Let's face it, real life stress just hits sometimes and dreamy turquoise blue water might convince you to impulse book.
Especially, after work on a rainy day scrolling through social media, dreaming of the next vacation you'll take, before you press "book", let's relax our day away.
As we both know - life is not always Aruba sand so today I wanted to share some wellness + relaxation tips for those days when the beach feels miles away; that you can do anywhere, at anytime, to recollect your present moment.
“It's a wonderful feeling to breathe, center and just be.”
1. Disconnect To Reconnect - Sign out of social media and back away from the phone.
Honestly, social media can be an amazing way to connect, share and keep in touch; but within seconds of signing on, being greeted with 5 weddings, another birthday, and amazing vacation is the last thing you need on a weird day. Seeing everyone's life "wins"can sometimes leave you feeling left out for no reason, so sign off and put your phone in another room- this will help you feel more present with the here and now
2. Get Moving - Energy in motion = happiness.
Before you bust out your P90X, just simply stand up and stretch! You can get the energy moving by simply taking an action: clean the house, go for a walk, garden outside, run an errand, head out for a stroll at the mall but the keyword is just move.
Move the air in your body; exercising your body to release any pent up energy from the day is a great way to de-stress, relax and center back. Magic combo: Deep stretch + go for a walk in the sun + dance = just go move your body and have fun with it
3. Drink Your Problems Away - Well sort of....not with wine or any alcohol - drink a kombucha to relax or a hot cup of tea to soothe your nerves. If you are experiencing an imbalance in your system, chances are you need water, air, sunlight and movement so begin to rehydrate with a water, a relaxing herbal tea or calming kombucha.
4. Head Outside - Even if you're just grabbing the mail, a rush of fresh air will bring you back to perspective and give your brain some much needed oxygen power.
5. Treat Yourself - Splurge on something you normally wouldn't - like a massage or a facial or dinner, anything that makes you FEEL special here and now. Stop at a local bakery on the way home from work, get that "forbidden" scone because the truth is: life is meant to be enjoyed and it is not that serious; relieve some unnecessary pressure by doing something your soul will love.
6. Organize Your Space - I know, I know, cleaning may sound like the opposite of relaxing, but cleaning up your space will make you FEEL more put together, organized and ready to run your life. Start by opening the windows, putting on soundscapes in the background and simply making your bed; you want to focus organizing the rooms you spent the most time in first and rearranging the items you see everyday. This new sense of feng shui frees up clean, pure, positive energy and brings in much needed "new-ness".
7. Make It A Spa Night - Do a face mask, light a candle, take a bath, read magazines = do all four but just make it a point to really relax once a day or at least, once a week! A little bit of self-love and self-care go a long way.
8. Watch A Funny Movie - Movies exist for a reason! They're fun, adventurous and most importantly, they help us explore our imagination.
Focus on feeling good now and getting excited - life is truly a blessing and meant to be lived and your real life is happening now- not 3 months from or 3 weeks from now when you're on the beach - So grab yourself a blanket + some popcorn + pop in a funny movie = and relieve your stress through a good laugh, it might just make you realize how relaxing life really is - so don't take it too seriously
9. Plan A Date Night - Do something unusual to spice up your typical date night spots (like indoor rock climbing or a cooking class) or make it a girls/ boys night only or if you're on the fence, maybe it's time to finally give dating try! If anything it's a new experience and you may make a new friend/ a new network in the process. Again, just go into having fun - that's what life is all about.
10. Listen To Reiki Energy Healing Music- Go into a dark or semi-dark room; (calms your other senses) lay down in a relaxing space and take 3 deep breaths. Put your headphones in and play this sound healing video for 5 minutes or anything you may find relaxing. Here is another soothing sound healing video here