It’s Stress Awareness month! If you haven’t seen my post here about Stress Awareness month and the stress awareness takeover, then go and check it out so that you can see what is going on!
So the question is who am I? Well, I’m Laura. Expat blogger extradonaire (apparently) and stress head.
Blogging about our adventures from the sandpit that is otherwise known as Doha, both expat and parenting, at Life with (after) Baby Kicks. With my main blog fodder coming from the fact that we’re busy raising two feral adorable boys who are fucking challenging at the wonderful age of threenager three and knowitall attitude five, who hate sleep and are busy on this expat adventure with us.
Swapping out my city job for a life as a stay at home mum, the stereotypical expat wife, what do I have to be stressed about? What photo I’m putting up on Instagram? Whether my latest Facebook post will reach more people than my mum?
Turns out the stereotype isn’t quite true, that there is more that I worry about, go figure that one out…
1) Do you suffer with stress frequently or occasionally?
A few years ago if you’d have asked me if I was a stressy person I’d have said no, my husband would have completely disagreed. if you’d have asked me if I was a stressy person I’d have said no, my husband would have completely disagreed. But this was all way back when before I had kids. My job, although stressful, I was able to leave behind as I walked out of the office without a care in the world. Normally straight to the pub which may have helped….
Now if you asked me I’d say I am definitely a stress person. The thing with having kids is that you can’t walk away, it is a 24/7 role, and it IS tough. Made all the worse by others judging you…
2.) What sort of things cause you stress?
Parenting.
The children.
Family life.
The pressure to be a perfect mum, the stay at home mum who crafts, bakes and portrays the perfect lifestyle.
And driving in Doha makes my stress levels rise but I think that’s another story.
3) Does anything in particular make stress worse for you?
When we were in the midst of moving from Dubai to Doha we had a period where we were adrift. My husband was in Dubai, I was in Derby, and we had no idea when or IF the move was actually happening.
Being apart from my husband had a severe impact on my mental state, he is my rock, my steady state, the one who calms me down and makes me see when I am irrational. When he wasn’t there, this was all done over Skype, with a three hour time difference and two children climbing over me to talk to Daddy. It wasn’t enough and I found that I became severely anxious, I over played scenarios, I imagined the worse, and I panic.
4) Does stress have an impact on your physical health?
I have hypertension (raised blood pressure) anyway so it’s hard to say. When I am in the fight or flight mode, anxious to the core, I struggle to sleep which in turn makes me more stressed and anxious.
Catch 22.
5) What do you do to alleviate stress?
I read, and recently I’ve been trying to take more time to myself. My husband takes the boys. I leave them with a friend. I take the time when they are at nursery to sit and do something for me instead of panicking and working . I run.
And last week I bought myself a gratitude journal to take 5 minutes at the end of every day to say what I am thankful for. I also use that time to decide on an affirmation for the next day, alongside three things I want to feel for the day.
6) Do you think more needs to be done to raise awareness of what causes stress and the impact it has on us and those around us? If yes, what would you do or like to see done?
I think that stress is something that is easily brushed under the carpet, one where people pooh-pooh the idea. There are things that we, as society, agree are stressful and make allowances for. Things like getting married, divorced, moving house. I think that more needs to be said about the every day stresses, the anxiety, the worry. The things that being stressed can lead to.
As with everything it needs to be TALKED about. People need to read it, to know that they’re not alone. To speak up.
7) Do you have any tips for anyone dealing with stress?
Take each day as it comes and don’t let a bad day yesterday affect you having a good day today.
Thanks Laura! If you want to see more about stress awareness then please search ‘stress awareness’ to read all the posts throughout April.
