When it comes to stress, there are several ways to help relieve it. Stress isn’t fun and it can often interfere with your day-to day activities.
Journal
It’s nice to sit down and collect your thoughts down in a journal. For those who aren’t overly fond of writing, you can always type out your thoughts and feelings on your phone, laptop, or even tablet. Journaling can be as simple as writing down three points for the day or as detailed as a full page of your daily experiences and lessons. Some benefits of journaling include reducing stress and anxiety, improving your sleep, and improving your communication skills. Our favorite way to journal is with a nice notebook and a cup of tea.
Light A Candle
Aromatherapy has a wide range of benefits, from easing anxiety to boosting feelings of relaxation. Certain scents such as neroli, lavender, and patchouli are more grounding and help to improve feelings of stress. When lighting a candle, make sure not to leave it unsupervised and we also recommend opting to go with soy candles rather than paraffin as the former are better for the environment (and Earth day is every day in our books)!
Therapy
Therapy is something not often discussed but it’s just as important. A great website to check out is https://therapyforblackgirls.com/, which was created by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford of the popular Therapy For Black Girls podcast. Therapy For Black girls is a community that helps you to find a therapist near you and encourages a conversation around Black mental health.
Have A No Social Media Day
Social media is everywhere. It’s hard to avoid and oftentimes when we are on our phones, we can run into some not so good news. Having a no social media day can improve your overall mood and help you to reconnect with your inner self. In place of social media, you can opt to take a walk, go to the park, or simply curl up with one of your favorite books for some much needed you time.
Tea Time
And we aren’t talking about gossip either! Like candles, drinking certain types of teas not only helps to boost your immune system, but also calms your stress and anxiety. Chamomile, Chai, and decaffeinated green tea are only some examples of teas with wonderful inner and outer benefits. To add an extra boost of benefits to your tea, you can add a spoonful of honey or a slice of lemon.
There are several ways you can calm your stress and anxiety. In the hustle and bustle of life, don’t forget to address your needs in order to feel your very best. Your mental health is important, and we encourage you to reconnect and center yourself. What are some of the ways that you recharge?
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Minerve Jean is a Haitian-born storyteller who shares her poetry and writings unapologetically. She believes in the power of words and their ability to help and heal. Her debut book For The Secrets That Gave Themselves Away is an anthology of raw poetry where she uses words to paint pictures that will resonate with the human soul. She has also contributed pieces to Hercampus, Orange and Blue Magazine and MLNNYC. In her free time, she likes to snack on Avocado toast and curl up with a good book.
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