Stress Management

I remember being in law school and wondering if I was really about to sign up for a stress-induced career of billable hours and long nights. After much introspection, I realized I was not cut-out for a career of constant pressure and stress. Could I figure out how to handle it? Sure, but why would I want to volunteer for that? In 2012, with my Diabetes diagnosis, I experienced real stress for the first time, and that stress manifest itself into anxiety. I started putting things into two categories - things I can control and things I cannot. With the things I could control, I exhibited the utmost diligence. I could control my diet, exercise and education about Diabetes. I couldn't control the fact that insulin made me gain 5 pounds (whereas being sick made it easy to keep weight off). I couldn't control the feelings of panic I got when woke up with low blood sugar. Stress affects everything, and I am learning that it can be put in the category of things I can control. Most days, anyway. 

What works for me - 

• Education - There is nothing more empowering to me than learning about my stressors. Does trying to get my to-do list done at work stress me out? YES, so I have been doing a lot of research on work day productivity and time management. I can always improve and learn new tips and tricks. When I was diagnosed, I read everything about Diabetes I possibly could. I find comfort in facts and find anxiety when I let my mind wander. 
• Exercise - I need to make more time for it, but it relieves stress by allowing me to expend energy physically as well as mentally. I do a lot of thinking when I run, and I make sure my mind stays on the positive things I have accomplished and hope to accomplish.
• Getting outside - Being outside reminds me that the world is far bigger than my stress, my worklife and well, me. I spend a lot of time on my porch with my iPad. It provides a little bit of perspective and a lot prettier backdrop than Netflix. 

What I'd like to try -

• Yoga - How cliché, right? I've never met someone who does yoga who also seems high-strung. Plus, unlike running, I think it forces you to be introspective and develop quiet strength. 
• Unplugging - I am a technology junky. I usually have at least two Apple devices around me at all times. Relentlessly, I check e-mails. Each morning, I check e-mails, weather, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. I am an information maniac, and I think it can overstimulate sometimes. Sincerely, it is almost like I have forgotten how to sit down and watch a movie. 

Stress is bad. We all know it. It can cause a whole host of health problems. It makes weight loss difficult. It makes managing Diabetes difficult. It can make pregnancies difficult. It strains relationships. It sabotages sleep. 

Let's help each other discover new ways to keep stress at bay - or, if it does creep in, how to manage it the best we can.

Who has tips?!