Stress has become a normal part of the modern condition, so much so that it is now accepted and acceptable, but it can severely harm our health and quality of life. If your life feels overly stressful, make sure you have a range of strategies to decompress and find your balance again.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness means awareness. It is the awareness of the breath, the body, the surroundings, and the workings of the mind. Everybody has this awareness, but most of us live inside our thinking minds much of the time, which is why we tend to feel stressed even when on our own.
Practicing mindfulness can help us to decompress after a stressful time, but it can also help us to navigate a stressful time with present-moment awareness. If you are thinking about the past and the future quite a lot, take some time to focus on your breathing or try repeating a mantra.
Unwind in the Bath
A bath is one of the best ways to decompress because it requires some time and dedication to set up and then enjoy. Unlike a shower, where you can hop in and out quite quickly, a bath needs to run for a while, giving you time to choose your favorite bubbles and scented candles.
There’s nothing wrong with being indulgent when it comes to bath time; in fact, that is what a bath is all about. Some people like to relax in other ways, like using cannabis products, but if you want to clear the smell of cannabis and decompress, it’s best to use candles for smokers.
Open a Journal
Journal writing is one of the best ways to decompress after a stressful time. Instead of thinking things through and getting carried away emotionally, journal writing allows you to put down your thoughts and feelings in a controlled way leading to calmness and insights into the situation.
Journaling is an excellent way to decompress; it helps to create a gap between your ruminating thoughts and the way you feel about the events in your life. The process of writing can also be a meditation that generates new ideas and ways of thinking creatively about the stresses in life.
Create Do Nothing Time
Running a bath is an activity in itself; you have to think about it and create the right conditions to relax for a while, but you don’t need hot running water for this; you can create some dedicated do-nothing time in which to relax and decompress. Again, it’s about setting up the conditions.
If you want to keep your phone switched on for a timer, perhaps, at least turn off your messages and notifications so you are not disturbed. Create a space that is comfortable, and make sure you have all the things to hand that will allow you to relax, decompress, and be more creative.
Nature Walking
Like mindfulness, nature walking is both free and effective. Walking in nature is one of the best ways to reduce the stress you experience and connect with a more expansive awareness. Country parks are an excellent place for some nature walking, and so are the local mountains.
