To Stress or Not To Stress

As I sit here, staring out the window at Boston Tea Party, drinking a delightful mug of English Breakfast Tea and tucking into a croissant (which by the way I have suddenly become overly addicted too) on a sunny Monday morning, I can’t help but watch the passers by. I wonder where they’re going to, what’s their job, and for the most part, why do they seem so stressed? All I can see, are people power walking, their phone locked to their ear, their shoulders hunched up round their ears, with a scowl on their face. Now I carry stress and tension as much as the rest of them. In fact, I’m often carrying so much tension, I don’t even know I’m tense. And recently my anxiety has been through the roof. So I’ve been trying my own little tips and tricks to help me relax, unwind, and destress.

Tea.

 Breakfast tea, camomile tea, peppermint tea, any tea. Now I know normal breakfast tea contains caffeine which probably isn’t the best to unwind, but I find a hot cup of tea to instantly clam me down. If that’s not your thing, and you don’t see the attraction to herbal teas, which is something I am trying to learn to love, for me, a nice frothy hot chocolate also has the same effect!

A bubble bath.

 My recent obsession to lush products has lead to this being in the list. My local store is, and has always been, packed. At any time of the day. Always. So I tend steered clear. But then, after getting a little box of Lush goodies for Christmas, I went on the hunt for a less crazy store. And lemme tell ya now, when I found that beauty, I STOCKED UP! Mostly with bubble bars, but also with the lavender Twilight bomb. I find a nice soak in a bath full of bubbles, in a candle lit room, catching up with the latest re run on gossip girl, puts me in the perfect frame of mind to leave my phone alone and snuggle down to sleep! The ultimate de stress.

Lavender. 

 It’s no secret that lavender is the thing of dreams when it comes to getting to sleep. I’d never really given it a go as I don’t actually like the smell, but when the bags got darker, I decided to give it a bash and get a good night sleep. The lavender bath bombs were the start. Then came the discovery of the This Works sleep collection. The pillow spray teamed up with the lavender oil you apply to your temple, (or in my case temple, wrists, pillow… Whole body) helps to settle your mind and relax you. I’ve also started to burn a lavender oil burner candle as I’m getting ready for bed. I don’t do all this every night as I’m still adjusting to the smell and it can be a bit of a lavender overload, but I try at least to do it every Sunday evening to freshen me up for he week ahead!

A good run.

 It’s true what they say, when they say exercise is good to clear your head. And though I do enjoy exercise, in the bleak mid winter, I do find it a bit of a struggle. But now that spring is on its way, getting up for an early morning *ahem mid morning* is a little easier. I stick my ear phones in, have ‘I can go the distance’ blasting in my ears, and run off into the sun…rise. Even just a 15-20 minute jog can help clear my mind, and helps me feel ready for the day!
Failing all that, a good natter always does the trick. Whether it’s to a friend, a parent, a partner, anyone who’ll listen, in the words of Shrek, better out than in.
I hope that was useful to anyone, who like me is one big ball of tired anxiety, and If you’ve got any tips and tricks of you own, leave them In the comments below!
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