How do you handle stress?

This is a question that has many answers depending what type of person you are.  I know that stress, personally speaking, can really take you down if you let it.   It is so powerfully negative.  The question is, How do you not let it get the best of you?  How do you figure out how to get in control of it?

This is something I am learning about everyday.  While on my journey of renewal,  I find at times that stress can still get me but my ways of dealing with it are somewhat different.  I used to find myself running to the nearest cabinet or the refrigerator where the food was.  It was like I was unconsciously shoving anything quick I could get my hands on in my mouth.  To feel that comfort to calm me down.  Before I knew it I must have taken in a million calories.  Then once I was out of state of whatever I was in I would then be ready for my meal of the day. Usually it was dinnertime.

I try so hard now to be extremely conscious of everything I eat.  Those terrible habits I am trying very hard to be rid of.  Don't get me wrong sometimes I get weak and eat something I should not but I think one of the important details is that I don't focus on it so much. And I realize that this too shall pass.  It is not a every day occurence like it used to be.

Another way I handled stress was to have my alcoholic fruity drinks that kind of helped me forget how sad I was. It made me temporarily happy for that while that I was loopy.  Of course after the alcohol wore off there I was back to reality.

I had stopped drinking alcohol at Lent time.  And I still have not drank.  I think the reason why I am sticking to my guns is because I don't want to be drinking for the wrong reasons.  I am afraid if I do, alcohol will just be another crutch for me.  I am trying so hard to make my life better.  It can be quite an effort sometimes.

At this point in my life I have taken out many things from my diet knowing that I need to be healthy physically and mentally.   I don't eat many things that everyone could not do without on a daily basis.  Some people may think I am a crazy woman for doing so.  But my thing is I want to eat to live not live to eat.   So, eating the healthiest I can only sets me up for a long and happy life without sickness or at least as much as I can prevent.    In addition, making sure my son has a good example to follow.  Childhood obesity is a whole other topic I could get into also but that will be for another blog entry of mine.  I have a lot to say about that too.

So, getting back to my original topic of how do you handle stress.  The bottom line is getting in control of it and not letting it rule your life.  Once your stress levels are in control,  the way you handle any challenges that come your way, you'll think twice about letting your old habits rule you.  Believe me I know.  This is all from personal experience.