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Holidays are meant to be fun, exciting, and spent with loved ones but often they become hectic, cluttered, and stressful. We become agitated, antsy, and impatient when stress hits us, not to mention the risk of weight gain and other mood swings that stress brings along.
I’m one of the worst people I know when it comes to stress and worrying about nonsense, I have a habit of worrying about next month rather than living in the here and now, and taking it one day at a time. It’s something I’ve been working on, and over the past year I’ve calmed down a lot. There’s a few things I’ve discovered that work for me when trying to stop the stress or worry from taking over. Perhaps these can help you as well.
- Homemade craftiness – Crafts are the one thing that always seem to de-stress me quick! I love painting and transforming the items in my home – quick way to change the decor, without buying all new furniture.
- Count to 100 – We tell this to children, “If you’re angry, count to 100.” The same can be said to us, as adults. Before you respond harshly or begin crying from anger, count to 100.
- Count your heartbeats – When I begin to worry about something entirely outside of my control, and I find myself getting upset, I count my heartbeats. The steady, solid rhythm helps to calm me. You can also choose to listen to a clock and count the ticks until you feel calmer.
- Clean your bedroom – Then relax. A clean bedroom can help clear your mind, and I find that when there’s clutter in my bedroom I start worrying about it.
- Clean your toilet – This one I do more to give myself a clear picture that things could be worse… I could be cleaning someone else’s toilet.
- Try Hot Yoga – Many times you hear that yoga calms you and relaxes you, I’ve found hot yoga to be especially soothing. The heat of the room seems to melt the stress away. Just be sure to bring plenty of water!
- Get outside – Exercise or just go for a walk in the park. Whatever you do, surround yourself in a calming environment and you’ll feel yourself calming down. I love to watch the wind blow through the trees or the rain hitting the pavement on days where I’m very stressed. But days that are sunny work just as well, and allow me to watch the clouds.
- Donations/Volunteering – Sometimes helping others through donations or volunteering is a quick way to pick yourself back up. Helping others brings me happiness, and when I help someone and it brings a smile to their face, I feel accomplished.
- Talk to a child – Children seem to have the best advice sometimes, and talking to them can bring a goofy smile to your face.
- Talk to an animal – Don’t feel silly doing this one, pets can be the best listeners.
- Talk to someone else – Your mom, sister, brother, cousin, friend… whoever.
- Talk to yourself – And not in the crazy way. Sometimes saying what you’re worried about out loud can help you see that you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill.
- Throw it away – Write your worry down, then throw the paper away.
- Do something you enjoy – I find that when I’m immersed in a book, I worry far less. And when I’m trying to block a punch in martial arts my worry is gone.
- Drink a hot beverage – I don’t know what it is about a cup of hot chocolate or the broth from chicken noodle soup. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia. These things certainly help me calm down.
- Smile and laugh – At nothing or at everything.
- Eat gummy bears – Again, another thing I’m not sure why. Most likely nostalgia. If gummy bears aren’t your thing, chocolate is a perfectly acceptable alternative.
- Take 3 deep breaths then 2 short breaths – And repeat. Concentrating on your breathing and timing your breaths not only helps calm you, but it also helps strengthen your lungs.
- Take a power nap – I find that if I’m stressing out, sometimes just taking a quick power nap (15 minutes) refreshes me and allows me time to tackle things with a fresh perspective. If you’re unable to nap, you can just walk away from the stress temporarily, recoup, and then tackle it head on.
- Tell yourself to stop worrying – Whenever I find myself starting to panic about anything, I tell myself to stop. You may need to repeat it a few times, but it’s important to note that worrying does no good except cause you unnecessary anxiety and stress.
There’s plenty of other things you can do as well. Spa days, spending time with loved one, meditating, etc. The above list is just what I’ve found to be effective for me.
Just remember to take it one day at a time and enjoy it, don’t let life pass you by filled with worry. If you need something to smile about, think about your loved ones and all the great times you’ve shared together, and push worry away.
At the end of the day, may happiness find you.
For tips on how to begin your decluttering journey, you can Start Here, or snag a copy of the 30 Day Challenge (our Minimalism and Decluttering eBook).
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