Monday Mindfulness

We must say goodbye to our lavish weekend and hello to our melancholy Monday. Ugh. Even though everyone is dreading all the bad news Monday brings, I would love to give you some helpful tips and tricks I like to use when I am super stressed or just need a little pick me up on this dreadful day :).

I hate to be so cliche, but one thing that always can give me a piece of mind is exercise! - It is a proven fact that putting physical stress on your body can take away all of the mental stress one carries. People who exercise more often are proven to experience less anxiety than others who don’t. Whenever I exercise, all I can focus about is my workout, which is great when you are super stressed out. Even if you hate working out, I highly recommend it for a big stress reliever and while you work out, be sure to listen to your favorite songs to make it a smidge more enjoyable!

Another calming activity I use to calm myself down, is by lighting Candles! Using essential oils or lighting candles can be very soothing and relaxing. Aromatherapy is proven to lower anxiety and improve sleep, which is something everyone needs. Even though you might be tempted to buy some sweet candles from Bath and Body works, I warn you: they are nothing but a sugar rush to your nose! I recommend flavors such as Lavender, Rose, Vetiver, Bergamot, Roman Chamomile, Frankincense, Geranium. They are some of the most calming scents.

Personally, I absolutely love caffeine. Now that I think about it, I may be borderline addicted! While Caffeine may seem to make your day a lot easier, since it is a stimulant, it can actually be doing more harm than good. Too much can lead you to become anxious, paranoid, or jittery. While I love every Starbucks drink known to man, Moderation is key.

A way to drain all negative energy is by writing down your feelings, especially if you hate talking about them. If you are a person who bottles up your feelings, writing down your feelings may be a great stress reliever. When you hold too many feelings inside of you, your stress will keep on building up and can lead to a truly miserable life and even potential health issues. Writing your feelings down is super easy and affective. Who knows, maybe your diary will become your new best friend?

As long as you aren't blatantly smacking, chewing gum is a super easy and fast stress reliever! It can relax your brain by sending more blood flow to it. If this doesn’t work for you, at least you don’t have to worry about your breath stinking!

While this seems pretty obvious, laughing ALWAYS helps me relieve my stress. A truly genuine burst of laughter can be the most calming activity on this list. Not only is it just plain fun, it is also proven to improve your immune system and mood.

Yoga is an exercise that has so many mental and physical health benefits. It is very calming and lead you to truly find yourself! Sorry, I know that sounds so cheesy, but it is true! While there are tons of yoga poses, most share the same goal of joining your body and mind together as won. If your body is not built limberly enough to participate in yoga, there are also many breathing exercises in yoga that can calm you down.

Mindfulness is one of the most calming exercises known to man! Mind is literally in its name! Mindfulness can include breathing, meditation, yoga, and positive attitudes. A recent study in college students suggested that mindfulness may increase self-esteem, which lessens symptoms of anxiety and depression.

My favorite calming activity is definitely listening to music! I absolutley love listening to music, and I swear that you do NOT need airpods to enjoy it. I suggest creating a playlist with all of your favorite songs, and playing them on shuffle so you can just close your eyes and listen to your favorite musicians or bands.

If you have any pets, I highly recommend spending as much time with them as possible. Usually, animals are very happy creatures that are super easygoing and are always in a positive mindset. I don’t know if this goes for cats, but if you have a dog, try cuddling with it or even going on a walk with them to try to absorb all of their positive energy!

This is all for today, but I hope you can use at least one of these calming activities to put yourself in a better mindset this week!

Much love,

Eva