a training I was in last week, stress actually can kill you. It causes heart disease, diabetes and even bronchitis. It can genetically alter your cells! Did you know that shit? I didn't.

Also, when you are stressed out, cortisol doesn't come to your cells to reduce inflammation. Inflammation wreaks havoc on your body.

I. am. screwed.

Lately, I have been praying that I don't die of a heart attack because I truly don't mean to be stressed! I have tried all the techniques in the book but I still get myself in a tizzy. Something that does help is to tell myself I am going to give it to God. God is the only being in the universe that I trust with my to-do list(s).

I hope you guys don't get as anxious and stressed as I do, on the reg. If you do, try some of the techniques I stated, I am sure you will have better luck with them than I, because I, Mer In America, am a giant spaz.

With that, I am going to leave you with something I saw on Pinterest that did not necessarily calm me down, but did make me laugh (laughing gives you a burst of dopamine, which makes you happy, like an ice cream cone or Bud Light).

She looks so much like Nugget!

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