In today's high paced world it is more important than ever to take time to relax and engage in some self care. Find things that make your soul feel at peace. Below are 20 ways that help me relax.
1. Color
This sounds a little crazy I know! Trust me when the coloring for adults craze first became popular years ago, I never saw myself going for it.... and I didn't for many years! One year though for Christmas I was gifted an adult coloring book and some fancy colored pencils... being I already had the tools then, I gave it a try... and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Something about sitting quietly and coloring was not only a bit cathartic but also brought me back to childhood... So now my advice is to not knock it until you try it....
2. Hot bath
Quick showers seem to become the norm when life gets a bit hectic but there is nothing like soaking in a hot tub full of pampering water. For me it needs to become a whole ritual... adding scented oils, bubble bath, or a Lush bath bomb. I don't think I could have sanity without at least one weekly soak!
3. Pampering Rituals
Fitting into the hot bath thing is having a pampering ritual. This could be a trip to the spa or as simple as regular hair salon visits but it can also be pampering at home. I have a ritual for Sunday evenings myself of a long routine of self care (so long, it could be its own blog- and maybe I will write that). Every Sunday evening I perform a long list of self care processes that make me feel so refreshed to end a week ready to face a new one that I don't think Monday morning would be possible without them. I make sure to have clean hair, possibly doing a treatment such as a mask on my locks as well. I do a skin treatment at home, even if it is just a sheet mask. I pamper my nails with an at home mani/ pedi. I soak in a Lush bath bomb... my favorite is the AvoBath. I do my teeth whitening treatments... I exfoliate my lips with a scrub.... I moisturize and scrub every inch of my body.... I apply my self tanner....
As you can see it is a long ritual! But worth every step!
4. Go for a Walk
I have never been one for intense cardio type activities, but if you are, then a run could be just the same. I hear many who do run talk about the runner's high they feel after. For me an outdoor walk gives me that peaceful feeling and I know I did something good for myself as well.
5. Be in Nature
I also love to be outside, especially near water. There is something so calming and peaceful about nature and the sounds. This doesn't mean though that you need to travel somewhere wonderful. The same results can be found for me right in my backyard even. Lately, I really enjoy just sitting even and feeding the birds and squirrels that visit me daily in the yard. Just find your own sanctuary and visit it regularly.
6. Read
7. Gardening
I never had been one to think I had the green thumb but was inspired this spring to give gardening a try. I ordered some seedling trays and seeds and all the things you need, determined I would have a kitchen garden this year. I began the seeds in trays in my home office window way back in March. I nurtured them and worried about the water levels and amount of sun. Come April I lovingly carried the trays in and out for warm afternoon sun but avoiding overnight frost. By May, I was ready to place them in the soil and begin what I hoped would be an abundant organic produce section at home....
What really happened though was that I confirmed my lack of a green thumb. Despite all the effort and care I placed into my little seedlings, my only harvest all summer was just enough Romaine lettuce to make exactly 2 BLT sandwiches. :) While this all may sound like a futile effort that resulted in defeat, I did enjoy the process and would attempt it again next spring.
My flowers in the yard on the other hand came out much better, as they usually do. I find great pleasure in adding beauty to the yard through planting colorful annuals and perennials. I would have found great pleasure in having my own home grown produce as well but apparently that is for another year.
8. Yoga
As I have already stated above, extreme, or any type really of cardio, was never my thing.... But yoga... now that's something I can get behind! I love the feeling of flexibility and muscular putty you are left with after a good session. Throw in some goats as well and Namaste!
9. Listen to Music
No matter what genre you enjoy the most there is always something good for the soul in listening to music. Sometimes we can't take a long period to just relax and have to plow through the endless list of "to do's". Those tasks sure do go faster and are more enjoyable with some good tunes in the background.
10. Cook
There are days where I simply can't! Just can't! The last thing I want to do is think about what I want to eat and actually get up and prepare it... these are certainly the days where DoorDash orders or a meal service like Hello Fresh come in handy.... other days though it is very relaxing to be in the kitchen and create a delicious dish. I think this goes back to the gardening thing as well where I said about the satisfaction of having done it yourself. I will say that one BLT I grew the lettuce for was in fact the BEST BLT I ever ate! Yum!
11. Nap
Remember back in preschool and kindergarten where a nap was a scheduled event into the day? Me too! and I miss it! It feels like a such a luxury when I can just lay down after lunch and take a midday siesta! I think these Europeans are on to something and we should start a petition here in America to get this nap time added back into our normal days. Who is with me?
12. Meditate
Like everyone else, I am sure, this one is struggle for me....it is hard to sit and just focus the mind on a single thought and do nothing else. I try and try... I downloaded apps to assist even but I have to admit I often fail. The rare times I do succeed though, even though its only for about 5 minutes, I do have to say I emerge back into the day with a new sense of focus and clarity. It's definitely worth the trys.
13. Enjoy Pets
I do not know what I would do without my 2 pups! They bring so much joy and laughter and love into my life everyday. I almost am at the point that I do not trust people who don't like animals. Studies have shown the benefits of pets for years so I am not sure how much I actually need to write about this.
14. Aromatherapy
Certain scents are associated with relaxation and different responses. For example, I have not taken a Tylenol in years.... I use lavender oil to treat my headaches (don't knock it, it works!). This category though doesn't have to entirely relate to essential oils and new age hooey... it can be scents as well that remind us of good times. I love the smell after a spring or summer rain...it feels renewing. I love the smell of a cherry cigar... it reminds me of my uncle in childhood and watching his twisty clock under a dome in his study with all of the leather bound books. I love the smell of Youth Dew by Lancome on an older lady when I pass her... it reminds me of my grandma. What smells relax you and take you back to good memories?
15. Get a Massage
I know I have already listed a lot about pampering yourself and my whole extreme rituals in this but this deserves more attention as well. Go to a spa... have a treatment... get a massage... sit in a sauna.... get a facial. This is all definitely worth the splurge even if you can only go once a year! If you don't take care of yourself first, you can't take care of someone else. It is wonderful to do all the at home pampering you can but nothing replaces having a professional treatment as well. Massages are so relaxing... you literally melt away on the table... not only that they help flush toxins out of the body! Can't afford a massage?...While not as "melting", sitting in a sauna is a more affordable option to also flush toxins. A good HydraFacial as well, not only will flush puffiness, it will leave you glowing! Treat yourself! You will not regret the splurge.
16. Get Engrossed in "mindless" TV
Aside from my pups, this has to be my #1 way to relax and shut off. By time the day ends sometimes at 9-10pm, it seems to late to go for a walk or do some yoga, but it is not too late to indulge in a guilty pleasure. My guilty pleasure is mindless reality TV....
I feel bad sometimes for wasting the time to sit there and watch the Real Housewives but it is an hour I need for myself. You don't need to focus to watch it... there is no need to multitask or mentally analyze... you just indulge in the moment and scandal.
17. Turn off the screen
This suggestion may sound counterintuitive since I just listed to turn on trashy TV but it truly is the best to turn everything off. No anxiety over checking texts and notifications over each ping on the phone or computer.... no emails needing immediate attention.... no phone calls.... no noise.... NOTHING! It is very freeing!
18. Practice Gratitude
A common cause of stress preventing relaxation is worry over things we may not have... this could come in many forms from comparing ourselves to the Jones' to finances and meeting bills to career aspirations not coming true to any other number of worries we may have.... so how do we tackle this?
Be grateful! Look at what you do have and appreciate it... if you don't appreciate the life you have, how can it get any better?
For myself, a huge stressor is being a caregiver to so many... I am an only child with two aging parents and also still have a 93 year old grandma I help care for.... it can be a lot sometimes, I am not going to lie. When it starts to weigh on me too much though, I just remember how grateful I am to still have my parents together and alive.... I am blessed to have known all of my grandparents and still have one still alive. There is always a bright side, even to the things that cause us stress.
Just remember your worst day is what someone else would wish to have!
19. Write It Down
Another huge and common cause of stress is having too much to do! It is stressful to try to remember everything... but you know what? We don't have to anymore! We have digital assistants like our smart phones and Alexa's. We have lists we can make and dates we can write in a calendar. Myself... I am still more of a paper and pen type of gal though and call myself the "post it" queen! I could not live without lists and reminders... they take some stress off because you remember the items that need tackled. Yes... there is still stress in having a long to do list but there is even more pleasure in crossing items off that list.
20. Do Nothing
I relate this item right back to the meditation suggestion... easier said than done, right? If you can tackle this though and maybe just sit outside and zone out and hear the birds chirping you will feel so relaxed!
How do you relax when the hustle and bustle gets to be too overwhelming? Comment below with your tips and make sure to hit subscribe to know when new posts are published.
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