By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
First of all, big accolades to everyone for the great entries from last week’s blog. It was fun to see all the creative things people came up with based on the picture I supplied. Are some of you now ready to continue your start and complete the adventure in story form?
Here are the three randomly selected winners of a $25 Starbucks e-gift card:
Barbara from Tennessee
Gail from Indiana
Debbie from unconfirmed
Congratulations!
Stress can make us old, ugly, and not nice to be around. We despise it and swear we’re not there, but the truth is . . . we all 
get stressed. Two weeks ago, I found myself swirling with a to-do list that was longer than my 5’2” frame.
What cured the problem?
Our delightful four-year-old granddaughter (the best stress reliever) came to visit for a long weekend. The burdens of my to-do list lifted and flew away as I determined to make every moment unforgettable for her and me.
And we did.
Having the youngest of my grandchildren all to myself is rare. I adore experiencing her little personality, imagination, and the way she sees life.
We swam in the pool.
We had an adventure at a ceramic shop. She choose special colors for a cat she named Emma—and was sure it would come alive when she took it home.
We went shopping, and she showed me her distinct taste in shoes.
We decorated rings.
We fed the ducks.
We decorated our nails.
Meet Thomas the snail that she saved from drowning in the pool.
And we watched Pinocchio, twice.
In short, when she went home on Sunday night, I was relaxed, happy, and definitely stress-free, 40 pounds of sugar and spice and everything nice.
How do you relieve stress?
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable 
characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.
Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association; International Thriller Writers, and the Faith, Hope, and Love chapter of Romance Writers of America. She is co-director of The Author Roadmap with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.
DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.
DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.jhcdev.com/diannmills.
Look for Trial by Fire, a Novella eBook available NOW from Tyndale Publishing.
Comments 26
Wow, she sounds like a wonderful stress-reliever, thanks for sharing. I work in the garden, read, zone out with a video game, or find something to scrub, depending on the cause of my stress!
I enjoy water aerobics class to keep my stress at bay, but reading is my number 1 way to relax. In fact, I try to end every day reading for a while, and I can then erase from my mind anything stressful from that day.
I’d also have to agree with the woman who stated that observing nature helps her relax. This morning when I went out to pick some tomatoes and okra off my patio garden plants, I heard and then spotted a duck up in a nearby tree. When I went inside to summon my husband to witness this unusual sight, the duck must have flown off. However, I’m still marveling at the blessing I enjoyed.
I have several stress reliever, but the one I use quite often is creating new recipes, and planning a dinner menu for two. Another, is imagining I ask Jesus over to tea and a talk. By the time I plan what I would serve, I the stress level decreases. Still, another, in the summer time, is going for a walk, and observing every garden I pass.
Frances, I see an article in your method of relieving stress!
Thanks DiAnn.
This is a great encouragement, and a great suggestion on which I will work.
The little one sounds great fun and you can count yourself lucky she doesn’t just want to play Minecraft all day yet.
Clara, so true – parents would never allow it. 🙂
By relaxing with a good book or snuggling with my daughter!
Great on both counts!
Aren’t grandchildren a delight!? I have 3 grandsons, ages 12, 8, & 8 weeks! All 3 are a delight & the 8 year old is a bookworm like his Nana! I enjoy relaxing w/ my grandsons, and reading, hand embroidery, quilting, sewing, playing w/ the dog, swimming…& that’s for starters!
Oh, boys are such a treasure too. 8 weeks! a brand new baby boy.
I’m still waiting for a grandchild, but I can see how wonderful it can be to have that special time. Some of my favorite memories are of my Grandmother knitting Barbie clothes for me and my cousins.
My go to stress relief is reading. I can loose myself in another world, it allows me to shut down the chaos in my head. TV doesn’t have that power to help me relax. It may help as my fur babies (two kitties) like to join me in the chair as I read. 🙂
A good book and a cuddly kitten – sounds perfect to me.
I’m either reading a book, taking pictures (which I love to do), working on scrapbook ideas or working on my puzzle.
Doris, your relief is creativity!
Oops, I typed my last name with an S instead of a D in the post above before I hit the send button. ?
fixed 🙂
🙂
I do two things.
About a year ago, I started keeping a journal of things for which I am grateful e.g., a good night’s sleep, no humidity that day, good service at a restaurant etc.
The second thing is journaling only about good memories from my life. There were a lot of bad ones. Writing the good ones, changes my brain chemistry, thus relieving stress. ?
Barbara, I know many people use a journal for a stress reliever. It’s therapeutic – mentally and spiritually!
A long walk enjoying God’s creation! Especially when the birds are singing!
Lisa, that’s an amazing way to relieve stress. Thanks
When I am dealing with stress, my quiet time with Jesus becomes even more necessary. Usually my stress is time-related, so I have to ask God to order my day and show me what is absolutely necessary. If the stress is relationships, it helps to relax and pray in my spa, read a book, or do a puzzle. It’s also relaxing to take a drive with my husband.
Hi Becky, you are so right. Soft praise music and the Psalms reminds me that God is in control.
I grab a glass of ice tea or a cup of hot coffee and go sit in my front porch swing. Sometimes I go for a walk or go shopping to relieve stress.
Loretta, sometimes pulling weeds is my go-to. A bit of praise music in my ears and yanking out those nasty weeds is a great help!