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I have been incredibly stressed of late, the kind of stressed where I am awake from 2 to 4 every night turning things over in my head, only to fall into the sleep of the dead approximately twelve minutes before the alarm goes off.

I am tired, you all. And my jeans don’t fit right, which may be neither here nor there but is also stressing me out because the boys have started asking when the pool is going to open and the mere THOUGHT of putting on a swimsuit would keep me awake at night if all these other things weren’t already.

It’s been quite a week.

Charlie has been talking about what he’s going to give up for Lent; his first idea was to give up video games, but I said oh no you won’t because sometimes I need for the kids to be quiet and still and not talking to me, and Nintendo is a really great babysitter. Then he started doing what I used to do as a kid and randomly picking out sweets that he could give up, which is funny because he doesn’t eat all that many sweets and of course he was choosing things he never has, like gum. So that seemed to defeat the whole point.

We talked about the idea of giving something up, and about why people do that; we also talked about how Lent is a good time to be helpful and kind, and to make a difference instead of making a sacrifice. Charlie finally settled on not fighting with Henry for forty days.

Today after school they were in the playroom arguing about the obstacle course they were building. So much for giving up fighting.

After wallowing in my stress for weeks now, I decided that I was going to give that up, certainly for Lent, at least as a starting place. Or if I can’t give it up, because stress is tenacious, at least do something specific about managing it, like maybe get some exercise. For Christmas, my in-laws gave me a Wii Fit, which I have used a total of ONCE since I opened it because my children have been monopolizing the Wii, and also possibly because I have been too busy being stressed to do anything constructive like, oh I don’t know, EXERCISE. Sheesh.

This morning I decided that I was going to hook up the Wii Fit and do some yoga, dammit, because that would make me feel less stressed. Clearly I was in the right frame of mind for deep breathing and sun salutation.

The Wii baffles me; I don’t know why. You would think that my tech savvy would carry over to the gaming console, but it doesn’t; I need a six-year-old to walk me through it. But my six-year-old was at school, so I forged ahead because dude how hard could it be?

I got the disc out, put it in the Wii, booted the whole thing up … and couldn’t get the remote to work. I waved it around, I changed the batteries, I read the manual, I swore at it … nothing. Finally I pulled the little Wii box out and flipped it over to look at the cords and realized that Wade hadn’t plugged the sensor in all the way after he moved it this weekend.

Ahhh. That didn’t do anything at all for my stress level, let me tell you.

So I finally get the damn thing turned on (TWENTY FIVE MINUTES LATER) and now I figure I should do my Fit Test again because it’s been 54 days since I did it the first time and I am probably nearly dead in Wii world. I’m all ready for the Wii to yell at me because I have been a big slacker and I’ve heard the stories about how the Wii disapproves of slackers and will berate you for being one, but instead it tells me I’ve lost four pounds and shaved three years off my Wii Fit age.

I offered to buy my virtual trainer dinner and a stiff drink. And then we made out.

So for Lent, I am giving up being stressed. I can’t give up the things that are causing the stress (although I would LIKE TO, believe me, and I am TRYING TO, I promise) but I can let the actual chest-tightening, stomach-clenching, teeth-grinding, not sleeping parts go. I think. Or I can at least spend half an hour every day trying to stand up straight on the Wii balance board. That totally takes my mind off of everything, because I have to concentrate so freaking hard in order to keep myself from tumbling over and breaking something that there isn’t any part of my brain left to worry about things.

Like swimsuit season.

16 Comments so far

Fo Lent, this year we are giving up sweets, buns, cakes and all things nice.
Day 3 and I need me some sugar.
Looking forward to Paddy’s Day ’cause, did you know you can break Lent for St Patricks Day. I think there is a law about it somewhere…….

oh yoga is lovely. Dunno about the Wii though. I find it difficult to be destressed in my own home. When I lie down for the relaxation, I can see the fluff balls underneath the sofa.

I think for Lent I am giving up dieting. See, in a twisted way, dieting causes me stress because I am so very, very bad at it. So if I give it up, and eat like a cow, then I am actually sacrificing ……….. I think. (still working hard to figure out a way this can work for me.) On second thought, I’m not Catholic and we never gave anything up for Lent growing up ….. perhaps it is too late to start.

I’m going to the gym 3 times a week for Lent. Not sure if that’s quite in the spirit of things, but as much as I HATE going to the gym, I feel better physically and mentally after. (Part of that is that I’m doing something JUST for me, which is something I NEVER do.)

I hope your virtual trainer can relieve some stress. Too bad Wii Fit doesn’t come with virtual massage therapist!

Oh yes! How I know your frustration with the Wii Fit, and your elation. Though, my trainer turned me down for dinner and told me to get off my ass and do 10 more squats and stop drinking Long Island Iced Teas while I worked out. Ugh!

My Mii is a looks like the Michelin tire man in a red jersey. I don’t know why the Nintendo people do that. It’s demoralizing.

OMG, if you figure out how to give up being stressed, TELL ME IMMEDIATELY. Because I have been so stressed since last fall that my doctor gives me alarmed looks when she sees my blood pressure reading. And the medication she gave me to help with stress seems to make me dizzy and sweaty. So…not so much helpful.

Anyway, you’re not alone in your stress! Stay strong!

p.s. I’ve been skipping all my workouts too, only I have not lost 4 lbs. as a result, I have gained 5. Go me.

This is funny to me on so many levels. Not the least of which is that I was going to give up complaining for Lent. Which is a stretch.

Then, we found out we were negged from three of five job apps for next year. Now I am probably going to have to give up eating!

I kid, I kid.

I am probably going to give up do donuts. I love donuts.

Some people drink more to cope with stress - not me. I don’t need the extra calories. Instead, I go expensive. There is something about pouring a glass of expensive wine that makes me breathe and savor in a way that 2 glasses of mediocre wine can not.

My older son, 8yrs old, decided that for Lent instead of saying No he would say Yes to sharing any of his toys that his brother asks to play with. I figure the fighting will start tomorrow.

Myself- well, I am weak. I already had some chocolate that I was going to give up. Sleepless nights, a baby and PMS don’t go well together.

I hear you. I would have gone screaming down the street today except it was snowing. And I’ve been searching for any alcohol that might be hiding in this house!

Good luck with giving up being stressed. It would never work for me, so it better work twice as well for you!

The last line just about killed me. Swimsuit season? UGH! I want to take my virtual trainer in the backyard and fight to the death for failing me. Plus, that has to burn more calories than eating. Right?

I think if my virtual trainer (if I had one) told me I’d lost weight after 54 days without training, I’d buy him dinner and drink and make out with him, too!

“concentrate so freaking hard in order to keep myself from tumbling over”

You have found the best part of yoga - you can’t thing about anything else! Stay with it, the breathing really (really) helps with stress. I hope more joy comes and finds you than you can wrap your arms around.

(Crazy late commenting on this, because I’m catching up on blog reading after a crazy few weeks.) I’ve started doing Yoga on the Wii Fit each morning before work, and dude my thighs HURT. I do not think that is a good sign about my level of physical fitness.

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