Sam Snap/FilmMagic/Getty Images
-
Health
Slideshow
-
Health
Slideshow
-
Health
Slideshow
Forget Calgon. When life gets B-A-N-A-N-A-S for Gwen Stefani, she’s not above hiding out in her closet, where no one can find her. Psst, Gwen: going public with your secret hiding spot is probably not the best way to stay under the radar.
The 42-year-old singer, fashion designer and mom told InStyle magazine that the pressure of juggling three clothing lines, a singing career and two kids can be overwhelming at times.
"Meditation is my thing. But I'm not going to lie: sometimes I go into my closet and lock the door so no one can find me," said Stefani.
You’ve got to love the fact that stars like Stefani, who can afford every possible stress antidote out there, still resort to the kind of just-get-me-out-of-here tactics that make us all so dysfunctionally and relatably human. She might seem untouchable, but, well, just like the hokey US Weekly column says, “Stars, they’re just like us.” Aww.
We’ll just ignore the part about her having a closet big enough to warrant a lock -- because if any of us were to hide out in our closet, we’d be scrunched up on the floor, knees to chest, with every pair of stilettos we own stabbing holes in our butt. Not exactly the kind of hiding place that inspires serenity.
Lately, I’ve been on a stress-busting crusade of my own. My therapist calls it my “emotional health boot camp,” and by her tone of voice, I don’t think she means it’s a good thing. I’ve taken it upon myself to fix most -- if not all -- of my emotional problems stat. Besides going to therapy, I'm working out and going to meditation classes. I’m forcing myself to socialize when I’d rather stay holed up in the house watching Millionaire Matchmaker reruns, and volunteering for things that I believe will help me feel better.
While you’d think all this would put me in a calmer state of mind, instead I’m walking around feeling like I’ve drunk way too much coffee. Suddenly, I think I understand my therapist’s point: I’m putting too much pressure on myself to get over it already. All of these tools I’m using to de-stress have instead become those “shoulds” that I need to cross off my to-do list.
As wacky as it sounds to hide out in one's closet, maybe that’s exactly what we all need. While I’m not about to make the crawl space with barely enough room for my clothes my retreat, maybe it is okay to hide out in my apartment (which is probably the same size as Gwen’s walk-in) and indulge in guilty pleasures like reality TV and ice cream, if that’s what helps me decompress.
