When I say I’ve had a week, I mean it.

The bullsh*t coming my way has been unbelievable, and I’ve had zero chill to address it.

I don’t know why some weeks are more difficult than others or why sometimes we find ourselves fielding one stressful situation after another with no down time in between.

I just know that when this happens we may have to bring our A-game to self-care. The usual coping methods may not work when we’re under a barrage of stress.

For this reason I offer you these 10 saucy coping mechanisms to deal with bullsh*t and stress. May it be of benefit to you!

1. Color. Why not try a little art therapy. Behold the stress relieving options: A Swear Word Coloring Book, 50 Swear Words to Color Your Anger Away, Calm the F*ck Down, Make Life Your B*tch, Go F*ck Yourself I’m Coloring, and What Women Really Want to F*cking Say. Just the names alone are fun. Choose the one that tickles your profane fancy and break out the markers, crayons, color pencils, or gel pens.
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2. Meditate. When the bullsh*t just gets too overwhelming, spend time meditating with this hilarious, accurate, and profane meditation. It only takes a couple of minutes so a short break would suffice.
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3. Find ways to get the anger out. There are some circumstances that need to be dealt with while keeping one’s cool. But it’s still important to get the anger out. Check out these awesome Dammit Dolls. The poem on the dolls say, “Whenever things don’t go so well and you just want to hit the wall and yell, here’s a little dammit doll that you can’t do without. Just grasp it firmly by the legs and find a place to slam it. And as you whack the stuffing out, yell, ‘Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!'”
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4. Indulge in hilarity. Seriously, this is an awesome way to deal with stress. Whatever makes us laugh, works well here. I’m a huge fan of The Golden Girls. It always make me feel better. Want to go vintage? Throw it back to “The Princess Bride.” Then there are a variety of new comedies—both TV shows and movies—that simply make us feel better. “Grace and Frankie” tops my list on Netflix. Find something to lighten the tension of a bad day or week. Comedians or even YouTube videos offer additional options. Here’s my favorite.
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5. Get laid. I’m serious: have sex. I can’t think of a better stress reliever, and this can also be done as a solo activity. The only reason this doesn’t top the list is because it’s not exactly the coping skill we can all use during a busy work day or when we’re on the go.
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6. Sweat it out. There are a variety of ways to do this: run, play a sport, lift weights, do a little rock climbing, kayak, ride a bike, or go for a hike. Find a way to get some of the energy out. Yoga, tai chi, and qigong are all good options as well.
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7. Add music therapy to the mix. I recommend “Uprising” by Muse for those tough days. Other good ones? Salt N Pepa’s “None of Your Business,” “Shake it Out” by Florence and the Machine, and “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten. That’s a start. Add to it to your own tastes.
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8. Break into the emergency chocolate supply. I always kept a supply in my desk where I could access it as needed. Incompetent boss? Chocolate. Irrational client? Chocolate. Gossiping colleague? Chocolate. Whatever your work-related stress question, chocolate is so clearly the answer. The elephant journal market even offers vegan and organic chocolate options for a guilt-free fix.
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9. Pet a puppy or kitten. Okay, this option is for animal lovers, but it’s a great way to relieve stress to pet animals. If you love aquatic animals, some aquariums even have options to pet sting rays or small sharks. But, for those of us who are fur-friendly, we can volunteer at a local animal shelter for a day to get our happy animal fix. If we are able to do so, we can even adopt a furry friend. Pets are great for lowering our stress and bringing us joy.
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10. Cuddle. So I hear there’s a service now in some places that offer paid cuddling sessions. But, cuddling is available to many of us for free. We can cuddle our children, family members, friends, and/or significant others. Find a cuddle buddy and indulge in the shared happiness that cuddling brings.

We can’t always predict life’s stressors, but we know they are inevitable. Having a host of coping skills to our credit can only help us manage them as they come. It doesn’t just have to be deep breathing or talking it out.

We can be as inventive as we like, but it’s important that we find a way to minimize our stress to benefit our minds and bodies.

I hope these ideas can help you think a little outside the box when it comes to self-care and coping.

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Author: Crystal Jackson
Image: Beth Punches/Flickr
Editor: Lieselle Davidson
Copy Editor: Leah Sugerman
Social Editor: Yoli Ramazzina