Mental Health

Small lifestyle changes can add up to improve your health. Much of what we talked about in this 30 Day Self Care Challenge, and especially the quick stress busting tips might seem kind of small. And when you’re feeling very stressed out and overwhelmed, they may seem like a small drop in the budget. Doing something more radical might be tempting so that you can see faster results. 

While doing something as drastic as selling your house, quitting your job, and moving across the country could certainly be an option, it’s not your only one.

All the small changes and tweaks we’ve talked about throughout this self care challenge can add up to improved health and reduced stress. They may seem small but as you become more intentional about them, your efforts will multiply to bring about real changes to your overall health.  

The key is to intentionally implement them one at a time and be patient. You’ll get a little bit of stress relief every time you try something new. Even if all you can do right now is getting an extra 20 minutes of sleep per night or starting to doodle when you feel stressed out.

That small beginning will help you to start to feel better right away. And the next small change will move you yet another step in the right direction.

And before you know it, you’ve made great strides towards a more less stress and a more fulfilled life.

The first part is always the toughest. It would be lovely to simply push a button that could make our stress and worries vanish, but that’s not reality!

But you do have the capability and power in you to change your life for the better, just one step at a time. And in the end, that’s much more valuable than a quick fix.

You’ll feel so accomplished with what you’ve done! You’ll be able to enjoy the fun and relaxing lifestyle you’ve created for yourself and your family. 

So go ahead start making some small lifestyle changes TODAY. Go back to that list of things you made that stress you out.

Keep working through them. As you declutter your schedule and time goes by you’ll start to see more and more opportunities to for little tweaks and changes that will improve your quality of life. You just have to be mindful of them and then implement them.

As you do this, it won’t take long before you see some positive results. It might also help to remember that you’re not only changing your own life and how you’re feeling, but also the lives of your loved ones. A more relaxed and less stressed partner, parent, and friend is a much more fun to be around than a woman who’s constantly stressed out and snapping at everyone.

5 Small Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Health TODAY

If you’re in a bad place as you’re reading this, here’s a few quick stress busting tips that you can implement right now.

Unplug. Like, right now. Anne Lamotte famously said that “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” 

Take 20 minutes to try something new. It could be reading a new book, meditation, doodling or just going outside for a run or walk.

Drink more water. This can’t be overstated. Many of us are chronically dehydrated and fill up on water and soda. Adequate hydration affects everything from your overall health to your moods.

Just say no. This isn’t always easy or even possible, but carefully evaluate your time commitments and your energy level before you say yes to the next thing. It’s perfectly acceptable to say no when you need to.

Practice gratitude. No matter what’s going on, there’s always something to be grateful for. It can be as simple as telling a family member that you love them and finding something beautiful in nature.

Reflect on how far you’ve come

I have one thing to ask you. Compared to where you were at the beginning of the self care challenge, how much more relaxed are you feeling as you’ve made your way through the challenge?

If you’ve been applying even just some of what I shared with you throughout, you should start to feel less stress and have a calmer, more balanced life.

What has had the biggest impact on you? What tips and ideas have you found the most helpful? Those are the posts that you want to come back to again and again.

Take a few minutes today to reflect on not only how far you’ve come, but more importantly how this simple self care challenge has influenced you to take positive steps to improve your health.

I’d love to hear what positive experiences you’ve had as a result of spending the month working on relaxing more and stressing less?

Let’s talk a bit about hobbies and doing something creative. There are so many ways hobbies improve mental health. Hobbies and other creative activities help to bring balance to your life, ease mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Plus, they help you to reduce stress and relax more. Hobbies help to bring balance to your life, and are the perfect  counterpoint to what you do at work and in your day-to-day life at home.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how monotonous things can get at work and at home. There’s never ending chores and responsibilities to get through every week. It can suck the life out of you if you aren’t mindful. Then there’s the periods of high pressure and stress in between.

We need something else in our life that balances all that stress out. Unfortunately for many people the TV or tablet has taken over. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with an occasional night of TV or Netflix, it shouldn’t be your main thing. Try to find some healthy, hands on hobbies instead of mindless screen time.

Having a hobby or doing something creative is the ideal way to do this. Do you have a hobby right now? If so, now is a good time to make sure you set aside some time for it each week. When we get busy with “have to do’s” it’s easy to get out of balance and let the fun and relaxing stuff slide. Our hobbies and pastimes are often the first thing to go.

Healthy Hobby Ideas

Coloring Books. Adult coloring books are everywhere. People have rediscovered their long lost love for art, got in tune with their inner creativity and embraced a new passion.

Cooking. If you’re a person who loves to tinker in the kitchen, cooking and baking can be a wonderful hands on activity to get lost in.

Journaling is one of the best stress relieving activities that you can do. Make it fun and creative by using different pens, stickers and rubber stamps if you like.

Gardening brings many people peace. There’s nothing like getting out in nature and creating a beautiful space away from the world to help you detach from life’s stress and craziness.

Calligraphy and hand lettering. Good old fashioned paper and pen can be incredibly healing.  It’s a great way to fill up your offline days and get away from technology.

Finding a Hobby That’s Right For You

If you don’t have any hobbies at all right now and your time and energy is completely absorbed by work and family, it’s time to regroup. Start by thinking about the things you used to enjoy when you were younger..like before your kids were born. Reflect on the kinds of things you liked to do when you were a kid.

Does anything that you used to do spark your interest?If it does, make the time time to rekindle your love for your long lost hobby. Maybe you used to love painting with watercolors, or you enjoyed scrapbooking or mixed media. It doesn’t matter what it was. Just get out your old supplies if you still have some, buy a few new ones and see if you still like it as much.

But if you find that you don’t enjoy your old hobbies anymore, don’t stress about it. You’ve grown as a person over the past few years and your interests may have changed. Don’t be afraid to look into something new. Browse your local craft and home improvement stores for creative inspiration. See what classes are available in your community.

Ask your friends what they’re doing. Try anything that seems interesting and see what holds your attention. It may take a little trial and error, but I’m sure you’ll find at least one past time that’s perfect for you.

Mental Health Benefits of Hobbies

Hobbies will provide you with the creative outlet and relaxation that you need to balance out your busy life. It will take some intentional effort at first, but it will soon become part of your life and you wouldn’t want to miss your creative time.

When you find it, let me know what you decided to do. I always love to hear what others find relaxing and inspiring!

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Exercise is one of the best stress busters around. Getting in an intense workout to release tension and get those feel-good endorphins pumping through your body is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety.

If the idea of working out makes you cringe, I encourage you to give it a good try. Once you see how much a good workout can help to relieve stress, you’ll be far more motivated to make it an ongoing habit.

Exercising With a Chronic Illness

If you live with a chronic illness or disability, typical workout routines may not be accessible to you. But you can still reap the benefits of gentle exercise. I highly recommend Sleepy Santosha for gentle exercises that you can do in your bed, a chair or couch that won’t tax your system and you’ll reap the same stress relieving benefits as a regular workout.

Go for a Walk

If you’re just starting out, put on a pair of sneakers and just go for a walk. Walking is a simple workout that’s accessible to most people. It’s low impact and you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment or special training to do it. Just get out there and do it. It can be as easy or as challenging as you want it to be.

If you’re just starting out, and not in very good shape, just take a stroll around the block each night after dinner. After a few weeks you’ll be up to longer walks, picking up the pace, or tackling a small hill.

Hit the Gym to Relieve Stress

As time goes on, you’ll want to bump things up a bit if you can. It doesn’t matter if you work out at home or use a local gym. You simply want to be able to get a short and intense workout in somewhere. If neither of those are an option, buy a couple of dumbbells, grab a milk crate and figure out a workout routine that you can do at home in a pinch.

Whenever you feel especially stressed, make sure you get a good workout in that day. You can head to the company gym on your lunch break or stop at your local one on the way home. After an intense workout and a shower, you’ll feel brand new. And by the time you get home, the stress will have melted away and you’re ready for a relaxed evening with your family and a good night sleep. 

The combination of endorphins and getting more sleep that has an amazing effect when it comes to relieving stress. I’m sure you know that everything seems a lot worse than it really is is when you are tired and haven’t slept well.

After a good workout and especially if you make it a regular habit, you’ll sleep better and deeper. This will help to avoid the afternoon slump and of course the added stress. Not only that, but you’ll get more done throughout the day. Your productivity will increase with adequate rest. 

Exercise also works to distract you from your problems. When all your attention and concentration is focused on making it through the next set, you don’t have time to dwell on what’s stressing you out. Plus, all that exercise will tone your body and help you to look and feel better. With all of that going on, you’ll get a boost in confidence that also helps you get over much of what’s stressing you out. Sometimes it’s just about changing your attitude. 

Give exercising a try for a few days and then turn those days into weeks and months. Exercising may never become your favorite thing to do, but keep at it. It’s a tool you can use to relieve stress and feel better. That alone should be enough motivation to get it done.

Here’s a lesson that I’ve learned the hard way over the years. And I don’t want you to have to do the same! Listen to your body.

As a special needs mom, I got used to burning the candle at both ends. I didn’t know how to manage the stress of special needs parenting, my sobriety and practice self care.

I’m not a doctor, but I believe the years of cumulative stress played a big role in the development of the two major conditions I live with – cervical dystonia and ulcerative colitis (an autoimmune condition.)

Learning to Listen to Your Body

Your body will tell you when you need to slow down and when you need to stop everything and take a well deserved rest. Pushing past that point may work for a little while, but the longer you ignore these alarm signals from your body, the louder it will scream at you to slow down and just do nothing.

It’s so important to listen to your body when it needs a break from parenting, life, work or even workouts. Stress will take its toll and by the time you notice the signs from your body that I’m going to share with you,  you’re no longer functioning at your best.

Everything you do will continue to take you more time and with more brain fog.  Slowing down and taking a break isn’t a waste of time. You’ll come back focused, refreshed and able to do much better work in a shorter amount of time.

Listen to Your Body’s Signals

Let’s take a good look at some of the signals your body might be sending you to let you know that it’s time to slow down or take a good rest. These are all signals that you’re getting exhausted. Listen to them and get some rest.

Depending on the situation, either active or passive relaxation may work. At other times, you’ve just got to admit defeat and go to sleep for a good 12 hours to catch up.

Brain Fog. One of the first signs of exhaustion is brain fog. You’re forgetting things, overwhelmed and irritable. Everyday tasks take longer than usual. It’s time to listen to your body and slow down.

Increasing irritability and mood swings. When you find yourself getting irritable and snapping at others no good reason, it’s a good sign that you’re stressed out. Mood swings are a powerful sign from your body that it’s time to slow down.

Extreme afternoon slump. Everyone gets a little tired in the afternoon. It’s the main reason many of us reach for coffee or a snack from 2pm to 4pm. On a bad day, you can barely keep your eyes open, or even have to lay down for nap to make it through the rest of the day. If this is happening to you frequently, take it as a signal that you need to slow down and rest more.

Junk food cravings. When you find yourself randomly picking on sugary snacks or other processed foods throughout the day, it’s another sign that you’re exhausted. What you’re trying to do is to compensate for your fatigue with sugar and salt…which can actually be a form of chemical dependency.

Getting Sick Frequently. Now your body is calling for help. When you’re constantly struggling with frequent colds and infections, then some serious changes are in order. Reduce your workload, find some help and let the non-essential things go!

Restorative rest is an essential part of self care, and never something that you have to feel guilty about.