When life becomes stressful, we all have coping mechanisms. Some are better than others. Some are healthy and beneficial; others not so much. Sure, I can list numerous wonderful coping mechanisms, and describe their attributes and drawbacks, but no matter how you cope during challenging times ~ you already know if it is helpful or detrimental. You don’t need me to validate what you already know. Therefore, I am not going there, I’m just going to share with you one of my favorites:

WATERFALLS

Sure, flowing water is fabulous but nothing beats a full fledge WATERFALL gushing over a ledge, filling the air with its deafening roars as it plunges towards the earth.

Lately, I have had my share of stress. You know the kind of stress that has every cell in your body vibrating to where it seems like you will never have a clear and focused thought again. At these times, there is no filter, there are just too many “things” pulling us in every direction. During these moments, I surrender to Mother Nature because I know she will soothe and center me, especially waterfalls. All I have to do is sit near a waterfall for 5 minutes and it magically helps me release all the stress caught up in my mind and body. There are moments when I can actually feel the liberation of the stress flowing out of my cells.

Luckily for me, I live close to dozens of waterfalls. In fact, one of my favorite hikes is less than a mile from Mathew’s school. So, I can drop him off and hike for 5 minutes, or a half hour, or more, it really depends on my schedule for the day. And after my waterfall fix, I can face the day with focus and attention.

What do you do for stress? Please share and I continue to share.