Affordable Ways to De-Stress 
Do Something You Did All the Time as a Kid...

Do you ever long for those days when your biggest concerns were nap time, recess and Saturday morning cartoons? You’d build pillow forts at slumber parties, climb the biggest tree in your neighborhood and catch fireflies at night. It’s amazing how much less complicated life was back those days.

Just because you’re all grown up now doesn’t mean you can’t still partake in the simple joys of childhood. Turn off your Blackberry, disconnect from the internet and act like a kid whenever you can. Revel in the refreshing nostalgia and feel the positive associations and memories melt away your stress.

Think of your favorite childhood pastimes

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Stretch, Breathe and Meditate

It’s hard not to feel stressed and overworked by the hectic pace of a hyper-connected society that moves at the speed of MyFaceTwitSpaceBlackBookBerry. Before you go into meltdown mode, hit pause, relax and take a breather.

Even if yoga’s not your thing, basic meditation, stretching and breathing techniques, though seemingly simple, can work wonders for your stress relief. When you stress out, tension is stored in your body, causing pain and tightness especially in your back and shoulders. Stretching will get your body loose and your circulation flowing in full force again.I am trying to follow this in vain.But I am not gonna give up u see!

To meditate, find a relaxing atmosphere, sit on level ground (find a cushion if uncomfortable), close your eyes, relax every muscle and breathe deeply with your abdomen, not your chest. Focus on each inhale and exhale to exclude other thoughts and quiet your mind.

Hang Out With Your Funniest Friend...this works wonders!Wonders can be true..

It’s been scientifically proven that laughter is both preventive and therapeutic. It decreases your stress hormone levels and boosts healthy hormones, like endorphins, strengthening your immune system. You even get a mini workout for your abs, diaphragm and your shoulders.

Not only will laughing with your friend boost your mood, it’ll take your mind off all the piled up stress in your life. It offers a release from the pent-up emotions and frustrations you may be feeling and the emotional bonding will boost your self-esteem .

Laughter really is the best medicine, so call up your funniest friend and hang out. You’ll be glad you did.

SLEEP... I love this...

Nothing beats a good night’s rest. Emails filtering in non-stop? Clients calling every five minutes? Holier-than-thou executives bossing you around? Many professionals bring their troubles home with them and that equals more stress for you and your loved ones. Why not sleep it off? Getting even 30 minutes of shut eye can help you relax and put your problems in perspective.

If you’re going to try to sleep off your stress, make sure you’ve got surroundings that promote good quality rest. A dark, cool, quiet room with few electronics is best. Feeling antsy but still want to rest? Try a cup of Valerian Root or chamomile tea. A warm bath can also help put you in a restful state of mind.

Buy Cheap Paints or an Art Project at a Hobby Store

Looking at art definitely has its calming effects, but it’s not always just about the product. You don’t have to be Picasso to get the health benefits of producing beautiful works of art either. People who make art as a hobby find that the process of self-expression through unwinding and creating art can be extremely soothing as well.

Artistic self-expression originates from Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, who theorized that the power of imagery could tap into the thoughts, memories and feelings of a person, whether conscious or unconscious. Art therapy is thus frequently used in hospitals, clinics and rehab facilities to promote physical, emotional and mental well-being via creative expression.

Making art helps lessen anxiety, stress and depression, and promote self-awareness, self-esteem and insight into your life. You can pick up reasonably priced art supplies or art kits at any hobby store. Just set aside an art space, turn on some relaxing music and paint to your health

Cook a Delicious Dinner with Items You Have in Your Fridge

Back up, slow down and consider taking the time to cook your next meal with simple items you already have in your fridge and cupboards. Cooking takes patience and persistence. The process of chopping, measuring, stirring and sautéing can be incredibly therapeutic.

Check what ingredients you have in your kitchen, and look up a recipe (see below). Pick something simple to make, so the preparation and cleanup don’t stress you out. Let the culinary sensations, like scent, sight and touch mesmerize you. Finally, take pride in the sense of accomplishment as you slowly enjoy your delicious meal.

Go on a Hike or Go to the Park

Sometimes we get so caught up in traffic, shopping malls and the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget to stop and smell the flowers. But when Ralph Waldo Emerson said “adopt the pace of nature,” he wasn’t being poetic—he was being entirely scientific.

Science has proven time and time again how the psychological benefits of nature can calm the brain and better your mood and concentration. Hospital patients recover faster when they have a view of trees and flowers from their window, and children with attention-deficit disorder exhibit less symptoms in a natural environment.

So get back to basics, and enjoy nature. Bring a blanket to the park and lie out, or go for a hike and take in the scenery. Bask in the sun, breathe in the fresh air, and appreciate all the colorful simplicity of the outdoors. Your brain’s health depends on it.

Take a Bath with Candles and Aromatherapy

The recuperative and healing properties of water have many stress-relieving benefits and allow the body to fall into a deeper sleep. Submerging in a bath tub relieves your body from the constant pull of gravity, and heated water relaxes muscle tension, improving circulation, range of motion and energy flow.

Melt away your stress by creating a mini spa in your bathroom. Turn on soothing music, dim the lights, light candles and prepare fresh towels. The music will drown out household sounds that you may associate with everyday stressers, and relaxed lighting can go a long way when creating a peaceful mood. You can pick up high-end aromatherapy bubble bath soap, skin-moisturizing oils and exfoliating body scrubs on the cheap at your local T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or Ross.

Most importantly, make arrangements for your well-deserved uninterrupted solitude. Turn off your cell phone, log out of email and if you have roommates or family around, tell them to leave you alone for an hour or two. Be sure to prepare your bed beforehand so you have a nice, comfy space to crawl into after your bath

Get Your Adrenaline Pumping!

Whether you’re exhausted, frustrated, or just plain stressed-out, nothing beats the blues like getting your blood pumping. Exercise, and the adrenaline it produces, has been proven to help people relax – probably because you’re so tired afterward! The thought of dragging your tired behind to the gym after a 12-hour shift might sound awful, but that’s not your only option. There are tons of great ways to exercise that don’t involve weights, spandex, or protein powder.

Got a dog? Take him for a nice, long walk. Or just go alone! Slip on your sneakers, and you’re good to go! Looking for something a little more exciting? Try a class like kickboxing or spinning. You can punch and kick your stress away, or imagine yourself cycling toward your next vacation!

Make “To-Do” Lists and Actively Check Off Items

I don’t know about you, but I love to be organized. Even if my “To-Do” list consists of things like “take a shower” and “walk the dog,” I feel like I’ve accomplished something once I’m able to check an item off my list. Try making a “To-Do” list for simple things, like folding laundry and running errands. Each time you complete a task, check it off. The action of crossing something off a list is a tangible way to see how much you’ve accomplished in a day.

Don’t want to use paper? Invest in a white board and hang it on the fridge.

Get a Free or Discounted Massage

Massage therapy has a rich history across several cultures. Hindus, Persians, Egyptians and the Chinese have been healing ailments with massage for thousands of years. Hippocrates even wrote papers recommending massage to treat joint and circulation problems.

The physical and psychological benefits of massage are plentiful. It reduces anxiety and the level of stress hormones in the body, improves circulation and your immune system, and increases your self-esteem via direct contact with another person through touch.

Your body can go through significant wear and tear from being on your feet tending to patients, or hunched over a desk all day. Relax by recruiting the soothing hands of a significant other or look up a massage school near you .

Organize Your Living Space

Ever have one of those mornings where it feels like someone came in during the night and stole your keys, work badge and wallet? From unearthing the heaps of laundry scattered about your room to digging through each of your four work bags, there’s no doubt about it: your house is a mess. And you feel like your life is kind of a mess too because of it.

Take a Saturday afternoon to roll up your sleeves and get your living space in order. It’s amazing what coming home to a clean, organized home can do. If you can control the area you live in, you feel better equipped to control other factors in your life. Plus, you don’t waste time having to look for everything all the time.

Yoga has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. Close to 11 million Americans practice yoga to calm their mind, relieve and prevent chronic medical conditions, and increase flexibility and strength. Yoga harmonizes the mind with body, decreasing anxiety and stress hormone levels and promoting concentration and a good mood.

Focusing on your breathing during yoga disengages you from your thoughts and helps to calm the mind. Each yoga session ends with five to ten minutes spent relaxing in corpse pose, or “savasana,” and you finish with a sense of well-being and feeling of “oneness” with the world around you.

Yoga in the studio can burn a big hole in your pocket, so try at-home yoga with a video. Some libraries carry yoga videos, or you can get cheap yoga videos from Amazon.com or Half.com. If you need to buy a yoga mat, opt for larger, discounted sporting good stores instead of studios or boutiques.

Crank Up the Music and Dance

The idea of dancing, especially with a partner, can make some people break out in a cold sweat. But dancing can be a great stress reliever by renewing your sense of creativity, revitalizing your energy and boosting your confidence. It even strengthens your immune system, reduces anxiety and floods your body with serotonin.

Because of its health benefits, dance movement therapy is often used in schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centers to treat conditions, like eating disorders, sexual and physical abuse, autism and substance abuse.

So cast those inhibitions aside, crank up the music, and dance in the privacy of your own home. You can even slip on an oversized dress shirt and socks and rock out like Tom Cruise did in Risky Business.

Build a Garden

Starting and maintaining a garden takes great patience and nurturing from the first step of buying the materials to taking the first bite of your hard-earned work. But the process of digging, planting, watering, feeding, trimming and watching your plants grow can be amazingly beneficial as stress relief.

Gardening gets you out of the house, away from distractions, and basking in the sun – heck, just being in the sun improves your mood drastically. Building a relationship with the outdoors and creating natural beauty helps you feel more at one with your environment and calms your mind.

You don’t need an acre of land or very much money to start a garden — most seeds only cost a couple of cents. Just visit your local garden supply, and pick up some tools, soil, fertilizer and seeds. If you don’t have a yard, buy a window box and place it in the sunniest window sill

Take a Long Drive

Having time to yourself and the absence of traffic at night will calm your mind, as will the accompanying music or silence. Safety first, though! Always drive the speed limit and obey traffic laws.

Borrow a Book or DVD From the Library

Picture this: a cool summer evening, a glass of your favorite beverage, and a beloved copy of Harry Potter. Or Eat Pray Love. Or the latest John Grisham novel. Whatever your preference, a book is a great way to unwind at the end of the day. What’s better? Books are easy to get and you can get them for free. That’s right. Sign up for a library card or free books on net and you can check out hundreds even thousands of books.

Many libraries even give away books that aren’t being checked out anymore or are an older edition. Ask your library if they ever have any book fairs or give-aways and pick up some great classics! Looking for something a little less literary? Many libraries now carry a large selection of DVDs. Pick up an old classic or the latest hit, and unwind in front of the tube. Renting a DVD from a library is usually free or at most half the cost of renting one from your local video store.

Spend the Day as Ms. Fix-It

Remember those flowers that need replanting? Or that loose board in the deck that should probably be replaced? How about the Christmas lights you still haven’t taken down? Small tasks like these might seem daunting, but dedicating a day to fixing up your home can help you de-stress and manage your life. You’ll be getting things done that have been in the back of your mind (or your spouse has been nagging you about!). Plus, cleaning up your home can reinvigorate you. Even painting one wall a new color can breathe new life into your house.

Completing projects is also a great way to spend time with your family. Dad can dig holes for new flowers while mom reports the dahlias and the kids decide where they go. Looking for some me time? Stay focused (and avoid negative thoughts) by concentrating on one project at a time. Even if you only fix one thing this weekend, you’ll feel better for accomplishing something.