When you are feeling stressed or just burnt out, taking some time to relax and rejuvenate is essential. There isn’t always time to take a break, or a nap, as I would love to do.
Sometimes taking small moments for you can really help.
Here are some of the things that help me.
Flip through a magazine. Magazines are great for me because they are easy to pick up and put down with lots of distractions going on. I can flip through a few pages of my magazines, then return to my activities with the kids, fold the page down, and return to it later on or different day when I need another mini break. Body and Soul magazine by Martha Stewart has been a long time favorite of mine.
Sometimes taking small moments for you can really help.
Here are some of the things that help me.
Flip through a magazine. Magazines are great for me because they are easy to pick up and put down with lots of distractions going on. I can flip through a few pages of my magazines, then return to my activities with the kids, fold the page down, and return to it later on or different day when I need another mini break. Body and Soul magazine by Martha Stewart has been a long time favorite of mine.
Have a cup of tea.
My favorite tea to drink in order to unwind is green tea. It helps me to feel renewed. If the opportunity allows, my favorite place to drink the tea is sitting by a window looking out, letting my mind drift off for a few moments. Looking out at nature is healing. I love looking out at the mountains in the distance, especially when there is snow on the tops. Feel peace out of truly appreciating the beauty of your surroundings.
My favorite tea to drink in order to unwind is green tea. It helps me to feel renewed. If the opportunity allows, my favorite place to drink the tea is sitting by a window looking out, letting my mind drift off for a few moments. Looking out at nature is healing. I love looking out at the mountains in the distance, especially when there is snow on the tops. Feel peace out of truly appreciating the beauty of your surroundings.
Simply deep breaths, thinking about the flow of air as one would do in yoga when the moment is very short.
A long hug. My husband is very relaxing for me. He is a calming presence in my life. His ability to deal with stress, or not let it get to him, far surpasses most people I know. Most of the time, he just does not let things get to him, and is great at letting it go. Looking at him reminds that the negative feelings aren’t worth holding onto.
Training your brain to stay as positive as possible is work. The more you do it, the better you become at it. When I catch myself with negative thoughts I try as hard as I can, to let them go, and pass out of me. The knowledge that they are not helpful to hold onto, and not healthy for my mind and soul is what helps me to release them.
Writing. Writing this blog helps me because it is a good reminder for me of I how want to live my life. It is easy to forget with the demands of the day.
Any type of creative outlet. We all have different things we love to do to express ourselves. It could be anywhere on the huge spectrum of artwork.
It could be as simple as changing the background picture on your computer to something that makes you smile, or evokes pleasant feelings. I am fortunate to have friends with great photography skills. Sometimes for a change I will use one of my favorite pictures of theirs. Another suggestion is to keep a chalk board at your desk and scribble a picture or drawing on that.
A long hug. My husband is very relaxing for me. He is a calming presence in my life. His ability to deal with stress, or not let it get to him, far surpasses most people I know. Most of the time, he just does not let things get to him, and is great at letting it go. Looking at him reminds that the negative feelings aren’t worth holding onto.
Training your brain to stay as positive as possible is work. The more you do it, the better you become at it. When I catch myself with negative thoughts I try as hard as I can, to let them go, and pass out of me. The knowledge that they are not helpful to hold onto, and not healthy for my mind and soul is what helps me to release them.
Writing. Writing this blog helps me because it is a good reminder for me of I how want to live my life. It is easy to forget with the demands of the day.
Any type of creative outlet. We all have different things we love to do to express ourselves. It could be anywhere on the huge spectrum of artwork.
It could be as simple as changing the background picture on your computer to something that makes you smile, or evokes pleasant feelings. I am fortunate to have friends with great photography skills. Sometimes for a change I will use one of my favorite pictures of theirs. Another suggestion is to keep a chalk board at your desk and scribble a picture or drawing on that.
Listen to a favorite song. Music is very healing. Songs can bring joy, and can also help you to feel that you are not alone in what you are feeling. Here is a song that I like to calm me down. If you don’t already know, I am sure you will from reading my blog that I am a big fan of the music by Coldplay, especially after seeing them in concert to appreciate their talent live. Expect many songs, and just skip them if they are not your cup of tea. It is all about what makes you happy!
Move. Walking and exercise are great. For me a lot of the time I don’t have the opportunity to do it any time I am feeling stressed with the kids. So the thing I do most often is dance. We have a little dance party of a few favorite songs together.
Sleep. Getting some extra sleep or a good night of sleep is extremely helpful. This is also something with young children, especially a baby I don’t get to do a lot of the time. I do know that when I am rested my ability to handle stress is significantly better. A problem I sometimes have is shutting my mind off at night. This isn’t always because I am stressed. There are times when I just can’t stop thinking, good, bad, or indifferent.
Here is a great trick that my husband taught me. When you close your eyes, and the thoughts are rushing in, picture the static on a TV station with no reception. See the black and white static, and hear the noise. Concentrate on that as each thought tries to pop into your head. It is a wonderful trick to slow and stop the flow of thoughts. Thank you Hubby!
Here is a great trick that my husband taught me. When you close your eyes, and the thoughts are rushing in, picture the static on a TV station with no reception. See the black and white static, and hear the noise. Concentrate on that as each thought tries to pop into your head. It is a wonderful trick to slow and stop the flow of thoughts. Thank you Hubby!
I hope by reading this, maybe you’ll have a moment to unwind J
What things help you to relax?
What things help you to relax?
