I really like this idea and have used it several times myself! Yell! True, screaming at the top of your lungs – as hard as you can. Although this may not be feasible in your house, it works very well when you’re in your car with the windows closed. Uttered a guttural cry from deep inside. It’s liberating! Sing. As we have said in the previous chapter, music can be extremely beneficial in getting rid of stress. Think how you may feel better when you belt out “Copacabana” at the top of your lungs! Who cares if you can not make a song? You do this for you! Take a new hobby like knitting or crochet. Do not worry about being good at it. This process is beneficial. Remain seated while performing repetitive movements is calming and stabilizing for many people. It may be time to gather your thoughts. Start a garden. Even in apartments can do. Inside in pots, pots on the patio, pots, a small spot in your yard. There is little work for the establishment. Taking care of plants, fruits, vegetables, flowers and watching them grow, bloom, or yield food is rewarding. Avid gardeners say working a garden is the best way to control stress and anxiety. An added benefit is the creation of a more beautiful, restful environment. Playing with a dog or a cat. Experts say pet owners have longer lives and fewer stress symptoms than non-pet owners. Play with your pet to provide good vibration – for you and the animal! It is a form of social interaction without pressure to meet the expectations of anyone! Look at the stars and the moon. It can be a very humbling experience to put on a blanket with your hands behind your head and look towards the night sky. It’s more humiliating is just beautiful and relaxing! Just the other night, my little son and I got a blanket and lay in the yard to watch the moon rising behind the clouds and watching the stars. There are only three, so it’s a fascinating experience for him, but looking at the sky through his eyes is even more fascinating to me. I could feel all my worries melt as we chatted about the astronauts a chance to see the end of the scale of stars and the universe while we remain so small. When you look at the vastness of the sky, you realize that our problems are minimal compared to that. I also have a great comfort to see that a bright star in the sky that is always over my house. When the mother of my best friend died, we left the car after the entrance of his visitation rights and five years old my friend and I stopped to gaze at the stars. She noted a particular star and said: “It’s my grandmother. She is our guardian angel now.” Every time I see this star, I know that Cheryl is there and it will help me get through anything! Give yourself a little comfort food. But be careful, or overeating can become your stress. Enjoy in moderation and feel better. I like mashed potatoes and gravy and macaroni and cheese. They are my comfort food. But I make sure I do not overdo it. I give myself just enough to put on soothing feeling. Swing. Remember the feeling of sitting inside this little piece of leather on the pitch you swing back and forth and feel the wind whipping through your hair? Do it! If you do not swing in your yard, go to a playground and remember to pump your legs back and forth to see how high you can go. It’s liberating! Take a bubble bath by candlelight. Even you guys out there can enjoy a hot bath bathed in the soft glow of candlelight. Put your head back, feel the bubbles and hot water, and let your stress go right down the drain when you pull the plug!