Ten Things to Try Whenever You’re Feeling Stressed
Stress is a major part of our lives
Whether we admit it or not, we all have periods in our life that cause us to feel stress. Unfortunately this can have a negative effect on our bodies; as a result, this can cause breakouts, digestive issues, headaches, under-eye bags, sleep loss, and bad eating habits. Society wants to keep us in a box; society wants us to be stressed. It is up to us to snap out of auto-pilot and do things that we love to do. Self care seems to be trending, but that doesn’t just mean to slap on a face mask, and fade away into your imagination. Our minds are always working in different ways; it’s impossible for us to not use our minds! What’s important, is that we put that rest and relaxation time to good use; doing something we enjoy and that’s healthy for us. Here are several things that I’ve found that really help people to get to their happy place.
One. Diffusing Essential Oils
Essential oils are extremely popular in our society, and it is important to know which brand is truly the best in quality. Investing in an oil diffuser and into several relaxation oils, is more than enough to help take the stress away. Back when I was a college student last semester, I used to diffuse lavender and eucalyptus oils while I was doing homework or writing poetry. Not only do they help you relax, but they smell amazing, and they can be used for external uses, when used correctly. Essential oils aren’t a cure for stress, but they can help you relax while doing day to day activities. Diffusing quality essential oils is great for your breathing and for minor headaches. Doing things that you enjoy and investing into your health is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Even if you’re in the midst of writing an essay or working on statistics homework, you can always plug in your diffuser to put your mind at ease.
Two. Laying out at the park
You know the phrase “take a walk in the park”? That is exactly what I recommend! Physically walking exercises your body and your mind, as your body coordinates itself. Looking around at nature, stopping to take pictures, and possibly bring a friend are all ways to brighten up your day. It might sound cliché, but going for a walk on a cool day is underrated. You’ll feel great about yourself, and you will be even more ready to take on the challenges for the day. As mentioned before, none of these are cures for stress, but they can help lighten the mental load that could be weighing you down.
You owe it to yourself to get outdoors and to explore nature. Not all days will be good days for walking in the park, but whenever the weather seems fair, I highly suggest it. Taking in sunlight is a major part of our overall health. Taking in vitamin D helps us feel refreshed and recharged for the remainder of the day. While also taking the necessary precautions, it wouldn’t hurt to plan a small picnic or even lay out to soak up some sunshine. The earth was created for us to enjoy, so why not enjoy it as often as we can?
Three. Cook your favorite meal!
Cooking is my number-one favorite method of blowing off steam. Cooking physically forces your brain to focus on the task at hand, and to perfect that task. No one wants to cook a terrible meal, right? Cooking allows you to experiment with different herbs and spices. You can play around with different recipes to find something that works for you, or you can dabble in a little bit of experimentalism and make something up! Cooking with great music is a necessity in my kitchen. It keeps me moving and motivated as I try to perfect each meal more and more.
Cooking at home is also very cost effective and can save you a lot of money. Going out to eat may be fun, but there’s no arguing that it can definitely put a dent into your bank account. With all of the craziness going on within the world today, eating out may also not be the best sanitary option for people. Whether you live alone or you have a house full of family, cooking eases stress and brings people together for a great cause. We bond over food, we love food, and we love each other. Next time you’re feeling a little down, check the fridge and whip up something magnificent!
Four. Playing classical music
This was recommended by a friend of mine. They listen to classical music either before or after therapy, and whenever they’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Classical music is amazing, because none of it sounds the same. There are almost never any lyrics and it is entirely instrumental. Listening to music in general is a great way to relax. I personally, take a break of about thirty minutes to an hour everyday, to lie down and listen to a couple different playlists. Music is very soothing and can help you get through the toughest of times. On most streaming apps, you can search and listen to music by genre or by mood! This can help you quickly and easily narrow down your search to finding the right songs for your current mood.
A great offer that I would to share, is a free Amazon Prime Music trial. Within this trial you get access to over two million songs. I personally use prime music, whenever I’m working on my blog or when I’m driving around Nashville. Once the trial is over, you can cancel your subscription with absolutely no strings attached. Free music is not an opportunity that I would pass up on!
Five. Visiting an animal shelter
Visiting or volunteering at an animal shelter is something that many people have said that helps them during a stressful time. Interacting with animals has been scientifically proven to release dopamine, which is the perfect formula for stress relief. Many shelters allow you to pet the animals or sometimes even play with them, if you’re looking to adopt! Who doesn’t love animals?
Animal shelters are one of the institutions that are always in need of donations and help. If you’re looking for a way to make a positive impact and give back to your community, this might be the perfect opportunity for you. Almost every country has their own animal shelter, and they are usually always looking for an extra set of hands or donations! I personally love animals shelters, because of all of the awesome work that these volunteers do on a daily basis. Helping others is an awesome way to put your energy into something positive that will not only impact your life, but also the lives of others.
Six. Tune into a gaming livestream
E-sports and live-streaming is becoming on the biggest and more powerful forms of engagement and entertainment today. Gamers have anything from fifty-thousand people watching them play video games and offer commentary. Most of these major gamers have contracts that make it easy to stay online, and also take care of their bills. These gamers are paid top dollar by their contracts, management, and fan donations for their charisma, gaming ability, and very often so, their sense of humor. Although they are just regular people like you and I, they were able to tap into a niche that allowed them to monetize their gaming ability and live off of it.
Watching a gaming live stream is an experience I highly recommend. Not only is it entertaining, but a lot of these gamers such as Nickmercs, Tfue, and TimtheTatman. Are dangerously funny. Whenever I’m feeling down, I like to tune into their gaming sessions and either watch people interact with each other in the chat or focus on the actual game at hand. This is a great way to momentarily blow off some steam and watch some very talented gamers destroy their not-so-great opponents. A lot of these gamers have been gaming for over ten years, so the experience is there just as much as the comedy and entertainment.
Seven. Funny cat videos
Watching funny cat videos on Youtube might be just the laugh you needed to get out of a tough spot. There are no limit to the amount of cat videos on the internet, and there is no limit to the number that you can watch. Whether it’s cats being spooked by a cucumber and jumping as high as the ceiling. or cats getting into a fight, any video is sure to make you laugh. Funny cat videos is one of the top trending internet sensations that never goes away. You don’t have to be a cat person to enjoy the odd mysteries within the psychology and operational behavior of these wild felines.
Eight. Tea time
There are several teas that are created specifically to help you relax. Investing in a chamomile tea, ginseng tea, or hibiscus tea is a caffeine-free option that also tastes amazing. Green tea is also used for immune system detoxes if you aren’t feeling like yourself. Caffeine may not be the best option if you are looking to relax, because it can make you jittery, uneasy, or even more stressed. The herbs within the tea are combined to soothe and bring the ultimate effect of relaxation over your body.
If you’re unsure which tea is for you, there is no shame in heading to your local grocery store and trying out different ones. There are also several articles on the effects of each tea, and how they boost your immune system and help regulate the chemicals within your body. Tea is something that people have used for years to help calm down and relax after a long and stressful day. It’s important to take care of yourself and to take the necessary steps to a well-balanced life.
Nine. Write out your feelings
Journaling is the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way to let out all of your emotions onto paper. When you feel like you cannot trust anyone else around you or speak to anyone else around you, journaling is a solution. There are so many creative and beautifully designed journals to choose from. Journaling everyday is also a great habit to pick up. If you feel like you may need more help or that you need to speak to a mental health professional, that is one-hundred percent normal and very okay to do. Everyone should speak to a therapist at least once in their life, because the experience is unlike any other.
Writing is a great mental exercise and honing your writing skills can also have great benefits as well. Whenever you express your deepest thoughts and feelings onto paper, it can be very therapeutic. When the weigh of the world feels like it’s on your shoulders, writing it out can be a quick and inexpensive thing to try. It isn’t supposed to be perfect and it doesn’t have to have any structure to it, but it should be genuinely from your heart and mind.
Writing is an amazing way to create art and to ease your mind at the same time. Many of history’s greatest writers survived some of the most tumultuous time periods of their life, and also survived to be able to tell their story. Every single person’s story is unique and important. No matter what people say about your story not mattering or not needing to me heard, that is all the more reasoning for you to continue writing, and allowing others to hear your story.
Sharing your story with others is also another option, if you feel ready. It takes a large amount of bravery to share your life story with others, but the more we share with others, the more we see that we aren’t alone and that life isn’t easy for any of us. Setting writing or journaling goals is important to improving your own self-care and to keep track of your progress. Setting and meeting these goals and priorities will make you an even greater writer and even so more aware of yourself, your feelings, and where those feelings may have come from.
Ten. Take a long warm shower
Taking a long, warm shower after a long day is extremely refreshing and it’s a great way to wind down. Singing in the shower can also be very soothing. Allowing the troubles of your heart to flow through your voice can also be therapeutic. Showering is absolutely imperative for good hygiene, but taking an extended shower can also help you with your thought processing and can also help you form new ideas!
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog article! Be sure to leave a comment, like, and share this content if you enjoyed reading! Please tell me what you would like to see next in the comments as well!
Love,
—H.DENAË
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