Letting Loose

I had a pretty stressful day at work yesterday.  A co-worker was a little frantic about an upcoming project, and her anxiety was causing me to stress out.  I was telling another co-worker about it to try to figure out how to respond to the other situation, and they told me about a study they saw on the news investigating whether or not stress is contagious.  The findings of this study confirmed what I was feeling yesterday: someone else's stress was causing me stress.

April is National Stress Awareness Month and Vegas.com is encouraging people to let loose this month. Can you think of any place in the world more stress-free than Las Vegas?   If we all let loose a little and had a "Las Vegas State of Mind" in our daily lives, what a bunch of easy-going people we'd be!  So, let's talk about some of the ways I let loose, especially after stressful days like yesterday!

1. Spending time with Joe
He's always a good stress reliever!  Yesterday, we went to the movies, which was a great way for me to let loose after work.

We also like to watch sports together (note our regular attendance at the Cubs baseball games this summer), spend time outdoors (particularly at the beach or pool), and cook/eat together.

2. Running
Sometimes, letting loose for me means lacing up my running shoes and getting in a few miles.

Running gives me good quality time with myself, and it's nice to get in some exercise while de-stresssing!

3. Reading
Letting loose can sometimes mean getting involved in a good book!  I can escape to another world for a while, and that's a great stress reliever.  Particularly when said reading occurs on the beach!

4. Praying
A lot of times, I stress out about situations that I cannot control.  To let loose, sometimes I need to pray about the situation and ask for some patience, guidance, or ability to let it go from God.  Philippians 4:6-7 says:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Sounds like the epitome of letting loose to me!

So, as National Stress Awareness Month comes to a close, I encourage YOU to let loose today.  I can tell you that it made a big difference in my day yesterday, and I was much happier and ready to get back to work this morning because of it!  And, don't just let loose today; keep it going by finding 5 minutes each day to do something that helps you let go of your stress and restore your happiness!

***Disclaimer: I was asked by Vegas.com to join their #LetLoose2014 campaign.  All opinions are my own.***

Question for you: What are some ways you let loose when feeling stressed?