You wake up in a sweaty panic because you realize you overslept for that job interview you were really thrilled about (probably because your phone, the modern alarm clock, didn’t properly charge last night).
To collect yourself, you start up a steamy shower that you so desperately needed, only for the hot water to run out halfway through.
Then, after you get out of your “polar bear certified” shower, you discover that one of your old college roommates resurfaced a video set during those weird days you thought you can rap like Busta Rhymes (why of all things did THAT go viral?)
In agony, you just accidentally spilled coffee on your favorite shirt (you know, the one that says “I ♥ NY” even though you have never experienced the traditional Big Apple smell of “God knows what from God knows when”).
And for all your troubles at home, you decide to take a relaxing drive around town with your newly washed car (laughs in Los Angeles gas prices). Alas, you soon realize that your sweet, little bird friends did their best effort to repaint your car white (its their way of showing you they care).
Being human (and therefore being inherently flawed), we are prone to being trapped in our minds from time to time.
That especially goes on days when you try your best, but you don’t succeed and when you get what you want, but not want you need (Coldplay, I love you).
Sometimes life can get a little overwhelming, and on those days when we just can’t win, we need to adequately process and outlet some of the difficult emotions we harbor inside.
As there are many approaches in which one can exercise mindfulness, I will present some of the positive outlets that are very effective in helping me both cope and roll with the punches that life can deliver.
So let’s blow off some steam:
1. “Just keep [writing], just keep [writing]!” – Dory, probably
Ever since a high school therapist recommended this personal routine to me, I have kept a private journal and never thought twice about it (yes, that was back in 2010. Yes, I am getting old. Yes, I am a 24-year-old Latino male keeping a glorified diary).
But hear me out: to this day, I have not found a more effective method in consoling and reorienting my mind.
There is just something so therapeutic in writing down all those eluding thoughts, emotions and feelings in my head onto something tangible. That way, once it is on paper, I won’t have any need to provide further attention to those feelings and thoughts anymore.
Indeed, clearing that head space is pivotal because it grants you the sense of clarity to think about “the bigger picture” surrounding your life’s events.
Making a habit out of journaling helps you process those complicated emotions; this, in turn, will grant you the objectivity to fight off that inner-conflict festering inside. Documenting journal entries can also establish a record that affords one with the ability to re-experience the past with the developed maturity they may possess today.
So write down all the things that come to mind, even the things that make you go “uh-ha-ha.” The wonderful thing about journaling is that you can be truly honest with yourself and your feelings in order to promote a deeper level of discovery, stability, proactivity and liberation.
Sometimes I am consistent with writing in my journal and sometimes I’m not. And that’s okay, since journaling is not truly necessary and its only there if you feel like it can benefit you.
I understand that for some people, this method will not work. Still, I strongly urge everyone to give this a try whenever their head space is brimming with pent-up thoughts and emotions and you need a healthy release.
You never know if journaling can be a transformative keystone habit like it was for me.
2. Fight for your right to… well, exercise
Contrary to popular belief, exercising is not just about building muscle and burning calories.
Personally, I started exercising because it was an excellent way of transfiguring my raw emotional energy into precise physical release.
Alleviating stress via exercise is essential to my welfare because stress has a way of clouding judgment and inviting both negative thoughts and intense emotions.
By working out at the local gym, I can safely enjoy taking out all my frustration on those weights or cardio machines (how dare they remove The Office from Netflix!)
On the other hand, working out can literally change the way your brain works. Research has demonstrated that exercise can improve the synaptic connectivity between neurons, optimize hormonal levels (like dopamine) and increase blood flow, all of which are essential in handling those “I LITERALLY CAN’T EVEN” moments like a pro.
And even if you don’t have an hour to spare during your busy day, a little activity is better than none. In fact, 20 minutes — at least once or twice per week — of brisk walking can provide immediate benefits for both your health and your mood.
In terms of improving one’s mood, achieving happiness is all about constantly improving yourself and your situation (which is made clear during investigations into why people with vast amounts of wealth are seldom happy).
Therefore, exercising is a crucial outlet simply because you truly are in a better place mentally and physically after your workout than you were before you started — minus the soreness and all.
In addition, going to the gym is the only part of my day where I do not have to worry about anything else but lifting weights for an hour and a half. Now that’s my type of meditation.
If anything, when it came to hitting the gym hard, getting fit was merely a bonus. Although fitness is important, clearing your mind of stress cannot be overlooked.
3. Play tunes to tune out
I wanted to be a bit more original with this listing, but you cannot exclude something as practical as listening to music when it comes to blowing off steam.
Music is indeed the Michael Jordan — a.k.a. the G.O.A.T. (yes, I said what I said) — of stress relievers.
I mean, there’s good reason why researchers at Stanford University found that listening to music seems to be able to change brain functioning to the same extent as medication (i.e., according to science, music really IS a drug).
Unquestionably, music has a considerable selection of genres; and within those distinct genres, there is a staggering number of varieties to choose from.
Yet, despite music’s complexity, listening to music can be pretty straightforward. You can choose to either:
- (1) Listen to calming music to soothe your nerves or…
- (2) Blast angry music and going absolutely bananas.
Both appeal to their fair share of people, but in terms of personal experience, the latter is where the magic happens.
Indeed, there is nothing more truly cathartic than playing music on full blast like it’s nobody’s business. Remember, we’re talking about blowing steam here, so you better go full Sith lord and…
For those who want to go the gentle route, be sure to check out this song that has been scientifically proven to calm you down:
It can be easy to forget that the songs we love to hear everyday are made by people just like you and I. Music artists may, too, sometimes feel vulnerable and suffer from rough patches in their lives. Chances are that you’ll find some music that relates to EXACTLY how you’re feeling.
Ultimately, the very best thing about music is that listening to it is not a mutually exclusive activity; you can rock out to some tunes while exercising or journaling to augment the overall experience and effectiveness in your endeavors.
So seek shelter, vent and get lost into your music within minutes.
Just please remember to not Drake and Drive.
4. Another one fights the dust
I get it, nobody wants to go straight home and clean the house, especially after a long day at the office and you didn’t get to eat cause some coworker ate your sandwich that you’ve thought you had perfectly hidden away. *Cries*
It’s all about getting yourself in the right headspace to clean, to the point where it’s just merely the primal urge to clean the crap out of something. I want you whistling while you work, Snow White style, for goodness’ sake.
Even Jennifer Lawrence had the right idea. You need to add a little flavor when you clean, whether it is listening to music or cleaning while you’re angry.
Ah yes, the infamous ‘Rage Clean’. We know it all too well. We know it when your temper flares, and those messes that need sorting out almost beckon your name. We know it when those dishes gets washed with intense glee. Surfaces are sprayed and wiped with forceful intent. Laundry gets deposited with angry aplomb. Tables are scrubbed, the broom gets victimized and my car? That poor unfortunate soul GLISTENS when I’m done with it.
And there’s beauty behind the madness too. Because, after you’re done cleaning, you’re not only left with a room you wouldn’t be afraid to show your mother but you have also effectively blown out your steam. Accidental productivity for the win!
Thus, forget traditional therapy — there’s no copay involved in spring cleaning!(Just kidding about forgetting therapy, therapy is wonderful.)
Sometimes, I like to visualize physically cleaning the clutter in my room as mentally clearing the scattered thoughts in my head. After all, we are the product of our environment, and the best thing you can do to improve your mood is to improve your surroundings.
Basically, cleaning my room virtually becomes an exercise in clearing the redundant energy I may possess after a long, hard day.
If you do it right, you can even turn spring cleaning into a workout (e.g., burning calories by running up and down stairs, scrubbing the windows and floors, etc.)
There’s a reason why it is said that “cleanliness is close to godliness.” Indubitably, having an immediate positive impact in your life — by simply augmenting the cleanliness of your room — may lead to a cascade of more positive changes to come.
5. Talk to someone (including yourself)
On days when you get the short end of the stick and just want to be left alone, it can be extremely difficult to foresee yourself being in a talkative mood. However, putting in effort to reach out and be social can be well worth the risk.
Like journaling, expressing our our thoughts, feelings and concerns to others help us both process and eradicate them.
Furthermore, once you’re finished getting things off your chest (while also getting a fresh outside perspective on your situation), you’ll literally feel like you lifted a weight off your shoulder. Thus, releasing that tension and burden you harbor inside will certainly improve your well-being both physically and mentally.
It also helps that, by confiding in someone you can trust, you can cultivate a deeper and more profound relationship with that certain someone. That is precisely how some of my finest friendships were formed — just because someone took the heartfelt risk in deciding to trust me and vice versa.
The possibilities for confiding in someone can encompass close friends (who might relate to what you’re going through), family members (who can sometimes give you great support), teachers or youth workers (who are often good listeners and trained to deal with loads of issues), or going to talk to a professional who is completely removed from the situation.
If there really is no one to talk to, then there’s still hope. Even having a conversation with yourself is sufficient in acquiring an ample amount of psychological distance from your experiences, which can often be useful for regulating those troublesome emotions.
Still, people are one of the most abundant resources on the planet; use them!
You know, “no man is an island?” “No failure is a man who has friends?” Ah forget it.
Just remember, I am always here for anybody who needs someone to listen. All you need to do is contact me and you’ve got a friend in me.
Sorry, just saw Toy Story 4 the other day. I am still not over it.
What do you think about the listed methods for blowing off some steam? Is there any other modes of action that you’d personally like to share? Is Michael Jordan indeed the Greatest of All Time? Be sure to comment below!
Thanks so much for reading and I’ll see you next time, you affable hot heads.
Hi! I’ve been following your blog for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Dallas Tx! Just wanted to tell you keep up the good work!
Good day! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my good old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this page to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is fantastic, as well as the content!
You’re on the money with #1. Writing in a journal resonates with me too, it gives you perspective on this thing called life. There is not a book out there, but the one we write. Thanks for sharing that book buddy and “just keep writing!”