Iron Away Your Worries

We support homemakers and share ideas needed for
maintaining your home with articles, crafts, recipes and ideas
in hundreds of categories!

Iron Away Your Worries

by Kailah Eglington

OK, I'm going to admit it in public - I love ironing! "Is this woman mad?" I hear you all asking yourselves! Now, while I may be a little eccentric, I wouldn't say I'm mad!

The reality of life is that we are subjected to stresses every day of our lives. These can range from small, insignificant ones like the cat threw up on the carpet again, to major, life altering ones such as a death in the family, divorce or an unexpected disability.

Stress can come from work: you may be in a high pressure job or work environment or in a job that you just don't like. Working mothers may be particularly vulnerable, having to maintain both a job and a home. And the stress of a working, single parent can seem overwhelming at times.

Health issues, financial worries, caring for an elderly or disabled relative post natal depression, coping with loneliness are also amongst a long list of stress-inducing situations.

So, what can you do about reducing stress? Well, some would recommend drugs, but will they remove your stress or simply dull your senses to it? You could try to ignore stress, but what will that do to your physical and mental health? You could try counseling, but might there another way?

Although there are a number of solutions, I chose to help myself. Let me share one of the ways I deal with stress and worry - it may just work for you, too.

My main source for stress relief is ironing. Yes, ironing, believe it or not! Before I start to iron, I make a list of what is causing me stress and answer "Yes" or "No" to the question: Is this situation within my control? I put the "Yes - it is in my control" stresses in one column and the "No - it is not in my control" stresses in another.

Be realistic. For example:

* You have no control if the company you are working for is about to go out of business (put it in the "No" pile), but you do have control over finding yourself a new job (put it in the "Yes" pile).

* In my case, I can't change my disability ("No" pile), but I can change my attitude towards it ("Yes" pile).

Next, I randomly split the ironing into two piles - the "Yes" pile and the "No" pile, then put on a relaxing CD. I start ironing the "No" pile. As I begin to iron, I visualize that the trousers or shirt that I'm ironing is a worry over which I have no control. As each wrinkle is smoothed out, I see that particular worry becoming less and less important. I have no control over it, so as the wrinkles get ironed, I gradually let the worry go.

My Nana always said that if you spend your day worrying over something that is out of your control, you have wasted that day. That was good advice and the ironing reinforces that. Instead of worrying, I become productive and my productivity becomes therapeutic.

When I have finished the "No" pile, I start on the "Yes" pile. These are worries or stresses that ARE in my control. As I iron, I breathe deeply, focus on the problem and then let my mind go wandering. I focus on the wrinkles and how I can best smooth them out.

Your mind is a powerful tool and letting it "free think" is a natural way of finding a solution. How you really feel about a situation will come into your mind quite easily using this technique. Your "gut" instinct will direct you and you will intuitively know what you must do.

For example, if you are in the wrong job, the thought of a new job will enter your mind. Once the thought comes into your mind, use the rhythm of the ironing and the smoothing of the wrinkles to reinforce your confidence and take the decision to find a new job.

If fear of change or a lack of confidence get in the way, compare an old wrinkled pair of trousers (your worry) with a newly pressed pair (your solution). Ask yourself how difficult it was to change one to the other, then focus on that. It was easy, wasn't it?

Once you take the decision to iron out the wrinkles, the rest will follow. It may take time but the biggest obstacle - taking the decision to do something about the problem - will have been overcome.

For me, ironing is about determination. It's not a pleasant task, but finishing that basket of un-pressed clothes is an achievement. Life is a bit like that, too. You can either leave the clothes in the basket and iron them in a mad panic when you need them or you can take control of your life and enjoy it.

Worry and stress are the same. You either live with your life and health in chaos and worry or you take charge and make life what you want it to be.

It won't be as easy as ironing a pair of trousers, but taking the decision to change will be. It's all up to you.

*****************************************
Kailah Eglington is a writer, designer and photographer who was disabled in a life altering accident in March 2000. Being housebound until recently, she re-discovered her love of writing, crafts, photography, baking and just being a girl. She taught herself web design and launched Kailah's Korner (http://www.kailahskorner.com) in January 2002.

Hit Counter

Reviews of the Cottage

Volunteer

Homemade Spray Starch

By: Shiloah Baker
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use.
To use, lightly spray garment and iron as usual....

more

Tea Dying And Kool-Aid Dying

By: Shiloah Baker
These techniques are wonderful for "antiquing" quilts, fabric or clothes. Tea Dyeing:
1) Wash 100% cotton fabric to remove any sizing...

more