Hello Everyone! This is Maria from Shopgirl stopping by again! I hope you are all having a good week so far! I thought I would share something a little different with you today, since November 5th is Stress Awareness Day. I want to share five simple stress relief tips because around this time of year when the holiday season is just around the corner, life gets so terribly busy and incredibly stressful. I am someone who worries about every little thing, whether silly or serious, but I have learned a couple of simple tips & tricks that help me deal with stress, and I hope they help you too! I am by no means a medical professional or a psychologist, but these are a few little things I use to manage stress!

Stress Relief

5 Simple Ways to Find Stress Relief:

1. Start the day off right. If you feel stressed as soon as you wake up, don’t immediately go and jump into whatever is stressing you out (for example, don’t check your email as soon as you open your eyes or check all the text messages that are waiting for you). Instead, give yourself a couple of minutes to mentally wake up and get ready for the day, have your morning cup of tea or coffee, and write down all the things that are stressing you out that day. Maybe it’s a meeting in the afternoon, a pressing deadline or an argument you have to resolve with someone… whatever it is, I always feel like putting things down on paper helps clear your mind, and helps you visualize what is causing all the stress. And sometimes I find that while I expected to write a full page of things that stress me out, I only have two or three to write down! At the end of the day, go back and look over your list and see which things were worth stressing out about and which weren’t… you may begin to see a pattern there, which will help you recognize your stress triggers in the future.

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(The advice on this mug is a pretty profound stress fighter too: “Eat Cake and Move On!”

2. It’s the little things. Sometimes in the middle of all the stress and chaos that a day may bring, you need to stop for a moment and give yourself a timeout. Maybe you feel like you can’t afford to stop for an hour, or a half hour, or even ten minutes, but giving yourself that break may be exactly what you needed, and will help you regain your energy and deal with the stressful day more effectively. Give yourself time to have a cup of tea (and some cookies, of course!) and watch your favorite show (OSSS is currently loving Nashville and Downton Abbey!) , or take a bath and relax for a couple of minutes. Know what helps you to relax and re-energize, and allow yourself time (without guilt!) to do it!

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(If you’re a bath lover and have never tried the LUSH bath bombs, you should definitely give them a try! They smell amazing!)

3. Do something different. I often feel that when I’m super stressed out about something, taking a break from it and doing something completely different and breaking out of the usual routine really helps. Something as simple as going for a walk at the park, going to a coffee shop or getting in your car and going for a drive may be all you needed to get a mental break and gain some perspective.  It’ll give you other things to think about, and will help you clear your head!

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(A walk through the National Arboretum in Washington DC)

4. Don’t go at it alone. We were never meant to do life alone! It’s so easy to get caught up in our own stress bubble and forget that there’s even an outside world out there! Friendships are so important for a healthy life, and good friends can be one of the best ways to help you fight stress! A friend might see things from a perspective you never thought about and have advice that never even crossed your mind. And sometimes, all you need is just a listening ear; just getting everything out is helpful! And if you can’t physically meet up with a friend… call them, text them, email them!

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(Coffee date, or tea date, with a friend.)

5. One day at a time. I sometimes find that the reason I’m so stressed is because I expect myself to conquer a whole month in the span of a day, instead of just focusing on that day itself. Take things step by step, day by day, even hour by hour on those super stressful days, and don’t overwhelm yourself with unrealistic expectations and extra pressure!

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(One day at a time!)

I hope that you found these tips helpful for stress reliefl, and if there is something else that you do to help fight stress, let me know in the comment section below, I would love to know! I hope you all have a great, as stress-free as possible month of November, and stop by Shopgirl to visit me sometime! Have a wonderful week!

She Picks Image

Yummy jammies from Bed Head.  We love the new Hello Kitty line!

This stress-free herbal bath in a soothing orange scent.  Ahhh…

Fun mail for your preschooler from Kiwi Crate.  Keep them happy and busy, so you can take a breather!

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Stay tuned for Mariel’s Picks 2014, kicking off the last week in November!  Every day, for 3 weeks, you’ll find the BEST gift ideas for everyone on your list!  While you’re waiting, be sure to check out Gift Idea Central, where all past gift posts are saved.

Need more ideas for finding stress relief?? Check out these posts:

How I Find Stress Relief

Top 10 Reasons to Start Yoga this Holiday Season