How do you handle stress or upsetting situations?

Handling stress or upsetting situations can be tricky. To be entirely honest it’s something I still
struggle to manage, however, I’ve improved over time and developed some coping strategies
when I feel things are getting out of hand. When I become stressed, my automatic response is a self-destructive one. I think of anything I’ve done wrong leading up to that point, why it would be my own fault, why the situation even occurred in the first place. These thoughts don’t help anything, the primary goal, when placed in any situation, should be to look for a solution, not dwell on how you got there! So to deal with my stress, I have to find ways to quiet my thinking!

I figured out that music is the perfect escape for me. I’ve learned taking a step back, popping in my headphones, and just listening for a bit can make such a large impact. If you feel upset in the midst of a situation, you’re prone to making poor decisions, which in return could make it worse. Taking a moment to pause, breathe, and exist without that stress can provide the clarity needed to handle it when it matters most.

My other strategy involves going outside and focusing on one of my senses, usually sound. If I
need to fully remove myself from a situation, this works very well for me. If possible, I try to
find somewhere in the sunlight and take a seat. With my eyes closed, I pinpoint every little detail I can hear. Birds, the breeze, a car in the distance, anything. After a few minutes, my breathing slows down and I’ve become so focused on the sounds there’s not a single negative thought in my head. By using distraction, an upsetting situation can be dealt with in a positive mindset!