4 Easy Ways to De-Stress
1. Go For a Walk
It’s easy to convince yourself that staying inside is easier, safer & requires less effort; after all, you don’t have to put pants on if you’re not going outside! But ‘sunshine heals all wounds’ is a timeless adage for a reason & fresh air really does soothe the soul. When I’m feeling stressed or down for any reason, I grab my headphones, throw Brady's leash on & we walk our demons away. If you’re finding it hard to justify going on an aimless walk, you can always purposefully create an errand for yourself that is within walking distance! You might need to pick up a few things from the grocery store or to return a book to the library or to mail a letter! The point is to get outside & stay outside long enough to appreciate the fresh air, the natural light & the joy of being alive.
2. Start a New Book (Not a TV Show)
As much as I love a good Netflix & Chill, sometimes reading a book can be more relaxing on both the eyes & the mind. Next time you’re feeling frazzled, try stepping into someone else’s shoes for a chapter or two! There’s nothing cozier & less stressful than settling into bed among your warm blankets & pillows with a steaming mug of tea & an (optional) puppy curled up at your feet. You can even kill two birds with one stone & take your book outside, tilt your face up toward the sunshine & get lost in an amazing story while the fresh air carries your stress away. This week I’ve been speed-reading my way through by “The Collector” by Nora Roberts. I just can’t seem to put it down!
3. Do that Thing You’ve Been Putting off for Days (or Weeks or Months)
We’ve all got it… that one email that’s been sitting in our inbox a few days too many; that one bag of donations we keep meaning to take to Goodwill; that one lightbulb we keep promising to replace! For me this week, it was vacuuming. Every morning I would wake up, remind myself that I needed to vacuum, proceed to not vacuum & then fall into bed at the end of the day feeling guilty that I hadn’t vacuumed. Sound ridiculous? I agree! No one in their right mind should spend that much mental & emotional energy on vacuuming. How much energy do you waste not getting things done every day? Take ten minutes & go do that thing - whatever it is. You’ll feel better for having done it!
4. Get on Your Mat!
Getting on your yoga mat will always help to de-stress you, even if it’s just for 5 minutes between appointments! Try some heart openers in the morning to wake up your body & jumpstart your day! Or crank out a couple of Sun Salutations in the afternoon to fight off that afternoon slump! To slow it down in the evening, you can flow through some restorative yoga to settle your body & your mind. No matter what you do on your mat, your day will be better for it - no one has every regretted going to yoga!
What's your favorite way to de-stress? Let me know in the comments below!