Why are we choosing to live our lives rushing from one thing to the next. Why are we so judgemental of ourselves and the effort we are making on achieving “success”. It’s ok to take that vacation day, go on that trip, spend the day in your pajamas reading a book. IT’S OKAYYYYYYYYYYYY! 

Give yourself permission to unwind, to relax, without all the GUILT, I know your body is going to thank you for it. 

SO, on that note, let’s see what other items we can come up with to keep you on the path of reducing stress in your everyday lives. 

If you missed #1-4 you can catch up here, and if you missed #5-11 you can read that list by clicking here.

So let’s get started…

#12 Clean Your Space

Oh man, I know everyone is different on this topic but if my house is dirty then everything else is just a bomb waiting to go off. Same goes for my desk, which sometimes at the height of my creative moments it’s a complete disaster and it’s ok because everything is flowing, the second the creative flow stops then I know I have to clean my desk off.

Now, I am not talking about just getting rid of papers and clutter, this process includes wiping it down with my own cleaning concoction which in turn helps my space feel clean and smell clean.

When life gets really busy or I simply want to “treat” myself to extra hours in my day, then I will hire a professional to come and clean the entire house.

Is there anything better than coming home to a clean house? If you have never done this for yourself then by golly do it and do it soon,
I promise you will not regret it!

#13 Take a Bath

I am talking about setting the scene to allow for some epic levels of stress to leave your body and run down the drain when you are finished. 

Set the intention for your bath to comfort your body, mind, and spirit and allow for all your worries and stress to easily flow out of your body.

For a more in-depth dive into taking a ritual type bath and the benefits of adding Epsom Salt, you can check out our other post here.

#14 Gratitude Journal

This can be super quick and simple or if you are wanting to spend more time reflecting on all the great things that happened in your day, then you can do that as well.

At the very least and even on the most rotten of days, I want you to write three things that you are completely grateful for. Trust me, some days may be a total stretch to find three but, it’s important that you identify your three… 

Here is an example of what I mean…
1. I am grateful I was able to connect with Jessie while we both had a quiet moment.
2. I am grateful the temperatures are finally starting to drop.
3. I am grateful for my hubby and all the amazing things we have created in this life. 

Done!
Easy as that. At the end of the year, you will have a beautiful book to go back and read and reflect upon. You will read about all the things that went right instead of forgetting those small moments of gratitude that somehow become invisible during our moments of darkness. 

#15 Surround Yourself with Positive People

If the people you are surrounding yourself with are energy sucking vampires then it’s time you reevaluate your friends list. Often times our inner circle reflects the energy we are putting out to the world (like attracts like). So if you are having a hard time being around someone then do a self-check to see if there are changes you could make within yourself so that you can attract people into your life that feed your soul.

#16 Take a Nap

 A quick power nap may be all you need to give your mind a moment to unwind and to relax enough to decrease your stress levels.  Just don’t sleep too long or it can leave you wide awake when it’s time to be in bed for the night.

I’ll be honest, I am not a good nap taker, but when I really want to commit to taking a nap, I go ALL IN, the pajamas are on and I am in bed and under the covers. Ohhh the glorious feeling of waking up from a great nap, isn’t it the best? 

#17 Find a Hobby

There are a lot of hobbies that can help you reduce stress and give you that much needed “Me Time” to allow your mind to unwind.

Hobbies to try… 

• Painting
• Crochet/Knitting
• Read a novel
• Sew
• Fix up an old car
• Start a woodworking project
• Go for a walk
• Learn how to photograph nature 

By now I am sure you have come across some fun ideas that light up your soul and energize you to taking control back of your life. Which is awesome, and exactly what we want for you. The great news is, we have our final four ways that we still want to share with you. So let’s get going so you can be on your way to a healthier, happier version of your true self.