there’s no doubt you probably feel stressed at LEAST 300 times a year. (okay, just me?) although i know stress is sometimes good for you, there are times when it’s necessary to give yourself a breath. i’m feeling pretty stressed myself (better now, but when does stress ever fully disappear?) and i’m sure you may be too. whether it’s from finals or holidays or SOMETHING, here are some ways you can destress:
clean your room
so i just came back from traveling and my room is a m e s s. your room should be a place you can relax and rewind, but for me it’s turning into something i’m worried about. and honestly, it’s probably making things worse. i remember marie kondo mentioned in THE LIFE CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP that people have urges to clean their room when they’re stressed. something about having your physical setting cluttered affecting your mental setting. mmmmmm sounds about right. CLEAN YO ROOM.
take care of yourself
and while you’re cleaning your room, you can also clean yourself. meaning: take a bath, do a face mask, paint your nails, experiment with makeup, get a massage, drink some water, try yoga … you get the idea. this always ALWAYS makes me feel better. if my mental self isn’t at its prime, at least my physical self is. never underestimate the importance of taking care of your body.
indulge in some pop culture
sometimes you just need to open netflix and chilllllll. seriously, chill in bed and watch that movie you’ve been wanting to (re?)watch. read the book you’ve been wanting to pick up. (unless that stresses you out. then obviously, DON’T.) shamelessly sing along to songs you love. (echm HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL~~~) it’s really relaxing to get caught up on other people’s problems and forget about your own. :))))
take a walk
nature is your best friend; nature is my best friend; nature is everyone’s best friend. did you know I LOVE NATURE? and in all honesty, you probably do too. maybe it’s because i’m cooped up in a ballet studio hours on hours a day and hardly ever see the sun, but I LOVE NATURE. i’m sure many of you are stuck in a classroom or a work office missing the vital vitamin D. take a ten/fifteen/twenty/thirty/however-many minute walk and just breathe in the fresh air. can i get an “ahhhhhh”?
find something to color
adult coloring books are super trendy now. it’s probably because someone found out it combats stress and all the adults were like, “i’M A STRESSED HUMAN WHO NEEDS THIS.” pull out those colored pencils or crayons or markers and get coloring because apparently, it’s very relaxing. (haven’t tried it myself yet but…) if you don’t have a coloring book on hand, i know there are many apps you can download that do the trick. (i’ve tried this and it is THE BEST.)
make a list. any list!
hey! look at me! i’m a stressed human who is making this list and it’s making me feel soooooo much better in all honesty. i haven’t blogged “properly” in like five months but here i am, making this list, not completely falling apart. if i can do it, you can too. here are some prompts:
- things that made you happy today
- compliments you can give to others
- things you’re grateful for
- experiences you enjoyed this year
- your favorite books/films/songs
- hobbies you want to try
- languages/subjects you want to learn
- places you want to go
- … and so many more!!
light a candle
there is a candle next to me as i type and i promise you, this makes a huge difference for my personal wellbeing. i swear it’s not because i’ve been kinda obsessed with candles lately. candles are great because 1) they smell good, 2) they provide light to your dark soul room, 3) they flicker this way and that which makes it interesting to watch, 4) did i mention they smell good? candles are great.
take a digital detox
wanna know what’s great? the internet. wanna know what else is great? stepping away from the internet. although i love love love my phone/laptop, i do feel that it can be a soul-sucking vortex. one minute you’re feeling great about your life and the next you’re upset because timmy turner got the book you wanted and wanda has perfect hair and cosmo’s food just looks SO GOOD. life on the interwebs can be misleading and negative, and sometimes you gotta TAKE A BREAK. even if you’re not on the internet, yout devices can still be soul-sucking. i challenge you to go a day (three days? a week?) without ANY usage of anything with a screen (i.e. phone, laptop, T.V., etc.). may the odds be ever in your favor, my friend!
Reading your blog is another way to de-stress, you should add that as #9! It’s so bright and pretty 😀 Amazing post!
Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles
britt, you are way way WAY too kind! thank you so much <333
It’s always interesting to read about the things that others do to de-stress. I usually go on a cleaning spree when I’m stressed out, too! (As well as a few other things I don’t normally do i.e. go for a run or read outside). I also second you on taking a break from the internet! It puts a lot of things into perspective and really allows you to focus on youself first and foremost.
Nice to see you back to in the blogging world!
With love, Iween | https://wendystrucked.wordpress.com
I usually go for a walk, that’s awesome way to de-stress but colouring books and books in general tend to make me at ease with anything I stress over. 🙂
agreed. books are the best stress relievers! 🙂
Haha I spotted the Fairy Odd Parents reference there! ;D I definitely agree that it’s good to step away from social media for awhile! I actually want to take a break from the internet and my phone for a week or two. It’s also so easy to procrastinate on the internet and I feel like I waste so much time on it. XD Great list! 🙂
taking a break from the internet can be sooooo helpful, but also really difficult for some (me!). i hope you can do it (and will feel better afterwards). <33
I’ve been feeling pretty stressed lately, well – it’s more of a permanent thing – and unfortunately this time around there’s not a lot I can do to destress until everything is over. I’ve had a huge assignment due every two weeks since the first week of january and it’s starting to take its toll on my soul. I can’t even watch Netflix because the idea of catching up on all of the shows I’ve been missing since BEFORE christmas is a stress in itself. Life is a shambles right now. But somehow, the fairly odd parents reference made me feel a lot better. Maybe I just need to be watching my old kids tv shows (I have started rewatching zoey 101 and it’s starting to make such a difference – but doesn’t help me get done any of the things that actually need to be done). (Wow. This was such a venty comment)