Lifestyle Wellness

How to handle stress while on the go

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How to handle stress while on the go

Picture this: you’re having a really good, productive day. After work, you get in you car and can’t wait to get home. You get on the freeway, and your engine light comes on. 

No biggie, right? Then, your car suddenly starts to slow down while you’re in the fast lane, and eventually comes to a stop. That happened to me this summer. I can honestly say that something like that happening, was one of my worst nightmares. Although, I do have to say that now I sort of feel like a proper adult.

I’ve never dealt with car trouble before. I think that I did get a flat tire once, while I was in college, but that was it. This summer when I was driving home that day, I seriously thought that I was going to have some kind of a nervous breakdown. As my car started to suddenly slow down out of the blue, I immediately tried pulling over to the shoulder. And kids, if anything like that happens while you’re driving, pull over to the side and call for help. Well.. that’s not what I did. I panicked. My parents live nearby, so I thought, let me just go to their house and have my dad take a look at the car. I was moving maybe 5 miles per hour, I turned the AC off (oh, did I mention it was 98 degrees that day?) and even though I lived in that area for years and my parents’ home was 5 minutes away, I got lost. Don’t ask me how.

So as I’m driving 5 mph, trying to put their address in my GPS, I’m starting to sweat, my hands are shaking, I don’t know where I’m going.. and then a groundhog crosses the road and stops right in front of my car. I try to drive around it, it starts walking to the left, I go to the right and it starts walking in the same direction. I mean, really? REALLY? So, being the sane person that I am, I opened the window and started yelling at the poor thing to get out of the way.

Eventually, I did make it to my parents’ house and it turned out that my radiator was broken and had to be replaced (which, thankfully, my dad was able to do). Now that I talk about it, I laugh at myself, but in that moment, I was so stressed out that I really thought I was going to go crazy.

There are so many things that cause stress while you’re on the go- some are small, like having to meet deadlines at work, some are a bit bigger- like your car stopping in the middle of the freeway. So, how do you deal with stress in those situations, when taking 20 minutes to cool off, just isn’t an option?

STRESS SIGNALS

As you experience stress, your body sends out stress signals- your heart beats faster, your muscles tighten, your palms are starting to sweat. To best deal with unpredicted stress, you need to train yourself to recognize those signals and you’ll be able to better react to those stressful situations. When I’m having an unusually hectic day at work, I pay attention to my breathing- if I notice my breath becoming quick and shallow, that’s when I know that I need to identify those stressors and do my best to eliminate them.

rescue-stress-pastilles

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Ever since my little adventure with my car, I told myself that I never want to find myself in the same situation. But hey, truth is, I can’t prevent anything similar from happening to me in the future. I can, however, equip myself with some tools that will help me deal with that stress a little better (without having to yell at everyone in the immediate vicinity, like that poor groundhog…. I still think about him sometimes). Homeopathic remedies, like Rescue can be a big help in those situations. Rescue products work in “conjunction with herbs, homeopathy and medications and are safe for everyone, including children, pregnant women, pets and elderly“. I’ve been carrying their Rescue Pastilles and Rescue Remedy Spray in my bag, just for those occasional stressful situations. The lemon-flavored pastilles are 100% natural and safe to use for occasional stress relief. Just one pastille is enough  for me to calm my nerves – I keep some in my desk at work too. The Rescue Remedy Spray is a combination of five natural ingredients like Rock Rose and Impatiens. It’s easy and discrete to use- all you need is to apply two sprays on your tongue. I love using the Rescue Remedy Spray in emergency situations and only wish I’ve discovered it sooner.  Both the spray and the pastilles work almost instantly for me.

rewscue-remedy-review

Here’s why I fell in love with both of these products: they’re great to use on the go, they’re all natural (non-habit forming and it’s impossible to “take too much”), they calm me down without making me feel tired or sleepy which a lot of products/supplements I’ve tried in the past did. You guys know that I’ve suffered from anxiety, and while I’m doing much better now, I still get occasional anxiety/panic attacks (like during my recent root canal procedure that I told you about here– I was so surprised that I wasn’t the only one who deals with dental phobia as an adult!). No one ever plans on getting stressed, but it’s great to carry something with you that you know will help you relax before an important meeting or an exam (school… or dental  one :) ). Rescue products are also affordable and easy to find– just check your local Whole Foods, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Walgreens or Walmart.

rescue-remedy-spray-stress-relief

BREATHING EXERCISES 

Taking a few deep breaths is also something that can bring immediate relief when you’re stressed. Not too ago, I’ve discovered a really cool technique that can help you calm down in  about 10 seconds, in pretty much any situation. You take a deep breath in, through your mouth and hold your breath. While holding your breath, tense all of your muscles- your legs, face, neck, arms, and hold it for 5-10 seconds. Then, slowly exhale and release all the tension from your muscles. This seriously works wonders and best part is- you can do it anywhere (well.. maybe not while driving!).

Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand. When you’re stressed, whether it be due to bad or good experiences, your muscles tense up, you breathe faster in an effort to distribute oxygen and blood quickly to your body core, your heart rate and blood sugar level increases. When stress happens while you’re on the go- whether it be car trouble, your kids getting sick, an important meeting at work, traveling- you can’t always step away from the situation and give yourself some time to calm down. Equipping yourself with tools like recognizing your stress signals, a breathing technique or a homeopathic remedies like Rescue products can make a difference in the way you react to stress.

How do you guys like to deal with the stress of your “everyday” life? Do you have any go-to tools that help you calm down and relax during the day?

This post was sponsored by Rescue. 

 

44 Comments

  • Reply
    Tiffany Tales
    October 13, 2016 at 7:44 am

    This is such a great post. Thanks for sharing these stress busting tips, will really come in handy x

    Tiffany Tales | Beauty & Lifestyle

  • Reply
    Hannah McDonnell
    October 13, 2016 at 9:39 am

    That is so scary of what happened to you in the car! I would have been so nervous! We all have crazy days! Good post!
    Hannah
    glamlifeliving.com

  • Reply
    Jenny @ geekyposh.com
    October 13, 2016 at 9:58 am

    That may be my worst nightmare while driving (other than getting into an accident), so I know I definitely would’ve panicked. Thank you for sharing these tips, and I’ll have to check out those Rescue products!

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 13, 2016 at 12:10 pm

      Thanks Jenny! It was one of my worst nightmares, too! I can’t believe it actually happened to me haha.

  • Reply
    Sophie Stewart
    October 13, 2016 at 10:04 am

    These are some great tips! Sophie x

    sophiehmstewart.com

  • Reply
    Katie S.
    October 13, 2016 at 10:28 am

    Oh my gosh. I am going to be stocking up on this stuff ASAP. I work in an accounting firm so January-April 15th is a constant state of stress. I think everyone in my office will benefit from this! I try to do breathing exercises but sometimes I don’t even feel like I have the time to do it properly lol These will be a lifesaver! Thank you for sharing!! And gosh, I can’t even imagine the car issues. Being a fellow New Jersey resident, I know people on our roads aren’t exactly the most patient of people. I’m glad you made it through okay!!

    Katie | http://www.overthemoony.com

  • Reply
    Anika May
    October 13, 2016 at 10:45 am

    Great tips, I absolutely love Rescue Remedy – life saver!

    Anika | anikamay.co.uk

  • Reply
    Gabija Barkute
    October 13, 2016 at 11:23 am

    Great post! Sometimes life can get a bit much and it’s great to find new ways to combat stress!

    Gabija | everylittlethingblog.weebly.com

  • Reply
    Marta Sierra Marti
    October 13, 2016 at 12:37 pm

    Such great tips!! Love this brand!

    Marta

    http://www.martamademoiselle.com

  • Reply
    Abigail Alice
    October 13, 2016 at 1:05 pm

    The rescue products sound great. I took something similar before I sat for a four hour tattoo as i was so nervous prior but it went fine!

    Abigail Alice x

  • Reply
    Ambar Syed
    October 13, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    The Rescue Remedy products sound really great! Deep breathing is a great way of calming down a little as well – especially in high stress situations like the one you described!
    – Ambar x
    http://www.herlittleloves.co.uk

  • Reply
    Federica Mutti
    October 13, 2016 at 3:44 pm

    Hello Paula!

    This article is really interesting and useful, stress is a common problem and it’s always helpful to have some good advice and remedies! The more I grow up, the more I noticed that sometimes I can feel very stressed for many reason, even the most stupid (for example the night before leaving home for my Exchange Semester I was so anxious, and not even for a true reason!). Luckily most of the time I focus on my breath or go for a walk and calm down quite easily :)

    Lots of love from Italy and see you in your next post!

    Federica | http://www.federicamutti.com

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 14, 2016 at 6:39 pm

      Thank you so much Federica! Oh don’t worry I get stressed about really small things sometimes, too! haha :) You’re definitely not the only one :) x

  • Reply
    Natalie Harney
    October 13, 2016 at 3:48 pm

    Those rescue remedy pastilles sound really good, I might try and get some to keep in my bag – thanks for the tip!

    – Natalie
    http://www.workovereasy.com

  • Reply
    Sadie
    October 13, 2016 at 4:12 pm

    I love Rescue remedy, it is a lifesaver for me sometimes. My anxiety is so bad that I wouldn’t say it completely calms me but it definitely gets me down to a level where I am better able to cope with it. I’ve also discovered another herbal remedy made by Balancing Blooms called Calmdown which works a lot better for me :) xx

    eat-sleep-breathe-fashion.blogspot.co.uk

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 14, 2016 at 6:45 pm

      Anxiety is the worst, isn’t it? Love that these are so handy. When I feel really anxious I take another supplement, but it always makes me feel so sleepy! Glad you found something that works for you!

  • Reply
    mika
    October 13, 2016 at 6:22 pm

    I’ve never heard of these before but I’ve been really big on using aromatherapy as of late. My anxiety disorder keeps getting worse and it’s impacting my daily life a lot, so using aromatherapy and other little things has been helping me to calm down. I’m so sorry that happened to you on the freeway! It also happened to me too recently and luckily I was in the middle lane so I quickly got over. My car needs a new transmission so I’m carless for now :( thanks for sharing!

    xoxo
    http://www.hellohimawari.com

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 14, 2016 at 6:48 pm

      How amazing is aromatherapy? It really does help me, too. Aww thanks Mika, I’m surprised I survived haha I thought I was going to have a heart attack and was ao scared to drive my car after it was fixed lol

  • Reply
    Dea Andriany
    October 13, 2016 at 8:10 pm

    I was nodding along as I read about your car story, definitely happened to me once (in a while lol). Breathing exercise is amazing, it’s literally ‘stop and gather yourself moment’, and it’s even more magical when I have someone to ‘guide me’ through it. Thanks for the tips, as always, Paula.

    Selene Addicted

  • Reply
    Mary Ann
    October 13, 2016 at 11:50 pm

    About your car incident, it also happened to me but thankfully my sisters are with me so, I didn’t panicked… Thanks again for the tips…

    peppermintcrinkles.blogspot.com

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 14, 2016 at 6:49 pm

      Oh so lucky that you had someone with you!!

      • Reply
        Mary Ann
        October 17, 2016 at 1:34 am

        yes very lucky… my 2nd younger sister is very calm & have strong presence of mind that she didn’t panic at all…

  • Reply
    Kiss & Make-up
    October 14, 2016 at 3:49 am

    It’s incredible how much something as simple as just BREATHING can help, right?

  • Reply
    Lennae's World
    October 14, 2016 at 7:20 am

    I love rescue remedy how good is it! Breathing always helps me to, who would have thought haha!

    Lennae xxx
    http://www.lennaesworld.com

  • Reply
    Amanda Elizabeth
    October 14, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    Thats good to know! Thank you for the brand introduction <3

  • Reply
    Biana Perez
    October 14, 2016 at 8:08 pm

    I’ve never heard of this brand – thank you for sharing! I’ll definitely check it out before getting stressed!!

  • Reply
    Alina
    October 15, 2016 at 6:09 am

    Oh my god that sounds like a nightmare alright, anything to do with cars being broken and imagining myself breaking down in the middle of of the motorway etc. makes me feel super stressed out, so I can only imagine how you we’re feeling. I’ve never actually tried any Rescue products but I will definitely check them out now! x

    Beauty with charm

  • Reply
    The Gossip Darling
    October 27, 2016 at 12:23 pm

    Amazing ! Once again I have learned something since my new schedule has been a lot more stressful!

    XO

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