Beyond Quick Fixes: Healthy Ways of Coping With Daily Stress

How do you relax at the end of a stressful day? Are your go-to ways of relaxation coming at a high cost? 

If you are like many, you might prefer quick fixes like alcohol, smoking, or endless screen time that provide temporary relief but come at a high cost. 

If we aren’t intentional about how we can relax and rejuvenate after a difficult day, it’s easy to rely on what is readily available in life. This post discusses choosing healthier long-term alternatives to help us deal with everyday stresses. 

Amsterdam’s Pride: A Lesson in Choices

Over the summer, my family and I took a trip to Amsterdam. As we headed out sightseeing towards the famous nine streets, we noticed that the roads got busier and busier, and before we knew it, large crowds celebrating Amsterdam’s Gay Pride Week surrounded us. 

Amsterdam’s streets bustled with thousands of people walking with flags, street performers entertaining crowds, and canals with boats carrying large groups of people who sang and danced to popular music. 

It was the largest street party we had ever attended, and we hadn’t even expected it. It was a new experience for our teenager as he witnessed people parading for equal rights. 

Even though we enjoyed the festive atmosphere, the large crowds made it difficult to navigate the streets. The air reeked of smoke and alcohol, and roads were covered with empty bottles and litter everywhere. 

My asthmatic son was visibly upset. ‘Why do people drink and smoke so much?’. He asked. ‘Don’t they know it’s bad for them?’ 

I found this to be a teaching moment as a parent. I explained that they were celebrating being themselves and feeling included. But that they were choosing to indulge in alcohol as a means of celebrating. 

Our conversation quickly led to other instances during which people rely on alcohol and more external substances. 

So, we talked about how life can sometimes be challenging. We discussed how stress becomes unavoidable when people grow older and gain more responsibilities like a full-time job, marriage, or kids. 

When you do not have the tools to handle the hectic nature of life, I told my son, it becomes easy to rely on things that provide quick relief. We discussed healthy alternatives that can help us deal with difficult days.

Choosing Consciously: Navigating Life’s Stresses

My conversation with my child remained with me for several weeks after. It had me thinking about how so many of us rely on alcohol, food, or devices as a way to cope with life. 

I am not talking about serious illnesses like addiction but the casual reliance on external things as a way to relax and unwind from our day.

Whether it is a toxic job or an argument with a spouse, there are many sources of stress in our daily lives. It’s easy to opt for that glass of drink after a hectic day at work or spend hours watching TV to deal with everyday stressors.

While a drink provides immediate satisfaction and calms our central nervous system, our favorite TV shows make us laugh or transport us to another reality, making us forget our stresses. 

But what if we chose not to numb the pain in our lives? What if we chose to deal with it instead? It all begins with knowing that we have a choice in how we deal with difficult times. 

We can choose easy ways that result in long-term negative effects or start building tools we can rely on when things get tough. It is ultimately up to us to decide how we want to live our lives. 

Embracing Healthier Alternatives

Training Your Mind

There is no universal set of resources that work for everyone as a way to reduce our daily stress. But self-healing can begin with training our minds. Without training, our mind can easily be victim to every curve ball life throws.

We can choose to train our minds by learning how to meditate. It can help us go inward and gain more self-awareness. It can help us stay rooted in the present moment. 

Proper meditation training can also change your outlook on life, how you view people, and how you interpret situations. 

It can help us see the world differently and see people positively. These skills can help us address the root of any problem. 

Finding an Outlet for Self-Expression

When dealing with difficult situations, finding a way to express yourself is vital to long-term well-being. It could mean journaling or seeing a therapist where you can confide in a safe space without any inhibitions.

Either of these can be an excellent way to gain clarity on the situation at hand without being concerned about being judged. 

Surrounding Ourselves with a Community

Isolation can make our problems even worse. Belonging to a community can make us feel connected and, in turn, reduce our daily stresses. 

Being part of it can go a long way in our journey toward well-being, whether spiritual or hobby-based. Knowing we aren’t alone and that someone has our back can reduce the magnitude of our other problems.

The Crossroads of Choices: Cultivating Conscious Living

As life throws its challenges our way, we can either deal with our stress by overworking, overdrinking, or overindulging in food, or we can tread an alternate path – a path of conscious choices. 

In this path, we can choose to be intentional about how we live our lives. If we aren’t intentional, the ever-evolving society will make our choices for us. 

We become victims of the latest technology, alcohol, and whatever quick fixes are available to us.

When we face stressful times, we can go inward, train our minds, and make conscious decisions. So, begin your journey today of embracing healthy ways to deal with life. 

It won’t instantly replace binge-watching, emotional eating, or the comfort of a drink, but over time, your healthier choices can become equal to or even overtake the other unhealthy coping habits in your life.