By: Marlene Wallace
With life’s many ups and downs come varying degrees of stress. At times, I have actually used stress to fuel my drive as I strove for a promotion at work; but, at other points, mounting anxiety has had almost a crippling effect on my productivity and – more importantly – my emotional wellbeing. When I was younger, I was all about pushing myself to wit’s end. I seemed incapable of saying “no” and so the amount of responsibilities I had was overwhelming. What’s worse, I had no time to take care of myself. Since then, I have learned that it is paramount that set boundaries and treat myself kindly; outlets for my stress have gone from being a luxury to being a necessity.
Finding my bliss did not happen overnight. I tried a number of different hobbies and some clicked (I’m a fan of meditation and yoga) while others didn’t quite seem like my cup of tea (three months in, my kick boxing classes left me feeling more flustered than when I began). Here’s what I learned: When finding your own passions and healthy outlets for stress:
Don’t lose faith if you don’t find your “calmness calling” right away;
Hobbies are not a waste of time; follow your joy into unexpected places.
It had been my therapist’s suggestion that I develop a pastime, one that was solely for my own pleasure rather than for the benefit of my husband and stepchildren. I enjoyed trying my hand at different interests, but many of them seemed more like chores than sources of enjoyment. And then, one day, I saw a clip of Elvis Presley playing the ukulele and thought to myself, “I bet I can do that”. I ordered one online and began setting aside half an hour each night to watch various Youtube tutorials and learn the notes. What I personally like about this adorable instrument is that, no matter what strings I pluck or what mistakes I make, the melody is cheerful and pleasing. Normally a perfectionist, learning this new, playful skill definitely taught me not to take myself too seriously, while simultaneously instilling a sense of accomplishment in me.
I’ve since taught myself how to play a handful of songs and have even began to write my own (simple) tunes. No matter what horrible mood I’m in or what work-related worries are plaguing me, I cannot focus on both the pending reports and the notes of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. While my violin playing friend likes to relieve her anger with somber, invigorated songs, my ukulele’s happy disposition reminds me of the power of positivity. Because the instrument I chose is portable, I like to take mine to work with me. There have been occasions when, after being verbally chewed out by clients, I dejectedly head to my car during my lunch break, pluck out a few notes that transport me from my backseat to the sandy beaches of Hawaii, and return feeling more relaxed than before.
I am no Santana, but that doesn’t mean I can’t reap the rewards of playing! I can find (temporary) escape from stressors in my environment, as well as placate whatever physical tension.
I’m certainly not alone in finding relief in music. Since setting out on my musical journey, I’ve learned that science has proven that playing an instrument has numerous benefits, including the “switching off of the stress response”. Now I encourage all my friends (and you!) to explore music and find an instrument that inspires you and fits in well with your lifestyle and personality. Don’t be afraid to tinker around. That’s half the fun!
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