We all have bad days. Whether you’re having trouble at work, you’re unhappy at home, your bills are overflowing, you’ve gained 10 pounds or your kids are not doing well at school, you’re not alone. The question this raises is, what do you do about it? Do you reach for alcohol, marijuana, coke or pills to temporarily whisk your insecurity and worries away? If so, you probably know that these substances do nothing to resolve problems. In fact, they’ll most likely lead to more problems, like addiction.
Turning to substances lowers your productivity, thus it will take longer to achieve your goals. Rather than drinking, smoking or pill-popping your life into oblivion, there are effective types of stress relief that can lead you to a happier and more productive path.
You have probably been told to seek healthy stress-relief, like getting a massage, going for a jog or finding a scenic spot to relax. These are good ideas, and SAFE has more suggestions:
Make a goal journal. Take a piece of paper and list all of your long term aspirations. Fold this paper vertically, and use it as a bookmark in an empty notebook. Whenever you have time, read your bookmark/wish-list and write down what you’ve done to get closer to achieving your goals.
Write down the things that are upsetting you. Take a piece of paper, that you will be destroying once this activity is done, and write down your problems. Be honest. Once you write down your thoughts, you’ll feel like you have less to hide and a weight has been lifted. Just putting your thoughts into writing will help relieve some inner angst. It will also help you define what you want to change about your life.
Talk with a therapist. In some communities, there is more shame placed on seeking help for problems than there is for getting drunk. It’s time for those who seek help to be very proud that they are working toward solutions. No one is immune to difficulty. Those who seek therapy are among the brave who are trying to improve. If you don’t know a therapist, talk to a rabbi, parent, sister, brother, cousin or friend. There are people all around you who are willing to help. All you have to do is ask. Turn to an older relative or rabbi, and ask him to share his wisdom. Talking to someone who cares is a much better solution than getting drunk.
Think of your life like a computer game that challenges you to save innocents from monsters or stop meteors from crashing into buildings. Problems in life are like opponents in video games. If you stay alert and sincerely try, you will win a very fulfilling future.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call SAFE’s confidential, toll-free hotline, 24/7 at 1-866-569-SAFE (1-866-569-7233) or email: ask@thesafefoundation.org. For more information visit TheSafeFoundation.org.
