4 WAYS TO DECOMPRESS FROM A STRESSFUL DAY.
Wife, mama, grandma…women in general… This message is for you. I see you. I know that you put everyone and everything before yourself. I know you’re tired and maybe even have burn-out. How do I know? Because I’m a women, wife, mama, and grandma and if I’m not careful that can happen to me too.
Why are half of all women reporting that they are stressed-out? Are you one of them? I know I can fall right into that trap. Life is hard, sticky, complicated and we as women, tend to burn our candle at both ends. Unfortunately, when we do that, we suffer with…
Sleeplessness
Burn-out
Digestive Issues
Headaches
Lack of Focus
Weight Gain
Anxiety
Depression
Various Aches & Pains
Over time we may experience…
High Blood Pressure
Heart Disease
Menstrual Issues
Auto-Immune Illnesses
I don’t know about you, but I have experienced some of the issues listed. So, what’s a woman to do?
It’s time to do some pampering on purpose. While selflessness is, in fact, a virtue, never taking time for yourself places demand on your body and your mind. We all need time to decompress. Trying to be superwoman or supermom to everyone and everything is not sustainable. We can’t. No one can. The body and the mind have limits. Stop pushing your limits.
It’s time to pamper yourself. Unwind. Decompress.
Say “No”.
If you’re like me, you over commit. Why is it so hard to say “no”? We tend to say, “yes” because we don’t want to let anyone down. Let’s face it, it’s our womanly instinct to serve, serve, serve and if we don’t, we feel like a failure. But what if saying “no” meant saying “yes” to someone or something else that serves us better. Try saying “no” to say “yes” to you, so that you can spend more quality time on other commitments.
Go To Bed Early…Because You Can.
Are you sacrificing hours of rest to do more? We all know there is always more to do and staying up into the wee hours of the morning working on some random thing you’ve convinced yourself must be finished, is only hurting you. It’s probably killing your immune system. Your body needs to rest. It needs to repair. Pamper yourself by getting to bed early or take a nap. Even a short snooze will feel so refreshing. Don’t feel guilty about it either.
Treat Yourself.
Yes, I know the kids need new shoes, the mortgage is due, and money doesn’t grow on trees. How can we justify buying a new shirt? Or getting a haircut? Or taking a day at the spa or even buying self-care products for ourselves? I know it’s hard. You’ll probably make a hundred excuses why you shouldn’t spend the money on yourself. Do it anyways.
Try Something New.
I find that creating and crafting helps me to relax and helps me unwind. Did you know that studies show that making and crafting reduces stress, anxiety, and depression? It’s also known to improve mood, self-confidence, mental agility, aids in processing grief, relieves chronic pain, and can even improve your sleep. How about getting a little glue and paint on your hands and making something cute? (check out ideas here)
Stress is a part of our daily life. You’re going to wake up with your mind racing about all the obligations you have and continue to give, give, and give some more. However, by taking the time to pamper yourself, you’ll be the best version of yourself when serving others. Pampering yourself is healing, so embrace saying “yes” to yourself.
About The Author.
Lisa Hartzler is a lavender farmer in northeast Ohio. She is the owner and creator of Salt & Light Box where they offer lavender self-care boxes to help you unwind and decompress. Lisa also loves to create and craft, and they offer a Lavender DIY Home Décor Kit with everything you need to create beautiful lavender home décor projects. Follow Salt & Light Box on Facebook for crafting ideas and to learn more. Her website is saltandlightbox.com.
