How do y’all manage life? Do you have any small steps for solving stress?
My stress is starting to ease up a bit, and now my brain has enough space to actually think about the impact stress has had on me.
I look back at the last few—okay, several—years. It’s been over five years of non-stop stress. Five! Dang! That’s probably the longest stretch I’ve had, and I’m no spring chicken.
My parents needed help, and even though my relationship with my family is…complicated, I wanted to be there for them. So, I dropped everything and moved into a cozy little hovel down the street. Then, I started interacting with siblings who’ve been shunning me for decades. (I left the family religion when I was old enough to support myself.)
Let’s just say it resurrected some old trauma and dealing with that has been a trip.
I know that taking care of myself helps manage stress—diet is a huge part of that. But in the trenches? Sometimes it’s hard to do the things you know are good for you. When you’re overwhelmed, making your own salad dressing or baking low-carb treats instead of grabbing a Little Debbie feels downright impossible.
Sometimes just surviving feels impossible, let alone keeping all those healthy habits intact. And if you start stressing about managing stress and beating yourself up for not living a perfect life, it gets even harder.
But here’s the thing: I’m learning a more gentle approach.
First of all, whatever you need to do to get through is okay. When I was stuck in bed for two-and-a-half months with a broken leg, even basic things like going to the bathroom or washing my hair required help. Sugar was one of the only things that cheered me up. Sitting there, spaced out on pain meds, watching birds on the webcam my husband set up, I indulged in chocolate. A lot of chocolate.
Was it ideal? No. But was it okay? Absolutely. I was doing the best I could at the time. And your best is always enough because, well, it’s all you’ve got! Acceptance, man. It’s key.
Now, that doesn’t mean we can’t improve. I’m all about positive change! But the first step is always acceptance.
Right now, my eating habits are okay. Not great, but not terrible. I avoid sweets almost entirely because my self-control is non-existent in that department, but I’m still downing enough starches I’m not going to lose even the few pounds that would improve my blood pressure. (I told you, I’m getting old.)
I could get cranky with myself for not making better choices. But I’m not going to.
Instead, I’m taking the same approach I use with the other areas in my life that need ‘cleaning up.’ I’m focusing on small, concrete actions to move in the direction I want to go.
When cleaning feels overwhelming, I tackle one or two things that bother me the most. If my to-do list feels like too much, I pick the easiest task and knock it out. Simple. Done.
And the same goes for food. While my habits aren’t ideal, some of them aren’t bad either. I lean into what works.
We got into the routine of having a salad with dinner every night while I was laid up with the broken leg. It was easy, healthy, and my husband could whip it up without issue.
But plain salad gets boring. So, I asked myself, “What little things can I do to make this more appealing?”
Now, I mix different types of lettuce, and I keep a deli container filled with colorful chopped peppers, onions, and coleslaw mix as salad toppings. Mixing up textures and colors keeps it interesting. Win!
Another small win? Bacon! My favorite salad upgrade. I buy bulk boxes, portion them into freezer bags, and toss a few snipped slices into the air fryer for a quick addition to our nightly dinner.
Even breaking out the bulk bacon into bags is one of my ‘little things.’
(Pictured in my colorfully lit kitchen.)
Speaking of bulk meat purchases, that’s one of the fabulous money-saving tips from DJ Foodie’s book, Making Ends Meat. It’s on Flash Sale for a few days (and you can even pay in installments if that helps).
I still haven’t made that homemade salad dressing yet, but I do have plans to whip up some sweet treats soon. I’ve been craving some chocolate.
In fact, my latest recipe—Choco Peanut Butter Keto Bliss Bars—is coming up next. I’m making a double batch, and having those on hand is another one of those little things that helps me avoid more starches when I need a little emotional comfort.
And that’s good enough.
Doesn’t this look great? Yum!
What small steps can help you solve stress?
