I just stumbled on 5 Tips for Destressing, an article written by Katie at Wedding Fanatic. As a newlywed, and as a guy that likes to stay as stress-free as possible, I feel qualified to write a followup.
In general, I have an even-tempered personality. I rarely get very angry. I raise my voice even less. I keep my speed low to moderate on the highway. I avoid big crowds. I intentionally try to live stress-free and these are things that help. How interesting that last night as I was driving through Dorchester, MA with my new bride (we were going to pick up some Jamaican food–jerk chicken and brown stew chicken–to share with her family) a man that I presumed was asking for money told me he didn’t want any money. He just wanted to ask me one question which was, “How do you control your anger?” I told him about my even temperament and he said that’s all he wanted to know.
Back to Katie’s article. Her first tip for destressing is:
Take the night off. Long day at work? Not feeling the wedding planning vibe tonight? Let it go and do something else. Catch up on your favorite TV shows, work on a sewing project, read a good book – anything that you enjoy, other than wedding planning, of course! It will all still be there tomorrow.
During the two weeks before my wedding, every night after work I did a lot of wedding preparation, focusing on the music, programs, seating cards, and place cards. I was resolved to work on wedding stuff every night until a couple days before the wedding, when my best man was scheduled to fly in. Because I kept a steady pace and accomplished a fair amount each night, I never got terribly stressed and was actually able to take an extra night or two off during the week before my wedding.
I’ll touch one one more of Katie’s tips:
Do something that simply makes you happy. Go for a jog, volunteer at the local animal shelter, window shop. This will help get your mind off of stressful wedding situations and put you in a fabulous mood. And who doesn’t like being in a fabulous mood?
One of the ways I stay fit is to take a brisk, 30-45 minute walk after work and on weekends. I download the latest audio podcasts that I’m subscribed to, sync my iPhone, put on my headphones, take my house keys, and I’m gone. My favorite route takes me to a local park with a stone bridge that crosses the Assabet River. Often, I’ll see turtles sunning themselves. If I’m really lucky, I’ll see a Great Blue Heron walking the edge of the river, hunting for fish. Another route takes me past the town center to a softball field. My town has a great men’s softball league whose teams play almost every summer night. Finally, I can walk the rail trail. This is my time to exercise and catch up on my favorite topics. I forget about my stress. Even though I was working on wedding preparations every night, I still managed to take time for myself and get out there.
I’d encourage all of you with up-coming weddings to plan ahead and budget your time so that you don’t have to give up what you enjoy. Keep your routine–whatever makes you happy and healthy.
Joshua Birch
