The month of October breezed by and Halloween came even faster. I took up a thrift shop a couple days or so before the 31st and found a couple accessories for the perfect HIPPIE costume! It certainly came together and much more than I had planned for, at such a last minute!
Lots of candy was consumed on my part…….I am such a sucker for sour patch and reese’s! (and much more, but those are definitely my favs!) What’s your favorite kind of candy?! I pray that you are a chocolate lover…believe it or not, I have some friends that don’t like it and that makes me so sad! haha 🙂
As we move past Halloween time and toward a time that is historically overwhelmed with stress, I wanted to share something just for YOU!
A couple of years ago, my old therapist gave me some ideas for MANAGING STRESS. They’re all such remarkable recommendations and most of them are so easily integrated into your daily habits. I can attest that if you are adamant to even one of the listed strategies, you will see and feel the results. Starting small- starting somewhere- I know you are indisputably capable of this! Allowing yourself to be more proactive and- “emotionally responsible for all of your feelings and then guiding yourself to be more productive and less stressed, to having thoughts that serve you in a deeper way than thoughts that cause worry, anxiety, frustration and stress.”
This quotation comes from my absolute favorite self-help podcast, The Life Coach School Podcast. Brooke Castillo is my queeeeeeen! If you’d like to listen to the rest of where that came from, here is a link! As she mentions, it is amazing how heavily we are influenced by our thoughts and feelings, especially in terms of our stress levels!
REDUCING STRESS:
- Exercise – 30-60 minutes, four to six times a week
- Nutrition – a. small meals more often during the day to keep the blood sugar levels up b. vitamins (B complex, calcium, omega 3 fatty acids)
- Sleep – 7 1/2 – 8 hours a night, to ensure both REM and DEEP sleep to replenish neurotransmitters, repair the body and produce growth hormones
- Sunlight – you need 30 minutes to 2 1/2 hours a day in direct sunlight of 10,000 LUX to stimulate serotonin production
- Physical Touch – increases serotonin production, hugs, massages, soft, nurturing comfort
- Baths, showers, swimming
- Rocking Motion – stimulates serotonin production
- Laughter
- Crying – produces ACTH in the tears, which lower cortisol levels
- Creative Activities
To the items on this list I say, HECK yeah! Any excuse to laugh, cry, take a warm bath with some epsom salt, or lay out in the gleaming sun (that is completely unapparent today for me, it’s a snow day!)
My greatest hope is that this list of ideas will bring you comfort and contentment, primarily less stress. 🙂
I promise that giving these ideas a try, even if one, you’ll be as happy as a hippie 😉
peace my friends,
jake
*Photos taken with Canon EOS 80D and edited by SABS!
THROWBACK: Check out the besttttt Halloween look from last year in this amazing video…..I was A CHEETAH!
