Well, I’ll have to tell you, life has been a little stressful for me lately. I recently took a leap of faith and moved a little over an hour away. Why? To be closer to family. And I’m loving every minute of it. But it’s been kinda stressful and chaotic. Right now, my living room has 13 (yes 13) samples of paint on the walls with furniture everywhere except where I want it to be. Oh yes … and the dust bunnies. Oh … and the unpacked boxes, the landscaping, the painting, the arranging, and the list goes on and on.
So this morning I was thinking about what I’m doing to keep healthy during this chaotic time and decided I would share them with you.
· I’m learning to relax into the chaos. It’s ok if my house isn’t perfect. I’m giving myself permission to be chaotic for now. I don’t function very good when things are not in order -- as my mom used to say … a place for everything and everything in it’s place. That’s my motto. I like order. But for now, I’m allowing my surroundings to be disorderly. Because I hate when I lose things like my keys (which I’ve done twice during this move), I’m starting to create a place for things like keys, purse, ink pens, tools, etc. so I can eliminate a little stress. So, when things are chaotic, I’m trying to relax into the chaos and enjoy the ride.
· One of my favorite things to do when I feel overwhelmed is to B-R-E-A-T-H-E. Funny, right? We all breathe. But did you know that when you’re stressed you breathe less frequently and less deeply? So I like to do what I call the 5-5-7 breath. I breathe in for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, then breathe out for 7 seconds. I do this about 10 times and it truly helps me relax. Try it!
· Next … drink water. Studies have actually shown that dehydration can lead to higher cortisol levels. Cortisol is called the stress hormone and when cortisol levels are up, its more difficult to deal with everyday issues. By staying hydrated, I can deal with those lost keys a little better!
· Step away. When things have gotten a little hairy, I’ve just stepped away. I have a wonderful place to walk and even a 5-minute walk to the end of the street has been great. Easy peasy. Just step away.
· Last but not least, last night as I was painting my baseboards, I looked up to see the beautiful sunset. I love a sunset. So the new goal for this workaholic is to stop and enjoy every single sunset that comes my way. Find your sunset … what makes you happy … and enjoy it.
These tips won’t get rid of my dust bunnies or won’t get my walls painted, but they’ll help me deal with the chaos until I get there.
Enjoy your day and go find your sunset!