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😌 Corrie-tisol - Managing stress this summer.

In this week's Baking it Down Podcast - Episode 169 - Corrie-tisol, Corrie said, "I want to talk about ways to manage stress." And for good reason - in 2022 she was admitted to the hospital because her kidneys were shutting down. The cause? Chronic, unmanaged stress.

So while this is a business podcast, the business of managing stress will keep you in business. 😫 Chronic stress is no good for the bottom line 📉 - it'll lead to burnout, and up until the day you throw the ol' "tea towel" in, you'll be cursin' the day you first picked up that piping bag.

It's M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E.

So  - the solution? Well, as with everything - it's a plan of attack, not a single pill to solve all of our proverbial problems (💊 but wouldn't that be nice?!). 

Here are 5 things Twin #2 did to cut down on the cortisol spikes. 

☕ 1. Manage Caffeine intake.

Caffeine - I love it, I love it, I want some more of it. But when it comes to cortisol, shelving the caffeine (or at least delaying it) may be the answer. 👣 Instead of going cold turkey, try "baby-stepping" your way to a healthier relationship with the brown nectar. 

• 🧊🦃 Limit your first cup until later morning (letting your body catch up naturally to what the day holds).
• 🧊🦃 Try going "every other" with a 🫗 glass of water in between caffeine-heavy sodas (where my diet coke lovers at?!). 

🧠 2. Identify Stressful Triggers.

I spent 35 years strengthening my stressors, so it could take just as long to tear them down. Being able to identify what causes stress spikes is our key to developing new patterns in handling stress.

• 🧠 What are the things you can control in a stressful situation?
• 🧠 What are the things outside of your control? 

Once you identify what you can change and what you can't, you can then channel your thoughts into finding solutions - not fretting about all the worst possible outcomes. 

“A man who suffers before it is necessary suffers more than is necessary.” - Seneca

💆🏼‍♀ 3. Implement Relaxation Techniques.

Okay - we've identified what we can control, and we've let go of what we can't control. Now fill up that newly found free time with things you find relaxing. I got Corrie a Calmigo (heads up - I can't believe I spent that much money on something so basic - but hey, her kidneys were shutting down, seemed like a cheaper option than a hospital bill). Science says that deep, conscious breathing in and out can really have an immediate effect on cortisol spikes. Walking is a great way to lower stress hormones too.

• 😮‍💨 Breathing exercises (shortness of breath = high cortisol)
• 😮‍💨 Low impact exercise routine can use up excess cortisol - so walking during a stressful situation 
• 😮‍💨 Good sleep hygiene (be on time, sleep long enough, phones outta the room, cool dark room)

🖍️ 4. Find a Non-Baking Hobby.

Unfortunately, most of us turned our baking hobbies into baking jobbies - they're no longer the stress relievers we intended them to be. The answer? Find a new hobby that lets you let down your guard for a bit. The more mindless, the better. They say not to move to your favorite vacation destination because it turns "a place where I can relax" into "a place where I have to mow and pay the HOA." Here are some mind-numbing ideas.

• 🖍️ Lettering / Calligraphy 
• 🖍️ Sewing
• 🖍️ Coloring Books / Paint Gems
• 🖍️ Animal Crossing (Video Games)