Laugh or Cry?

I usually take a hot bath, wash my hair twice, use the expensive conditioner, and spend time shaving my legs, plucking my eyebrows, fixing my nails... when I look better on the outside I feel better on the inside. Also the hot bath is wonderful!

Total honesty here:
I go into my big walk-in closet, sit on the floor and cry. Eventually, my sinuses will swell so I can't cry anymore and I'll go lie down on the bed until my husband "finds" me and tells me that all that "stuff" doesn't matter and holds me tight for 10-15 minutes. Then I get up, blow my nose, wash my face, and head out to face the world.. er... house. The mess. Whatever.

A good cry is very cathartic.

I leave the house.
Everything will not look as bad when I get back.
I get a cinnamon crunch bagel and an Earl Grey tea at Panera. Amazing healing properties!

I laugh AND cry depending upon what it is...

Come up up girl - I've got two boys that would ga-ga over you and brush your hair and scratch your back...and they will teach you how to play XBOX as well....

I've got wine....a cool home and a pool 7 houses away...

Cheryl O.:

Can I come, too? :)

Love the advice from everyone. I'm going to take some of it myself. Hang in there, R.. I think we've all been there at one point or another... (hug)

Crank the music up, get out the dust rags, and dance all over the house while you clean. Get the kids to dance with you, laugh, sing, have a good time cleaning up. Then everybody pile in Mama's bed for a nap!
Man, I wish I could do that right now! (Stupid work!)

scream insanely loud..it always makes M. laugh...whenever my daughters going crazy with whining in the car i'll J. go ahhhhhhhhhhhhh and then so will she and then we'll crack up

You know Rach, you're startin' to worry me.

Simultaneouspregnancyweddingitis is contagious! And you've been hanging out with Lee P, haven't ya?

Hmmm......

:)

I wait for my husband to come home and then I burst into tears. :)

Hope your day will get better. We've all been there.

Hey R.,
Have you thought of asking your doctor for a prescription for Xanax?
I got one before my wedding =D

I do the cleaning/organizing something (to good music) helps, going to the gym... then taking a shower, getting dressed up nice and getting the freak out of the house.

I cry. It releases the stress and then I can start again. My go-to place for a good cry is the shower. I just feel *lighter* after a good cry.

Also, I think I am actually addicted to chocolate. Just a few bites of a good piece of chocolate and I can feel myself start to relax ;o)

I usually work out, clean house, and of course pray.

I will take a mommy timeout...I will go in my room, lock the door and sit in complete silence. I will close my eyes...focus on my senses...what do I hear, taste, smell and feel. I focus on my breathing and take a moment to myself. If kids want to come in..I tell them no and ignore it. Listen to your ipod for a minute or something to have some silence. Josh Groban and Enya always do the trick for me. :) One step at a time...one room at a time...one toy at a time.... this too shall pass!

Good luck...

pull the bedding straight (don't take too much time to make it, fold it, pat it, puff it)

if the kids are at school if you are alone, close mamapedia, make a cup of coffee (sit outside if it is cool). Or watch some news for 5 min.

Get your purse...

shoes

fluff hair on your way out in the hallway mirror

(call a friend to join if you dont wanna be alone)

Go to the store

walk around aimlessly, and look at some cool stuff, even try on a dress

(you dont have to spend any money)

sit down somewhere nice and have some iced tea/water

reflect a little

gather thoughts

or ideas

go home

start over!

If it's at all possible to get out, I take 30-50 minutes to walk. The gentle exercise, fresh air, change of scenery, and sight of birds and squirrels, greenery, sunlight and shadows, and a world that is not running itself ragged are profoundly calming to me.

Then I go home, prioritize the most important thing, and find I'm much calmer and more productive.

Wishing you peace.

I'm so sorry you're having one of those days. They're nooooooo fun.

I read something around the holidays and have been using it since and it helps me. The suggestion was if you're getting overwhelmed and stressed by holiday activities to get outside, even for a few minutes, and that the fresh air, scenery, etc., would help lower your anxiety. I thought, "Right..." but the next time i got stressed I bundled up the little guy, put him in his stroller, and we took a walk around the block.

We were gone under 10 minutes, but when we got back and came into the house I truly was less stressed and could look at things with a fresh outlook. So since that day I've done the same about 3 times, and it always works. Trust me, the mess is still there, lol, but I'm able to say, "oh, what the heck!" and move forward. Something about removing myself from the situation and getting fresh air and a little exercise helps me see the world isn't going to come to an end because there's yogurt and Cheerios on the floor that was mopped 2 hours earlier, and my blood pressure comes down.

I hope your day improves : )

Go for a long walk OUTSIDE, not on my treadmill
Watch a really trashy reality show with a fountain diet coke
Putz on the internet for a few minutes
Call one of my sisters

I work out. Which means get to the gym, the pool, the park and move. Sometimes just getting outside and putting my feet on the ground and grounding myself makes a difference.
Also getting a massage, getting acupuncture are the other 2 ways that will turn everything around.

When my son was a toddler - I'd get the camera out.
I have some wonderful pictures of him 'helping' with the newspaper recycling pile all over the living room floor (he very thoughtfully unfolded every piece of paper, spread it out to cover the floor (too bad I didn't have something that needed painting) and then rolled in it.)
Another time I'd just received a large box mostly filled with packing peanuts and as soon as I had my item out my son dived in.
We were finding packing peanuts in odd corners of the living room for weeks after that.
A couple times my husband would walk in the door from work and wondered what happened here?
I'd say "I don't know. It was clean 15 min ago. I've cleaned it once today already and that's enough. I'll give it another go tomorrow - it's not going anywhere!".
Just throw up your hands, turn your back on it and go have a nice soak in the bath tub.
It'll still be there when you get back.

I put reaggea music really loud, spin and turn for a while while dancing, and then I put things quiet and try to breath down for a few more minutes, to be able to face the madness more grounded...

OOoh - singing is a good one.

Mine is running. Give me my running shoes, my ipod and a clear, open road and I am happy.

Then, a starbucks coffee while blasting Dave Matthews on my living room speakers.

And maybe a jacuzzi bath.

=)

I'm laughing reading this because I've been right up to that point several times lately! Hang in there! I usually call a friend and vent, then turn up some salsa music and dance around the house (when no one is watching!). I also recommend painting your nails, mostly because then you have to just sit and relax while they dry. When I have time, I like to wacth a romcom or read a book with no serious content... just fun humor or fantasy so I can live in someone else's world for a while :)
The biggest comfort is in knowing you are not the only one who feels this way sometimes AND everything changes so happier, saner times are bound to show up soon.

I don't know if I should admit this...
I lose my mind. I start talking to myself about the "damn house" and how messy it is and wouldn't it be nice if someone ELSE besides me cleaned up...blah blah blah. It's ugly. And God help my husband if he says anything because I will lose it! Kids too! I just tell them to get outside and leave me alone because I am TIRED of cleaning up after everyone. They run right out that door.
Then, to calm down after I have a little temper tantrum...take a shower, shave, lotion up, put on my nighty and read. After I lose my mind I usually get left alone for some time. :) lol
L.