6 Tips to Help You De-Stress

Hi friends,

This week’s topic is something that is so near and dear to my heart. One, because I have struggled with this concept for as long as I can remember. And two, because I know more than half of us are plagued by stress and anxiety on the daily. And three, HOW FLIPPING CUTE IS MY PUPPY!??

Anyhow, nowadays it seems like everyone and everything is in a constant battle with stress; we live and breathe stress. But one thing I have ALWAYS noticed when I am in the thick of it and can’t see the woods for the trees (that’s the saying, right?), is that I am way too caught up in taking care of everyone else and neglect to take care of myself. There I said it. Call it selfish, call it conceited. Whatever. But when I am so worried about everyone else’s wants and needs, I get overwhelmed, stressed and tired. It’s only when I take the time to do things FOR ME, that I find the greatest peace and balance in my life. Please, if you ever listen to one thing I say, please don’t ever forget to take care of yourself FIRST. You can’t serve others when your glass is half empty. It’s only until your cup is overflowing (with JOY, LOVE, PEACE, SELF-WORTH) that you can begin to take care of others in your life.

So in the meantime, let me share with you some of my very best remedies for those days when shit hits the fan, everything that can go wrong does go wrong or you just simply feel like you are trying to take it all on and failing royally. WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE, HONEY.

1. Get Moving!
   Ya heard me. Get up off the couch, stand up at your desk chair or wherever you might be. Just get up and get moving. It doesn’t matter if that means running around the block, or simply walking to your favorite neighbor’s house. It could mean just marching in place at your desk while you read a memo or compose an email. Whatever activity looks like for you, just do it. That totally sounded like a Nike commercial, but you get my drift. Shoot for getting at least 7,000 steps a day. I mean I’m totally making it easy on you by not saying 10,000, because sometimes it is so flipping hard to hit that number, even going for a walk and doing my daily chores. Just get your blood pumping and those endorphins going. Even if you don’t want to. That is the best time to do it. And I’m not saying forcing yourself to do things you don’t want to, but I promise you once you start moving you’re going to feel too good to want to stop.
 
2. Step Away from What is Stressing You Out
   Can I get an AMEN for this one? Seriously, this practice has saved me from flipping out on people so many times, I can’t even tell you. At work we get an hour lunch break that’s built into our day. I normally pack my lunch, so I rarely take advantage of this unless I have a few errands to run. However, if the weather outside is the least bit tolerable, I will pull on my sneakers (I keep an old pair under my desk) and walk outside in the surrounding neighborhood for at least 15-20 minutes, which ends up being over a mile walk. You’d be surprised, but the simple action of stepping away from my desk and getting OUT of the office does wonders for my mood. The fresh air gives me time to breathe and think about situations that might have been causing my blood to boil. It also lets me think about things other than work tasks. If you can’t get away from your work/desk, simply shutting down your screen for five minutes and taking nice, deep inhales with your eyes closed can be just as helpful. Getting your mind off of the things that are bothering you is such a simple concept but it truly does work. Sometimes you just have to walk away, reconnect with yourself and then get back to it.
 
3. See a Therapist
   This used to be so taboo, but I absolutely embrace and celebrate the fact that so many people I know see a therapist regularly. I truly think we all need to. We are all a little out of whack and no matter how put together someone might seem, sometimes those people are the ones that need the most help. It’s not a weakness to admit that you can’t take the world on by yourself. The strongest people out there are the ones that can admit they need help and seek it out. And if talking to a complete stranger about your issues makes you feel uncomfortable, then find someone you know that will listen. This could be your mother, your neighbor or a mentor. Whoever it is, make sure they are listening and only offering advice when you ask for it. Someone who doesn’t have a stake in the matter, who can give you honest feedback. There is something so freeing about getting things off of your chest and even knowing that how you are feeling is completely normal. Learning some constructive ways to deal with your stress is only going to help you in the long run.
 
4. Make Sleep a Priority
   I know EVERYONE says this, but ya’ll better be honest with me – how many of you actually do this!?? I, for one, have such a hard time making this an everyday priority. I would rather get things crossed off my list for the day (or stay up and watch my favorite show) then push something off until tomorrow so that I can get my full eight hours of sleep a night. Now I will say, I am pretty good at hitting at least seven hours every night. However, I know my body and it’s best for me AND everyone else around me if I can hit at least eight. Trust me. Just ask my husband.
   
    

   I like to keep track of my sleep cycle with my FitBit. It makes it easier because often times I get into bed at 10:30 but will sit and watch Family Guy for another hour or two and forget what time I truly fell asleep. If you don’t have something that can track your sleep, try to be intentional about setting a “daily bedtime.” Meaning try your hardest to be IN BED by 10 p.m. Get rid of all distractions, like your phone or the TV. It’s actually best if you put your phone on the other side of the room. Because I know you all grab it in the middle of the night to check Instagram or Facebook when you can’t sleep. I am all too guilty of this myself. But stopping to do that in the middle of the night is such a disruption of your sleep cycle and totally not worth the damaging blue light that gets emitted, just to see what “your friends” are doing.

 
5. Play Your Favorite Music/Song
   Seriously guys, music can change your mood in a split second. Just think about your favorite song in the world; the one that you know every word to and can’t help but stop what you are doing and sing along. When that song comes on, how happy does it make you feel? I can tell you personally, sometimes the only way I can get my lazy booty off the couch to get my workout in is if I put on my headphones and put some workout jams on. For me, that means my favorite rap remixes or dance music that gets my heart pumping. Or maybe you are musically-inclined (because I AM NOT). Grab your guitar or drum set and rock out to some of your favorite tunes. This can even include Guitar Hero for those that are better at virtual/air guitar like myself. You don’t even have to be any good at it. Who cares? Just jam out. You are going to feel a weight lifted off of your shoulders because you’ll be taking your mind off of the things that are stressing you out. Even if it’s only for a few minutes a day.
 



6. Be Thankful – Write Down TEN Things That You are Grateful For
   This is a practice I just recently adopted and it has changed my outlook on my day completely. I know for many of us, we thank God daily for a house to keep us warm, or food to fill out bellies. But what about the simple pleasures in life that you might take for granted each day? How about that hot cup of coffee you make every morning? Or the wagging tails that wake you up before your alarm to let you know they are ready to go outside? There are so many opportunities throughout the day to be thankful for something that we don’t even realize is a luxury. How many people would be so thankful to have a hot beverage that was safe to drink? Or what about that person who loves animals but is deathly allergic to pet dander? We take a lot of things for granted and I know personally it has been such a blessing to take five minutes out of my day to jot a few things down that I know I will be blessed with. And trust me, you might find it hard at first to come up with ten things for your list, but after awhile you will find that listing just ten things might not even be enough! I keep a journal just for my grateful list. You can also jot them down in Google Docs or even recite them each morning. I will say that physically writing them out has been the most life-changing for me, but you find what works best for you and your schedule. Too many times we go about our days, stressing out over things that haven’t even happened yet and not even realizing how truly blessed we are to have what we do. Putting things into perspective is such a great reminder that stress is only temporary.

 

We all stress, I get it. It’s a totally natural response. But worrying and stressing about what happened in the past or what is going to happen in the future only robs you from enjoying the present. Remember that this life, YOUR LIFE, is freaking AMAZING and the pointless things that we worry over aren’t going to matter a week or a month down the road. Make sure you are stopping to appreciate what’s been given to you. And give yourself a little grace; we all deserve it.

XOXO – Brittany