Let’s be honest, we all go through times in our lives where we feel like life has us down. I’ve had times where my whole day felt like this, and then other times where I felt like I was in a rut for weeks. I think it’s only natural to go through life’s highs and lows. Whether it’s a fight with a friend, deadlines at work, a tough semester of classes, or managing all of our day to day duties, it can often feel like it’s all too much. Dealing with stress and that overwhelming feeling seems to get a bit easier for me as I get older, but there’s no doubt that I get stressed and overwhelmed from time to time. Pulling through and getting through those times, rather than dwelling on it for months is what matters. Continue reading for my five tips on how how to relax when life feels overwhelming.
5 Ways to Relax When Life Feels Overwhelming
1. Call Your Mom
Everyone needs a little vent sesh once in a while, and who’s more perfect than your mom? The one person who probably knows you better than anyone else, might I add. Have you ever heard the saying, ‘it’s not lost until your mom can’t find it?!’ Throughout my life, I’ve found it to be completely true, and it’s similar to problems we go through as well. I’ve always found my mom to be extremely honest (sometimes the kind of honest that we don’t want to hear, but the kind that is necessary). Whether or not your mom solves your problem or not, is beside the point. The point is that you’re able to have a conversation, get your thoughts out, hear things objectively, and hopefully come out with a solution for yourself along the way.
2. Get Outside & Leave Your Phone at Home
In today’s world, we spend way too much time inside in front of screens. For me, I blame it on the cold weather a lot of the time, but the truth is, even if we get a little cold, we’re not going to die, and you usually end up feeling glad that you got outside. But think about it…. We spend SO much time in our day thinking about ourselves, scrolling through social media and analyzing how our lives stack up compared to others’ lives. Sure, some people along the way may inspire us, but a lot of the time, social media just has us feeling down in the dumps and like we don’t compare. Getting outside and leaving your phone at home is a great way to be present with nature and disconnect.
3. Get in a Work Out
When we exercise, our body releases endorphins. Endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body, similarly to morphine. But please skip the morphine and just work out instead. Anytime I feel like I’m in a rut (feeling down in the dumps for at least a couple weeks) I can usually blame it on my lack of exercise. As hard as it can be to get yourself to the gym, once you start, it can often be pretty enjoyable, and the accomplishment you feel after completing a work out can often make you feel addicted. If you have a hard time feeling motivated once you get there, I highly recommend doing classes. I love doing HIIT and barre classes. You don’t have to go anywhere fancy and spend hundreds either. I have a gym membership to my local YMCA; it’s $40 a month, has plenty of exercise classes to choose from, is close to my apartment, and gets the job done.
4. Make Yourself a Cup of Tea
You guys should know by now that I’m #Team Coffee over tea, but I’ve learned this year that tea actually does hold a place in my life and the shelf of my kitchen. The reason I suggest tea over coffee for when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed is because coffee has caffeine which can actually raise cortisol levels (the stress hormone). Aim for a cup of tea that’s caffeine free. There’s always something about a warm drink that feels comforting, plus, most of the time, you’re forced to slow down and relax in order to drink it.
If you’re not a tea person (I never was, but am slowly learning to like it), for the past couple months, I’ve been drinking a cup of hot (or warm) water with a slice or two of lemon every morning and/or afternoon. It’s supposed to boost your immune system, aid digestion, help with weight loss, and clear the skin, among so many other benefits. While I can’t say for sure if this is true or not – it’s a great way to hydrate and is something different than drinking plain cold water.
I still remember a commercial from when I was younger that’s main message was: “water makes you happy.” As simple as it seems, when I’m grumpy, it’s usually for one of two reasons: I’m hungry or I’m thirsty. There’s been tons of studies showing that dehydration can make us moody. This study by Tufts is related to athletes, but I still think there’s a lot we can take from it, even if we’re not still college athletes… Oh how I miss those days. 🙂 Get chugging!
5. Read a Book
Sometimes you just need something to get your mind off your own life, am I right?! I was never much of a reader through high school and college, perhaps because my only reading was tons of assigned reading, but I’ve learned to love reading since graduating college. I’m not saying you have to join a book club or read a book a week, but I think there’s something to be said for curling up in bed with a good book and a cozy blanket before going to sleep at night. It’s truly relaxing and works your brain rather than the endless, mindless scrolling through Twitter and Instagram. Getting fully immersed in a character’s life sometimes helps to distract me from my own, and that can sometimes be a good thing! I love thrillers. Anyone have any recommendations?
Do you deal with stress? What are your favorite ways to relax and unwind?
I’m going to start doing these! Thanks
Maddy, Thanks for stopping by and reading!! So glad it was of help to you. xoxo