How I de-stress
Okay, I’m going to start this post with total honesty.
I have anxiety. I have dealt with it since I was small. We always just called it a nervous stomach. Then I went to college and we realized that it was pretty serious. I went to the doctor and took medication for it for a few years. I decided a couple years ago that I didn’t want to be on the medicine any longer. I didn’t feel like I needed it. I didn’t feel like I was stressed. I didn’t want to have to depend on it. We were trying to get pregnant and I didn’t want to be on medication.
I finally realized that no matter what I do, the anxiety is still there. I have to find a way to decipher what triggers it and how to handle that before I let it take control. I thought I would share some of the ways I get ahead of my anxiety and destress. (especially right now, when everything is up in the air and so scary)
Self-care day: This can look like so many things. Time outside planting flowers or pulling weeds. Baking. Reading a book and not brushing my hair. Doing an hour with of pampering and taking a warm bubble bath. Literally anything that makes your heart happy at the time.
Listen to your body: This one is important. No-one is on all the time. Listen to your body. If you wake up and feel like you can take on the world and have all of the motivation to clean the baseboards, do it! If you get through the morning and have stared out the window half the time, take a break. Anything that you are doing is enough, I promise. This was a hard one for me to realize, especially since I started working from home. Somedays I tackle all the work tasks. Somedays I do laundry and take a nap. One of the perks of working for yourself is the ability to control your schedule. Listen to your body. It knows more than you do.
Read a book: Obviously, this one is a given for me! Did you see the blog post with my reading list in it for this year? If you love books, check it out and leave your recommendations in the comments!
Take a walk/Yoga: As Rachel Hollis preaches, “move your body!” It is amazing how moving your body for even 30 minutes can change your mindset. It’s a change of scenery, a change of pace, and a way to distract your mind.
Brain dump: This is one that I reach for most days. If I am feeling especially overwhelmed or anxious about something or all of the things that I feel like are closing in around me, I legit sit down and get everything out of my head. Take your notebook and favorite pen and write it all down. Don’t think about it. It doesn’t have to make sense at all. I will write down things that are on my to do list, things I want to look up, songs that are stuck in my head, things I’m grateful for, things that bothered me that day, wins and loses. All. The. Things. The whole point is to get everything on paper so you can take it and prioritize things you need to do and have a way to reflect on the things that have been floating around in there all day. Try it. I promise you, if you feel like you struggle with constant moving thoughts, this will change your life.
Stay off social media/news channels: 100% yes. I rarely watch the news. If there is something that I absolutely need to know about, usually my mom or husband will let me know. I feel like there is too much negativity on there that I just do not need to let in. I am easily derailed by sad/negative things. This is one of my triggers that I have identified, so I stay away from those things as much as I can. The social media that I consume is positive and happy things. I try my hardest to be real on my socials, but keep it positive 99.9% of the time, because I know how even just one post can effect someones day.
Make a list of things I’m grateful for: This is another practice that I have implemented since following The Hollis Co. If you are watching for things throughout the day that you are grateful for, you will find them. The key is to find small things that make your soul happy. That first sip of coffee that touches your soul. The dogs snuggling on the floor beside you. The baby kicks that remind me of the amazing things to come. The most beautiful weather. These are things that I am grateful for right here in this exact moment. If you look for these moments all day long, it will totally change your mindset. If you have a gratitude mindset, it is much harder for the negative and anxious thoughts to make their way in.
I know every has different kinds of anxiety, but mine is usually either driven from thinking I have hurt someone else’s feelings/bothered them in some way or feeling stressed over things I cannot necessarily control. These few things either help me to escape for a little bit allowing me to calm my mind and think about the situation rationally or actively get out what is on my mind.