Joyful activity can help control stress.

Byline: Tim O'Brien

Make something! Create something! Express yourself! Make a cake. Make a wish. Make a pun. Make a difference. There can be very satisfying fulfillment through personal expression. Enjoyment can come from taking initiative and seeing projects through to completion.

Much of the stress we have is the result of frustrated or forced actions. Sometimes, our jobs feel like drudgery. Heavy traffic, cranky clients, and long tedious days can take an emotional toll on us. We feel drained when we get home from work. Or, we feel like doing nothing on the weekends as a way to recuperate.

Rather than being sedentary, try some joyful activity as a way to recuperate. You were going to give yourself those few extra hours to recharge your batteries anyway. Give yourself the leeway to try a new approach to feeling energized. I believe you will find it very effective.

First: what do you like to do but normally feel you don't have the time to do? What do you consider luxuries of time? If you had all the time you wanted what would you do? Visit an old friend? Go fishing? Plant a garden? Sew a quilt? Build a deck? Get a small pad and write one activity on each piece of the pad. How many projects or activities can think of? When you finish, fold and put each piece into a jar big enough to fit your hand in.

Next, from your activity jar, pick one piece of paper. That's your activity to try during your next self-assigned "free time." Or, wait until that free time and pick an activity. Whatever the choice, do it with energy and excitement. Remember, all of these activities are what you decided you wanted to try or do again.

Put your entire self into the doing of the activity. Approach it with what S. Suzuki called "the beginner's mind," the mind of a person trying something new for the first time. This attitude has focused attention, a willingness to try, and acceptance of momentary setback.