Take Ten: Let It Out & Let It Go

Stress is inevitable, but it is manageable. For some reason, being "home" on break is just as stressful, if not more stressful, than being at school. Quite frankly, I'd rather be at school. Things seem to be adding up quicker than I can subtract them. No matter how many positive reinforcements I arm myself with, sometimes I just have to break down. Breaking down is okay, it's a part of life. The important thing is that you get back up. Breaking down isn't dangerous, staying down is. So, I take ten. Ten minutes: 9 to break down, and 1 to pull it together. Thats all you need; ten.

Minutes 1-4: Let it out - Cry, throw a temper tamtrim if you have to. Squeeze a pillow, get hysterical, or sit in silence. Do whatever, but you only have 4 minutes.

Minutes 5-9: Dig it Up - Chances are the thing you're breaking down about now is based on something you've been breaking down about for a while. Take this time to find the root; why do I feel this way? What's triggering this? What is STILL bothering me? Meditate on this, cry over it, just dig it up, and let it out. You have 4 minutes.

Minute 9-10: Let It Go - It's out now. You got emotional over it, acknowledged everything, and now it's time to move on. Make a mental list of everything you just broke down over. Know what makes you tick. And then make a conscious decision to move on from it. Don't let the same thing consume you for longer than these ten minutes.

The most important thing about managing stress is just that, managing it. Take control over your problems so that you can have control over your life. You shouldn't be constantly walking around in a state of despair; that's the definition of a miserable person. Keep your head up, stay positive, and when all else fails, just take ten.