Unstressed Life

Anxiety

Tips to Beat the Holiday Blues

The holidays are supposed to be a time of happiness and joy spent with close friends and family. However for many of us Thanksgiving and Christmas can be a time of isolation and sadness. As someone who has lost both parents, the holidays are a painful reminder that they are no longer around. When I attend family events with my extended family it’s an in the face reminder that my mom and dad are gone. This causes feelings of anger, resentment, and jealousy when I see my cousins spending time and creating new memories with their parents which I will never be able to do again. My wife visits with her parents during the holidays and my kids always enjoy this special time with their grandparents. It makes me sad that they will never be able to enjoy these moments with my parents. I know all too well the feelings…

Fitness

Exercise Every Day for Happiness and Health!

I work out every day. EVERY SINGE DAY! That may sound crazy but this has been a game changer for me. Let me be clear, this does not mean that I am lifting heavy weights every day. Quite the contrary…. most days I just do cardio. But I truly believe exercising daily has helped me keep my sanity. My fitness level is also really good for someone in their 40’s(humble brag)! Most days I do 20-25 minutes of cardio on the StairMaster Stepmill at my local gym. This workout really helps me get my heart rate up and workup a nice sweat. I usually exercise on level 14 or 15 so it’s pretty intense. I typically go right after work and I find that this helps me clear my mind and burn away some of the anxiety and stress from the day before I go home so I can be…

Featured

Stressed Out? Play Tetris to Ease Your Anxiety

Anxiety sucks. The constant worrying and tension can quickly burn you out and lead to depression. I’ve found many activities to help relieve my anxiety such as exercising, going for long bike rides and playing video games. Now there is research that supports the notion that video games can help with anxiety. Well at least one of them has been proven to help…..Tetris. I can personally vouch for this as I have found it nearly impossible to stay stressed while playing a good old fashioned game of Tetris. Researchers from the University of California (UC) Riverside have determined that playing Tetris increases “flow” which disrupts the patterns of worry. Essentially playing Tetris can soothe the mind. One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday evening is sit in a comfortable chair, put on one of my favorite podcasts and play a game of Tetris or Tetris Attacks on…

Career

Remember It’s Just a Job

I hate my job. I mean I really hate my job. Every single day is a struggle and I believe that it is slowly killing me. I am stressed all the time and my anxiety is through the roof which I know can’t be healthy. The worst part of my day is waking up and knowing that it is time to go in to work. I’ve been at the same company now for 8 years and it is a toxic environment that is a pressure cooker. There are office politics around every corner and it is simply not a place I want to be a part of anymore. Just the other day on my way in to work I was so depressed that I went to an empty parking lot and contemplated turning around and just going back home and getting back in bed. I ended up going in…

Healthy Eating

Eat a Salad Every Day

If you want to be healthy you need to eat healthy. It’s a pretty simple concept but it can be hard to follow with all the tasty but unhealthy food options surrounding us at all times. Convenient food choices are often the most unhealthy so you need to make it easy and convenient to eat healthy. One of the best ways to do this is to commit to eating a salad every day. This is something that I do every day. You should make it easy for yourself by preparing your lettuce in advance and then storing it in container for easy and quick access when you are hungry. I usually eat Romaine lettuce which is chock full of nutritional goodness! Check out these values in just one cup! Benefits of eating salad (Romaine lettuce) Only 8 calories 5 grams of fiber 82% vitamin A 60% vitamin K 19% vitamin…

Exercise Equipment

Feeling Stressed? Go for a Bike Ride

When I am feeling stressed out one of my favorite things to do is to go on a long bike ride. I will go for a 10-15 mile bike ride while I listen to a good audio book, podcast or music while I just lose myself. I make sure to keep the volume down so I can hear cars! There is something about getting out on the open road with clear skies and the sun beating down on your back that can melt your stress and anxiety away. It’s really hard to stay in a state of high anxiety while you are climbing a hill or taking in the scenery. I live in the southern region of the United States so it can get really hot. I’m talking over 100 degrees but I don’t let that stop me. I just make sure I stay well hydrated with one of those…

inspiring quotes

What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?

What would you do if you weren’t afraid? I first saw this quote years ago when I read Who Moved my Cheese? by Spencer Johnson 20 years ago soon after I had graduated from college. This book is a quick read that changed my life and this quote has stuck with me ever since. This concept does not mean the absence of fear just how you should respond in the midst of it. Many times it is easy to let fear dictate how we respond to situations. I sometimes repeat this saying in my mind before a big presentation or meeting. This concept has given me the courage to speak up in meetings, make decisions that no one else was willing to and invest in rental real estate with all cash during the Great Recession. When I purchased my first rental property it was in 2008 during the height of…

Featured

How to Fight the Sunday Night Blues

When you hate your job and the weekend is coming to an end Sunday evenings can be brutal. As the evening rapidly approaches the dread can be overwhelming. Or maybe you love your job or just slightly dislike it occasionally but still aren’t looking forward to Monday. The anxiety and feeling of impending dread as you approach Monday is commonly known as the Sunday Night Blues. I HATE my job so I know this feeling all too well. If I am not careful the “Sunday Blues” can ruin most of my Sunday and cause a huge amount of anxiety and needless worrying. If you are like me and unable to just quit your job without another one lined up (I have 2 kids and too many responsibilities to just walk away) here are some tips that may help. Remember this too shall pass… It can help to remember that your…

Personal Finance

Need More Money? Create Multiple Sources of Income

Tired of Being Broke? If you’re like most people you are probably asking yourself how can I make more money? How can I make more cash now? Well my friend look no further. Here are some different ways to boost your income. I’m a firm believer that the best thing you can do is to diversity your sources of cash. That way if one or two go away temporarily you won’t find yourself standing in the bread line. Salary From Your Job This is most likely your primary source of income. Well I hate to break it to you but if this is your only source of money this is a HUGE mistake. This is a massive risk and you should not have all your eggs in one basket. If you work for “the man” then you run the risk of being fired at any time for any reason. I’ve…

Personal Finance

5 Surprising Things I Learned After Paying Off My House 3 Years Ago

This past July marked the 3-year anniversary of me paying off my house and becoming completely debt-free. Ever since I purchased my first home back in 2005 this was a dream of mine. I absolutely despise debt and from Day 1 I was laser focused on paying off my home. First of all let me say, this was the last debt that I paid off. If you have high interest debt like credit cards or payday loans you should pay those off first. Also make sure you are funding your retirement through 401k and/or IRA. I started paying off my house only after I had paid off credit cards, student loans, and my vehicles. As the guy at the Honda dealer told me when I drove up to get my 2002 Honda Accord serviced “Wow buddy…you drive them from can to can’t”! Also I focused on buying a house that…

My Lexapro Journey Begins

When You Just Want to Stop Worrying

Worried About Getting Your Physical Exam? Go Anyway!

Hate Your Job? Here’s How You Can Survive

Tips to Beat the Holiday Blues

Exercise Every Day for Happiness and Health!

Stressed Out? Play Tetris to Ease Your Anxiety

Remember It’s Just a Job

Eat a Salad Every Day

Feeling Stressed? Go for a Bike Ride

What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?

How to Fight the Sunday Night Blues

Need More Money? Create Multiple Sources of Income

5 Surprising Things I Learned After Paying Off My House 3 Years Ago