When we see famous celebrities, we imagine that they must live luxurious, stress-free lives. But in reality, the stars are just as stressed out as we are; they simply have different ways of dealing with that stress. What are the products, habits, and strategies that the wealthy and famous among us use to control and alleviate stress?
The Unique Stresses of Fame
In some ways, we shouldn't expect that the celebrity experience of stress is any different than our own. We are all human, after all. But there are some unique stresses associated with fame and celebrity culture that most of us don't have to experience on a daily basis.
Most of us aren't obligated to visit 20 cities in as many days. We aren't being constantly chased by the paparazzi. When we post something on social media, we don't have millions of people ready to judge us. And when we fail in our professional endeavors, it's usually only a small number of people who witness the mistake.
All of these factors, and more, lead celebrities to have uniquely stressful lives that require powerful coping strategies to mitigate.
The Simple Ways of Beating Stress
Fortunately, for most stars, the best ways of beating stress are also the simplest, and having access to more resources via your celebrity status makes them even easier to use.
A comfortable home environment. While K-pop stars on tour are away from home for weeks or even months at a time, it still pays to have a very comfortable home environment. This way, however long you've been gone, when you come home, you'll feel at peace. For example, a heated bidet toilet seat, a comfortable robe, and a gently dispersed scent of lavender can instantly make the bathroom feel like a welcoming spa. With enough money, you can customize your home however you want—and set up the perfect oasis where you can calm down and ease your stress.
Physical exercise. Celebrities also take advantage of physical exercise whenever they can. Exercise is one of the best ways to beat stress, and it also happens to be part of a necessary regimen for many stars. In the course of their career, a celebrity may be required to frequently dance or workout intensively to meet certain physical standards; these may be professional requirements, but they also have the incidental benefit of reducing stress. Celebrities that don't need to work out as frequently can still benefit from periodic exercise.
Socialization. Socializing with people you genuinely enjoy is a popular method of relieving stress and a highly effective one. While not every popular star is surrounded by people who genuinely love them, most people have friends and family members they can count on for support.
Meditation. Many stars claim to use the power of meditation to relax before pivotal performances and major opportunities. This is a simple, free exercise that's accessible to everyone, but it does take practice to be successful.
Counting and distraction exercises. Counting and distraction exercises are also powerful for relieving anxiety in celebrities. If you can take your mind off whatever's stressing you out the most, you'll be in a much better position to take control of your feelings.
Therapy. Therapy is for everyone. If you're going through a particularly difficult time, your therapist can help you contextualize what you're thinking and feeling and guide you to better coping strategies to resolve those negative effects.
Celebrity-Exclusive Strategies for Managing Stress
Of course, there are also some strategies for reducing stress that are almost exclusive to the rich and famous.
A professional hiatus. Some people are so overwhelmed by stress that they take a professional hiatus. It's like a temporary retirement that removes you from all the pressures that were stressing you out. For most of us, this isn't a feasible possibility, as we aren't independently wealthy.
Exotic travel destinations. A vacation doesn't have to be luxurious to be capable of relieving stress, but the biggest stars on the planet can travel anywhere they want, however they want. Sometimes, that does enrich the experience.
Lavish parties. Are you tired of dealing with life? If you have plenty of money in the bank and lots of connections, you can throw lavish parties at your own house.
Illicit substances. Unfortunately, not every method of coping with stress undertaken by celebrities is helpful or healthy; in fact, the excessive stress of being a celebrity is often accompanied by substance abuse problems. Stay away from this coping strategy, regardless of your personal level of fame.
Whether you're a K-pop star or a minimum-wage worker, stress is a part of your daily life. What's important is that you find healthy, consistent ways to cope that fit with your lifestyle and personality. Fortunately, there are plenty of strategies to choose from.
