[TT] Relaxation My Way

So it's currently midterm season for us University folk and all my friends and I are sending "ughs, arghs, and why's" each others' way. What's interesting about stress is that it is all in the mind. A wise [make-up] guru once told us that her way of biting through stress is to not allow the mind to think about how stressful something is. Just do it. No emotions attached. There are a lot of things in life that we will not enjoy doing, but if you let your mind process that what you're doing is going to be very aggravating...the task at hand will be. As Dan Millman put it:

Pain is a relatively objective, physical phenomenon; suffering is our psychological resistance to what happens. Events may create physical pain, but they do not in themselves create suffering. Resistance creates suffering. Stress happens when your mind resists what is... The only problem in your life is your mind's resistance to life as it unfolds.

Since everyone deserves to feel relaxed and happy and hopeful, I thought this would be a perfect time to write an entry on relaxing, my way.

Okay seriously...how could you not feel relaxed and all gushy looking at this kitten picture?

Finding inner peace, when your mind is swimming with the load of work that is piling up, is difficult...but let's start this entry with an open mind and these following instructions:

1. Close your eyes and lean back into your chair.
2. Count to 20 but by counting up to five only (aka. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...repeat til you hit 20).
3. If you aren't feeling a little more relaxed, then feel free to shout one word really really loud. Extra brownie points if your word is 'penis'.

Not a kitten/cat fan? Here's a puppy!

Nothing relaxes me more than music, but it is incredibly stressful to finish one song and scramble to find another one. This is why websites like Songza and SoundCloud are my new best thunder buddies. On these sites, you can access playlists and mixes that others have made. Songza is pretty awesome because their lobby offers music catered to specific moods and situations. SoundCloud is a good hub for mix-junkies and also for people who produce their own music, so there are some gems waiting to be discovered.

Here's a mix I recently found out about by Eton Messy via SoundCloud. Each of his mixes generally go for about an hour so that means no muss no fuss and jams galore!



For me, the worst part about stress is that it comes in the weirdest forms. Stressing over school or work seems like a natural thing for most people, but for me I tend to stress about things when there's nothing substantial to be stressed out about. Stress may be a burden of sorts, but it constantly keeps me on my toes and allows me to enjoy the relaxation time I feel I deserve.

Here are a few easy (and free!) methods that I use whenever I feel incredibly stressed and need to wind down:

1. Browse Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest. Pretty pictures and things such as D.I.Y. projects definitely give me some hope for the future. I tell myself I will do a D.I.Y. project after I complete a certain stressful task. Another website I frequent often for pretty pictures and clothing combinations is LookBook. This site quenches my fashion thirst and allows me to be creative with my existing clothes without breaking the bank!

2. Watch a disgustingly fake drama/sitcom/tv show. I am a sucker for shows that are obviously scripted and revolve around petty dramas and women. I don't like to be a part of drama, but these shows definitely make me grateful that I'm not in their shows. The two shows I am currently sucked into are YouTube's GregoryGorgeous' series The Avenue and my beloved city's version of the hit TV series, Real Housewives of Vancouver. Both shows are currently on their second season! Click on the links and it will take you directly to where I go to watch the shows.

3. Write a TO-DO List. This stress reliever kicks ass because, not only am I being productive by sorting out my priorities, but it allows me to objectively look at all the things I need to do. Not to mention crossing out completed tasks feels incredible! The boyfriend loves this one, so we make Dating Lists [of what we need to do and where we'd like to go] together as well as separate ones of our own!

4. Have a hot beverage. Heck, poor yourself a glass of wine if that's your thing! Just don't overdo the alcohol or else you'll dehydrate yourself and that will be another thing to stress out about!!! My hot beverage of choice is coffee. I say this, not only does the caffeine rejuvenate me, but  because my mom drinks it as well. I love it when mom and I each pour a nice cup of java (mine with a dash of milk, hers two sugars and milk just until you see it swirl up to top) and sit at the dinner table. The aroma of coffee relaxes both of us and we just spend the time catching up on life or gossiping about others. Having said that, you don't have to enjoy your beverage with someone for it to be relaxing. Chamomile tea, for instance, is well known for its calming affects. My tea of choice is peppermint, because it aids in digestion and calms one thing that gets affected when I'm stressed...my stomach.

5.Clean. Your. Room. Some people may find this incredibly odd because we've spent our lives telling our moms to get off our case when it comes to cleaning or tidying up our rooms, but trust me...it works. It may be difficult to get started but once you chuck out all the garbage and vacuum up all the dust-bunnies, you'll start to feel like you have a clean environment to achieve great things in! De-cluttering your room is like a projection of de-cluttering your mind. Also, who says you can't do anything? You just cleaned your room! And now everything looks spectacular so go out into the world and achieve anything you want!

These are only some of the ways I choose to relax whenever I feel stressed out. I hope some of you found my tips useful! Good luck to all those with exams and other deadlines!

Now it's your turn: What are some of the ways you relax or de-stress? Remember: sharing is caring!