Savannah Watson

Life is stressful sometimes. That’s just a fact. Whether it’s at work, at home, your car, your house, or your relationship, something inevitably comes up, goes wrong, or breaks, and life suddenly feels overwhelming, stressful, or unpleasant… Which is precisely why everyone needs an outlet – hobbies or go-to activities for relieving the inevitable stresses and upsets of life. And these outlets don’t have to be the same for every emotion or situation.

I easily have four or five different outlets, depending on my emotional state. I exercise six days a week, but when I’m angry (which is extremely rare – I don’t usually get angry about things), I work out extra and push myself harder; something about the physical activity relieves me of the anger. When I am overwhelmed, I meditate, do yoga, or go for a walk – anything to help me take a breath and relax. When I’m sad, I listen to a lot of music or watch videos that I know make me laugh.

Ultimately, however, I have found writing to be my go-to outlet for every emotion. Writing has always allowed me to work through my feelings – good, bad, or anything in between. For me, it’s as if there is a direct line connecting my heart and brain to my pen and paper. And when I am able to write down my thoughts and feelings, whether that is through journaling the exact details or writing a more abstract creative piece, I feel like I get it all out of my head and no longer carry such a heavy burden.

Having outlets to get through stressors and upsets can also help with mood and creativity. When you can process the things in life that weigh on your mind, you free up valuable space in your brain for your creativity.

Finding your outlet(s) can take time and can change as you change (I have been doing yoga since I was 17, but never liked rigorous exercise until I was about 21). But some of your outlets may be ones you have had forever and that come naturally like writing has for me. And the great thing is that there are so many options – listening to music, playing music, dancing, singing, writing, drawing, painting, doing crafts, yoga, running, exercising, watching movies or TV shows, baking, cooking, welding, mechanic work, sports. The options are endless!

As long as the activity gives you a place to channel all of the emotions of life (and it’s safe and legal, of course), then awesome! Use your outlets to “get through this thing called life,” as Prince once said!

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