Millennials are focused on their total health and wellness. They are seeking alternatives to medication and gearing towards more natural solutions. When it comes to relaxation and reducing stress, guided meditation is one of the best tools available. If your looking to learn guided meditation for beginners you’ve come to the right place!

 Here’s everything you need to know about guided meditation: what it is, the benefits, the different types, and how to get started. 

You’ll also learn a few guided meditation exercises that you can use to help you relax and de-stress. So if you’re looking for a natural way to improve your mental health and well-being, guided meditation may be just what you need!

What is Guided Meditation?

Guided meditation is a form of mindfulness meditation that is guided by a teacher or instructor. During guided meditation, you will be asked to focus on your breath and/or a mantra (a word or phrase that you repeat over and over again). The instructor will provide verbal guidance throughout the session, which can help you to stay focused and relaxed.

The Benefits Of Guided Meditation 

So what are the benefits of using guided meditation to relieve stress?

Some potential benefits include:

• decreased stress levels with consistent practice
• improved sleep quality
• reduced anxiety and depression symptoms
• decreased negative rumination (the act of thinking over and over again about negative events) 
• increased focus and concentration 
• a decrease in physical pain
• an improvement in your physical health, including a decrease in blood pressure and a reduction in the symptoms of conditions like anxiety, depression, and pain, improved cardiovascular health 
• increased self-awareness and insight 

Why Is Guided Meditation Good For Stress Relief?

Guided meditation can help shift your focus from whatever is causing you stress and anxiety to the present moment. In other words, it helps you take a break from ruminating about the past or worrying about the future. 

Guided meditation can also help you learn how to control and focus your attention. This is beneficial because it can help you become less reactive to stressors in your life. When you’re better able to control your attention, you’re less likely to get caught up in the stress response and its associated symptoms, such as anxiety and negative thinking

The Different Types of Guided Meditation 

There are many different types of guided meditation, so there’s likely one that will fit your needs. Some popular types include:

• mindfulness meditation: focus on the present moment and observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment  
• guided imagery: imagine a calming scene or experience to promote relaxation 

• mantra meditation: recite a phrase or word over and over again to achieve a state of calmness 
• walking meditation: focus on your breath and the sensation of your feet hitting the ground as you walk (I loveeee this in the snow at night when it’s extra bright outside)
• progressive relaxation: tense and relax different muscle groups in your body to release tension 
• breath awareness meditation: pay attention to the flow of your breath in and out of your body to center yourself 
• body scan meditation: body scan meditation is a type of mindfulness meditation. The goal of this type of meditation is to focus on the body and its sensations. This can help to improve your body awareness and reduce stress. 

How To Get Started  

Guided meditation is one of the best ways to improve your mental wellbeing. It’s easy to learn, and there are plenty of apps and guides available to help you get started.

If you’re interested in giving guided meditation a try, here are a few tips:

• Find an online guided meditation class or download an audio file to listen to at home. There are many great options available online. 
• Subscribe to an app that has guided meditations such as Headspace, Insight Timer, Aura App, and many more.
• Personally, I always recommend guided meditations from Youtube.com. They are free and you can find many that are developed by qualified mental health professionals. 

Guided Meditation Exercises 

Let’s look at youtube for guided mediation examples. 

Type ” guided meditation” into the YouTube search bar. You’ll get a lot of results, with plenty of variety to choose from. 

One example is this guided meditation for sleep by Deepak Chopra

I recommend guided imagery more than anything to my clients because it adds a visual element to your meditation to increase your sensory awareness. 

Here’s an excellent guided imagery meditation from John Hopkin’s: Guided Imagery 

You can also find plenty of guided meditations specifically for anxiety and stress relief.

Check out this guided meditation for stress relief. All you need is five minutes. 5 Minute Guided Meditation 

Guided Meditation Tips

When you’re ready to start your guided meditation, find a comfortable spot where you can sit or lie down. Make sure you won’t be disturbed for the next few minutes. You might want to set a timer so you don’t have to worry about time passing. 

If you’re a busy parent, make all members of your home aware that you need 15 minutes of alone time and turn on that sound machine for zero distractions! 

As you settle in, focus on your breath. Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply. If your mind wanders, that’s okay! Just gently bring your attention back to your breath. 

Guided meditations usually last between five and 30 minutes. After your timer goes off, sit for a few moments before getting up and give yourself lots of gratitude for loving yourself enough to take this much-needed time to be the best you.

The Takeaway

When used consistently, guided meditation can be an incredibly powerful tool to improve your mental and emotional health. It’s a great way to learn how to meditate, relax, and de-stress. 

Have you tried guided meditation? If not, what are you waiting for? This practice can help melt away your stress and leave you feeling more relaxed and centered. There are so many different types of guided meditations to choose from, so find one that resonates with you and get started today. 

Let me know some of your favorite guided meditations in the comments below – I’m always looking for new ones to try!

Happy meditating!

The post The Best Guided Meditation For Beginners: Learn All About Guided Meditation first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post The Best Guided Meditation For Beginners: Learn All About Guided Meditation appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by stress? If so, you’re not alone. A growing number of millennials are struggling to manage stress in their daily lives. While there are many different techniques that can help relieve stress, one of the most effective is progressive muscle relaxation. 

This easy-to-learn technique can be done in just a few minutes and can provide long-lasting relief from tension and anxiety. In this blog post, we’ll teach you how to do progressive muscle relaxation and discuss some of the benefits it has to offer. So if you’re looking for a simple way to get relief from your stressors, read on!

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique that helps you relax your muscles and thereby reduce overall stress, anxiety, and tension. It’s similar to guided meditation in that it helps calm your mind by teaching you to focus on your body instead of intrusive thoughts.

Unlike meditation, it also has the added benefit of helping with physical pain. Even if you have no experience meditating or practicing “being present,” PMR is incredibly easy to learn and practice.

If you’re curious about how PMR works, how to do a successful PMR session, and how it can help you relax both physically and mentally, read on for a comprehensive beginner’s guide:

HOW PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION WORKS

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a simple, systematic way to relax your body and mind by tensing and then relaxing your muscles.

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is an exercise that helps build awareness about how our bodies feel when we tense up or contract muscles unnecessarily.

The goal is to learn how to release tension from these areas so we can feel less physical stress in everyday situations (like sitting in traffic).

This relaxation exercise involves focusing on each part of your body one at a time—from the top of your head to the tips of your toes—and tensing and relaxing each one slowly.

It is by far my favorite relaxation technique, especially if you’re someone like me who can only sit and meditate for so long until you begin fidgeting and wondering what you should eat for dinner. 

A restless mind typically invites a restless body and this is the perfect way to take that physical tension and turn it up to the Max, and then feel it gradually melt away with each muscle group you tense and then relax.

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique that involves tensing specific muscles and then relaxing them.

PMR can be done sitting, standing or lying down, in any comfortable position.

PMR involves tensing specific groups of muscles for 10 seconds, then relaxing them for 10 seconds. You repeat this process for each group of muscles.

The whole exercise typically takes about 15 minutes, but it can be shortened to 5 minutes if you have less time or are starting out with little experience at PMR.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Benefits?

 If you’re struggling with headaches, backaches or another type of physical pain; if you have trouble sleepingwell at night; or if you have any other kind of discomfort in your body that makes it difficult for you to relax during the day—then progressive muscle relaxation will help reduce these discomforts so that they don’t interfere with your life.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS Of PMR

Stress can cause very real physical symptoms on a daily basis. PMR helps

• relieves tension
• lower blood pressure
• reduces headaches
• reduces backaches
• helps improve sleep
• and eases other symptoms caused by stress.

It’s a good way to help you relax your body and mind, lower your stress level and improve your overall health. 

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Script

So how exactly do you complete a PMR exercise? 

You’ll want to find a quiet place where you can be alone for 5-15 minutes, uninterrupted by phones or other distractions.

 You can dim the lights or light a candle if you prefer. 

Sit back in a chair or lay on a couch or a bed during the exercise.

You may also want to put on soft music or play white noise to increase your sensory focus.

When you’re ready to begin your PMR session, focus on breathing in through the nose for 3 seconds and out through the mouth for 3 seconds. Repeat this two more times.

Try your best to relax your mind and think about little to nothing.

If you find your mind wandering, gently guide yourself back and focus your mind and body in the present moment.

With this exercise, you will gradually tense and relax each muscle group in the body. Usually, it’s best to start from your head down to your feet.

 Tense the muscles in each muscle group for 10 seconds.

It’s important that you really concentrate on feeling the tension in those muscles until you are ideally shaking from exerting so much effort. 

 Relax those same muscles completely for another 10 seconds before moving on to another group of tensed-and-relaxed muscles.

1) To begin, take three deep abdominal breaths , then exhale for 5 seconds. As you exhale, imagine that tension throughout your body beginning to fade away. Repeat this two more times.

2) Hold your arm out and clench your left fist. Hold for 10 seconds, and then release for 10 seconds. Repeat with the right fist. 

3) Shrug your shoulders up towards your ears, tightening the muscles. Hold for 10 seconds and then relax for ten seconds. 

4) Squeeze your eyes shut as tightly as you can, feeling the tension in the muscles around the eyes. Hold for 10 seconds and then relax for ten seconds.

5) Pull your head back and look up slightly, feeling the tension in the back of your neck. Hold for 10 seconds and then relax for ten seconds.

6) Allow your head to fall to the left, and feel the tension on the left side of your neck. Hold for 10 seconds, and then release for 10 seconds. Repeat this on the right side of your neck.

7) Arch your back, sticking out your chest, and feel the tension in your upper back. Hold for 10 seconds, and then release for 10 seconds.

8) Lean forward and tighten the muscles in your stomach, squeezing the stomach as hard as you can. Hold for 10 seconds, and then release for 10 seconds.

 9) Stretch both of your legs, straight out in front of you, stretching your feet and pointing your toes up toward your head. Hold for 10 seconds, and then release for 10 seconds.

Now, turn your neck left to right 3 times, hold out your arms and wiggle your fingers, raise your chest and pull it forward, hold out your legs and wiggle your toes. 

Repeat this exercise 2 more times if you still feel tense until every part of your body has been relaxed, starting with your arms (number 2) and ending with your legs (number 9).

If you’re doing it right and inviting enough tension, you should be slightly out of breath upon completion.

SOME TIPS

 With practice, you’ll begin to understand your muscles, their reactions to tension, and how you can relax them. It is important to practice consistently if you wish to train your body to respond differently to stress. 

Don’t do it too fast or hard. In order for this technique to be effective, you have to go slowly and deliberately through each step. So, take your time! 

If a part of your body feels uncomfortable, skip over it without feeling bad about yourself. Just focus on relaxing elsewhere instead until the discomfort passes. 

You may feel lightheaded or dizzy during some exercises. For example, if doing deep breathing makes you feel lightheaded or dizzy—which can happen because deep breathing floods oxygen into areas where there isn’t enough available blood flow right away—then just relax somewhere else until those sensations pass.

Progressive muscle relaxation is not a replacement for medication. If you are experiencing a medical condition, or if you are pregnant or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, please consult your doctor before trying this technique.

When you’re having a stressful day, the last thing you may feel like doing is taking time to relax. But that’s when it’s most important for you to do it. 

Give yourself gratitude for taking charge of your mind and body during stressful times. Recite a few positive affirmations and get to sleep or resume your day feeling lighter and more relaxed.

4 PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE VIDEOS

There are many different variations of this exercise in terms of where to start on your body and how long to do the exercise, but ultimately the same goal. Here are 4 Progressive Muscle Videos I Send My Clients Regularly. These are great if you prefer to close your eyes and let a soothing voice guide you. They are what I consider to be the best out of countless PMR videos, but feel free to find and save the videos that resonate the most with you.

1. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training- Mark Connelly : 14:55 minutes

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation- Relax For A While : 15:52 minutes

3. Reduce Stress through Progressive Muscle Relaxation-Johns Hopkins Rheumatology: 5:53 minutes

4. Reduce Anxiety & Improve Sleep With Progressive Muscle Relaxation– Bob & Brad: 12:45 minutes

THE TAKEAWAY

Progressive muscle relaxation helps you release tension in your body and mind, so if stress is getting in the way of your work or personal life–it might be just what you need!

Whether you have 5 minutes, 15, or 20, take the time to complete this exercise and feel the tension melt away from your body.

PMR is a great way to unwind, relieve anxiety, and promote good sleep. It is easy to learn and easy to do at home. Once you get the hang of it, you can incorporate PMR into your daily routine so that you’re prepared for anything that comes your way! 

What’s your absolute favorite relaxation exercise when you’re feeling stressed? Let me know in the comments section below!

The post How To Train Your Body To Feel Calmer: Progressive Muscle Relaxation first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post How To Train Your Body To Feel Calmer: Progressive Muscle Relaxation appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

Stress has been plaguing people across the entire world more than ever before. Pandemics, politics, inflation, you name it. There are an endless amount of stress relief products out there to help you manage stress, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones to try.

Let me help you take the guesswork out of your decision. I’m highlighting all-natural products proven to be effective, with good reviews, and most of which I’ve used myself, my clients love, or I currently own. Here are the best stress relief product must-haves!

1. Himalayan Salt Lamp

The soft red glow of a Himalayan salt lamp calms the senses and offers a beautiful aesthetic. There are also many health benefits. With over 4,000 sales and over 800 5-star ratings, the Moon Shape Himalayan Salt Lamp offers a unique look to traditional lamps of its kind. Here’s why I recommend it:

Why You Should Buy A Himalayan Salt Lamp

• The lamp is handmade with natural pink salt crystals 
• is equipped with a dimmer to adjust the brightness setting of the lamp
• can also be used as a night light
• ships fast and free
• It’s the perfect size to put next to your bed

Health Benefits Of Himalayan Salt Lamp:

• supports immune system
• enhances concentration
• reduces stress
• improves breathing
• boosts serotonin levels 
• improves mood

Price: $48.95

Get the Moon Shape Himalayan Salt Lamp at Etsy.com

2. Meditation Cushion

The first time I ever used a meditation cushion was on a five-day silent meditation retreat I attended in Massachusetts. 

I remember feeling uncomfortable trying to mediate and feeling like a poser as I cracked one eye open to see over 90 other people in the room looking so calm and still. 

A lovely woman silently approach me and handed me a meditation cushion because I guess she could see me fidgeting a mile away! That made a huge difference in my ability to sit still and zen out.

A good meditation cushion will provide the necessary body support so that you can meditate longer while your body remains pain-free. With over 500 sales and all 5-star ratings, the Tangie Marie Convertible Meditation cushion offers comfort and positioning for all types of meditation and comfort. Here’s why I recommend this one specifically:

Why You Should Buy The Tangie Marie Convertible Meditation Cushion

• Comfort: firm comfort and better hip and ankle comfort when meditating 
• Easy Storage: storage is easy with only a 5.00″ height
• Portable: easy to take with you on the go
• Adjustable Cushions: Converts into 5 different seating possibilities 
• Sanitary: removable foam core makes it easy to clean
• Multi-use: This cushion can also. be used for guests to sit on the floor or for a place to rest their heads.

Price: $169

Get the Tangie Marie Convertible Meditation cushion

3. Weighted Blanket

Coolmax Weighted Blanket

Weighted blankets can be beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep quality, and much more. Weighted blankets provide gentle pressure to reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. Instead, the blanket helps your body release calming hormones such as oxytocin, melatonin, and serotonin. There are so many choices when it comes to weighted blankets. My pick is, hands down, the Coolmax Weighted Blanket.

Why You Should Buy The Coolmax Weighted Blanket

• They use 100% BPA-free, hypo-allergenic, FDA compliant plastic pellets to make their blankets for your safety
• Cooling: delivers the calming pressure of a traditional weighted blanket without overheating
• Quick-drying – Because it’s breathable, Coolmax® dries faster than other materials.
• Easily washable – Coolmax® fabric is easy to clean and care for the busiest person.
• Good for all: it comes in different sizes and weights and includes options for kids, teens, and adults.

Health Benefits Of The Coolmax Weighted Blanket:

• Provides gentle pressure to reduce cortisol, the stress hormone
• Slows your heart rate 
• Provides a sense of security
• Can even lower your blood pressure
• Helps you sleep better

Price $179.95

Get the Coolmax Weighted Blanket

4. Essential Oils

Aromatherapy has been used for centuries to help improve mood, induce relaxation, and promote sense of calm and well-being. Essential oils help promote relaxation. They can be used in a variety of ways including aromatherapy, massage therapy, and topical application. Essential Oils, blended with lavender oil and citrus, are widely known for there relaxing properties. They can help you de-stress and unwind after a long day. One brand I highly recommend is Stress Relief Essential Oil Blend from ThePlantGuru.

Why you Should Buy Stress Relief Essential Oil Blend

• 100% pure essential oils
• They’ve sold over 320,000 bottles with over 45,0000 5-star reviews!
• The bright and citrusy scent is both calming and invigorating 
• These essential oils undergo strict quality control measures to ensure safety
• Affordable
• Free shipping!

Price $8.95 for 10ml’s

Get this Stress Relief Essential Oil Blend at etsy.com.

5. Essential Oil Diffuser

If you are looking for a natural way to reduce stress, an Essential Oil Diffuser can be a great option. The aromatherapy diffuser releases essential oils into the air, dispersing a natural fragrance.

There’s an entire art to using essential oils in which I don’t pretend to be fluent. But, I find the power of calming the sense of smell very powerful to reduce stress and essential oils offer so many healing benefits, including being one of the most immediate ways to elicit a sense of calm, in my opinion.

One of the best-known uses for essential oils is in helping you stress less. Oils such as chamomile, lavender, and clary sage in a diffuser can reduce stress and help you sleep.

 Here’s why I chose this essential oil diffuser sold by the company WellWithinTheWyld. 

Why You Should Buy The Essential Oil Diffuser | White & Wood Grain Diffuser

• Attractive and well-made
• 15 different lighting options for any mood
• Multiple timer settings
• small mist stream and intermittent or continued stream 
• It’s super quiet
• Ships free
• All 5-start reviews with over 2000 sales
• Nice and affordable

Price: $35

Get this essential oil diffuser at etsy.com.     

6. Scent Infused Pillow For Side Sleepers

Most side sleepers experience nightly discomfort from their necks being bent in an awkward position while lying on their pillows. 74% of people sleep on their side and it can be a real toss and turn situation to get comfortable. Struggling to get comfortable for sleep undoubtedly causes stress. That is why Yogasleep brilliantly created a pillow with a shoulder recess for side sleepers that cradles the head while supporting the neck. Doesn’t that make so much sense?!

 Here’s why I chose the Shoulder Zoned Dough® Lavender-Infused Pillow 

• Dough® Memory Foam
• you never have to struggle for a comfortable place to rest your should and neck again
• the soothing scent of lavender is infused into this pillow!
• It comes with an extra 2mL Spritzer of Lavender to refresh your pillow as needed

Price: $109.95

Get the Shoulder Zoned Dough® Lavender-Infused Pillow now     

Summary

It’s time to destress! What are your favorite stress relief products? Share with me and the community in the comments below. And if you’re looking for more ideas, be sure to check out our other posts on how to reduce stress.

From essential oils to meditation cushions, there’s something for everyone. So take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy some much-needed self-care time.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

The post The Best Stress Relief Products You Need Right Now first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post The Best Stress Relief Products You Need Right Now appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

Would you believe that around 7% of Americans suffer from social anxiety?

What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social anxiety disorder, often known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by intense worry in social situations. People who suffer from this illness have difficulty conversing in any social interaction.  The excessively worry about being  judged or embarrassed by others.

This condition can be quite isolating because everyone else around you may appear calm, but it’s reassuring to know that you’re not alone. Even though social anxiety is common, many people still struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy in their routine.

Could you use some help managing social anxiety to restore the quality of your life? Read on so you can gather four powerful tips on how to manage social anxiety.

1. Prepare for Social Interactions in a Productive Way

What is social anxiety spiraling? It’s when people allow themselves to imagine the worst-case scenarios always coming true instead of envisioning events closer to reality. They engage in negative automatic thinking patterns that maintain social anxiety time and time again.

It’s important to try to train your brain to view social interactions more productively. Identify your fears and come up with solutions that can help you feel safe. If awkward silences send shivers down your spine, make a mental list of several topics that you find interesting.

You can also take the pressure off yourself by turning your attention toward others. Be prepared to ask them questions so the conversation is focused on them. Now, take a breath and find your sense of calm while you listen to them.

2. Be Mindful of Your Breathing

One of the top signs of a social anxiety disorder is having an increased heart rate and rapid breathing in public settings. Over time, this can also lead to trembling, blushing, and nausea.

As challenging as it may be in the moment, turn your attention to your breathing and try to slow your body down. When your body is in a calmer state, it’ll be easier to get a grasp on your mental health.

Certain techniques can help you slow and control your breathing. Try these steps:

1. Wherever you are, focus on relaxing major parts of your body.
2. Relax your face muscles, your shoulders, wiggle your fingers to make sure they’re not clenched, and sit or stand upright to improve confidence.
3. Breathe in slowly through your nose for 6 seconds. Make sure you’re allowing the breath to move from the chest to the belly, taking in a big sip of air.
4. Hold your breath in for 5 seconds and then slowly let it out through your mouth for 4 seconds.
5. Really focus on setting the mental intention to relax committee to a sense of calm throughout.
6. Repeat this several times until you feel relaxed.

Remind yourself that nobody else will see your distress unless they’re looking for those signs. On that subject, here’s a fact coming from a therapist that can be reassuring to know, most people are focused on themselves and not you anyway!

3. Try Chewing Some Gum or Wearing a Soothing Scent

A lesser-known tip for coping with social anxiety is to keep your mouth busy with some gum. Not only will this activity allow you to get some nervous energy out, but you can also trick your body into a rest and digest state. This is the opposite of fight or flight.

Smells can also have a positive impact on our mood. You can carry around a small container of lavender essential oil to apply to your wrist and inhale whenever you want to soothe yourself.

4. Consider Getting Professional Help for Managing Social Anxiety

A sad truth is that many people with anxiety find it hard to get help since they have to socialize to work through their problems. Although setting up your first appointment with a therapist can seem daunting, you’ll feel much better once you can vent and gain valuable insights from a professional.

CBT is a common treatment. A person will learn to identify negative thoughts or beliefs that stop them from interacting socially. CBT can help a person recognize that their thoughts and behaviors can be modified so that they feel more comfortable entering into a social interaction.

If sitting down with a stranger is too scary right now, you can explore online mental health services that allow you to type instead of talk.

Do I Have Social Anxiety?

Now You Know How to Cope. Managing social anxiety can seem impossible if you’ve been battling your mental health for years. By following these tips, you should be able to take control of your well-being again.

Money, relationships, and work are just a few of the endless things that can cause stress. If you’d like to learn other ways you can improve your mental health, bookmark this blog or contact us.

The post How To Find Your Confidence: 4 Strategies For Managing Social Anxiety first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post How To Find Your Confidence: 4 Strategies For Managing Social Anxiety appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

Yoga retreats offer a peaceful oasis where millennials can find solace and restore balance in their lives.  There are many different yoga retreats all over the United States and each one offers a unique set of activities, accommodations, and price points.

To help you find the best yoga retreat for your needs, I have compiled a list of the top seven yoga retreats in America! 

These retreats offer everything from stunning mountain views and incredible lakefront locations to a silent solo experience or a more social oasis.

Here are my top 7 picks for the best yoga retreats in the USA:

• Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
• Sedona Zen Mountain Monastery, Arizona
• Rolling Meadows Yoga & Meditation Retreats – Brooks, Maine
• Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York
• The Raj Ayurveda Center – Iowa
• Insight Meditation Society, Barre Massachusetts
• Mount Madonna Center, Northern California

But first…

What Is A Yoga Retreat?

A yoga retreat is a type of vacation that focuses on practicing yoga and meditation in a quiet, peaceful setting. Most yoga retreats offer daily yoga classes. Also, enjoy workshops and lectures on various topics related to health and wellness. 

In addition, many retreats include hiking or nature walks, healthy meals, and time for relaxation and reflection.

Why Should You Go On A Yoga Retreat?

If you are looking for an opportunity to disconnect from the stressors of everyday life and focus on your wellbeing, then a yoga retreat may be perfect for you.

Yoga retreats offer a way to change your surroundings and completely immerse yourself in a series of different activities that involve you shutting out the world. 

They offer an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life that can sometimes leave us feeling stressed to the max.

They center around you focusing only on your mind, body, and breath, and finding a part of yourself you didn’t know was missing, especially if you feel lost in some way and need some direction. 

Aside from potentially “finding yourself,” yoga retreats can be a great way to meet new people. It is one of the easiest places to approach people who are likely friendly, non-judgmental, and looking to meet new people.

Sharing in this unique experience with other people and sharing how this experience affects you can be a beautiful way to form a friendship.

What Does A Typical Day At A Yoga Retreat Look Like?

A typical day at a yoga retreat includes several hours of Yoga practice, giving you plenty of time to improve your poses and learn new techniques. 

You will also have the opportunity to attend workshops on topics such yoga for anxiety, Reiki, learning a happy and healthier you, setting intentions, and more.

To sum it up, the activities revolve around you getting more in touch with you in the most peaceful way possible.

How Much Do Yoga Retreats In The US Typically Cost?

The short answer depends on how long you want to go and how cheap or fancy you’re looking for the experience to be. Typical retreats start as low as $50 a day. But, can run up to $3000 depending on how luxurious you want it to be, what is included, the location and the activities included.

Without further ado: 

Best Yoga Retreats In The Unites States

1. Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Best Activities On A Retreat

The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health is a world-renowned yoga retreat center that offers weeklong yoga retreats. They are open to people of all levels of experience. There are also shorter weekend or midweek programs. 

This beautiful location in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts features stunning mountain views, delicious vegetarian food, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking and biking.

Access to over 100 acres of hiking trails, walking paths, a private lakefront area, and indoor amenities.

Activities at Kripalu focus on yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, healthy cooking, and nutrition. Activities include topics such as Self-Care, Life Skill, Posture Workshop, guided hiking, YogaDance, and more.

R&R Overnight rates include three meals, access to workshops and yoga classes, and full use of the Kripalu grounds.

Standard prices start at about $95 a night for overnight stays and $125 for a day pass.

For more information: [https://kripalu.org/content/kripalu-retreat-renewal]

• The Best Guided Meditation For Beginners: Learn All About Guided Meditation
• How To Train Your Body To Feel Calmer: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• The Best Stress Relief Products You Need Right Now
• How To Find Your Confidence: 4 Strategies For Managing Social Anxiety
• Best Yoga Retreats In The USA (For Everyone’s Unique Needs)

2. Sedona Zen Mountain Monastery, Arizona

Best Scenic Escape

Nestled in the red rocks of Sedona, this monastery is home to an international community of Buddhist practitioners. The monastery, a true sanctuary, offers silent meditation retreats as well as workshops on mindfulness and Buddhist teachings.

Their campus, located on 173-acres of Sedona desert red rocks, is surrounded by sage, rosemary, lavender, prickly pear and, fruit trees. Sedona Mago offers a variety of serene and spacious accommodations and onsite programs including yoga, meditation, meditation walks, physical healing with qigong exercises, and more. 

Some additional activities include Sound Healing / Floating Meditation, a sun meditation, daily journaling, waterfall meditation, 120 steps life reflection meditation, etc.

Sedona Mago Center for Well-being and Retreat has many programs designed to help you heal.  They even offer a quiz on their website to see which workshop or retreat is best for you.

In 5 days and 4 nights, you can learn to manage your stress, balance your emotions, create circulation in your body, and connect to your true essence. Learn ancient energy principles, and recover overall health. 

Included in your stay are three meals, a private bath, a healing vortex and many different room accommodations. 

Prices: The tuition with a private room is $2,160 and shared is $1,920

For more information: (https://sedonamagoretreat.org)

3. Rolling Meadows Yoga & Meditation Retreats – Brooks, Maine

Best Outdoor Activity Retreat

If you’re looking for a rustic yoga retreat and off the beaten path, Rolling Meadows Yoga & Meditation Retreats in Brooks, Maine is perfect. 

This intimate getaway offers yoga classes, meditation workshops and plenty of outdoor activities like hiking, biking and swimming. Also, enjoy some downtime by reading a book by the campfire or relaxing in one of the hammocks.

They sum up your stay with  meditation, yoga, movement, self-inquiry, pranayama, breathwork, silence, and unstructured time in the natural world. The emphasis is on awareness and personal transformation. Anyone interested in a spa-type experience is advised to look elsewhere.

Retreats are available on scheduled dates only and the cost of a stay at their Main retreat center for 4-night retreat is $1,225.

For more information: (https://rollingmeadowsretreat.com/maine-retreats/)

4. Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York

Best Part Adventure, Part Spa Retreat

If you’re looking for a yoga retreat that leans more into a blend of yoga and getting your body moving with recreational activities, Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York is probably your best bet. 

This institute offers weeklong and weekend yoga retreats. 

Omega’s popular Rest & Rejuvenation retreat, available May to October, are a great way to unwind and renew your spirit on 250-acre’s of land. The instructors are highly experienced and certified in their fields.

Their All-Inclusive Stay includes: three gourmet meals daily, Daly open classes include yoga, tai chi, and meditation in their sanctuary, canoeing, kayaking, or row-boating along beautiful Long Pond Lake, use of their library, tennis and basketball, art supplies, trials and, garden use.

Enjoy body work therapy, massages and facials on this retreat that can be part adventure, and part spa-like.

Per Person Rates – Single

Weekend Programs: $ 720, 5-Day Programs: $ 1,500, and 7-Night Stay is $ 2,180

 Looking to relax and rejuvenate your body and mind amongst a picturesque setting? Then, Omega Institute is definitely the retreat for you!

 For more information: ( https://www.eomega.org) 

5. The Raj Ayurveda Center, Iowa

Best Spa Yoga Retreat

Looking for a unique and life-changing ayurvedic experience?

At the Raj Ayurveda Center, you can rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit. The center is large, with 36,000 square feet of space. It is also set in nature, among 100 acres of woods and rolling meadows in Iowa. Come and explore the natural beauty while you restore balance in your life.

They Raj boasts about a boutique experience, with exclusive, high quality standards. The Raj offers yoga and breathing exercises. There are also optional mediation classes as effective stress reduction tools. They combine ancient healing practices with modern treatments.

The resort offers guests an opportunity to heal themselves through programs like Transcendental Meditation and Ayurvedic treatments. They also have a variety of wellness activities, including anti-stress massages, meditation workshops, and more!

What’s more, they are unique in that they offer treatments specifically designed for so many afflictions. Treat depression, stress and anxiety, chronic pain issues and more.

Accommodations: Each room comes with a continental breakfast and the Raj Restaurant offers a range of vegetarian meals for lunch and dinner. Next, the restaurant includes the option of traditional family-style meals or private dining as well as a Sunday buffet. 

Price: Single occupancy rates start at $108, Double occupancy from $123. In-Residence Panchakarma Packages are $660 per day and include 2-3 hours of Ayurvedic Spa Treatments, Yoga classes, Evening Lectures, all meals and more.

For more information visit: (https://theraj.com)

6. INSIGHT MEDITATION SOCIETY, BARRE MASSACHUSETTS 

Best Low Cost Retreat

This retreat center in Barre Massachusetts is understated, yet transformative. The retreats are designed for both new and experienced meditators.

Though it is not considered a yoga retreat, I added it to the list for these reasons: the cost, the meditation experience, and the fact that there is a space for yoga whenever you would like to practice yoga instead of a walking meditation.

The day is spent in silent practice with alternate periods of sitting and walking meditation. 

Meditation teachers from all over the world offer daily instruction and guidance in Buddhist meditations known as vipassana (insight) and metta (lovingkindness). 

Buddhist meditation is not just for the elite. The Retreat Center offers courses that will teach you how to meditate and develop compassion with ease, with a range of silent meditation courses available, varying in length from a weekend to three months.

Come in the Winter months and enjoy the unique opportunity to take mindful walks in the snow where each slow and calculated footstep immerses you with peace and tranquility. 

The best thing about these retreats? They’re available at your convenience – no matter what time works better for YOU.

Accommodations include 3 buffet-style meals a day, a selection of caffeinated and herbal teas are freely available at all times and there are three dormitories with single bed bedrooms.

The cost? 

IMS retreat fees are on a sliding scale basis that allows participants to pay according to what they can afford. There is an opportunity to offer donations to the teachers at the end of each retreat.

For more information: https://www.dharma.org/retreats/schedules/retreat-center/

7. MOUNT MADONNA CENTER, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Best Flexible Accommodation Retreat (Bring Your Own Tent!)

Mount Madonna Center, located in Northern California, is a place of serene beauty and deep spiritual meaning, where visitors can find solace from their busy lives. The 355 acres, located on mountain-top redwood forest is sure to be a scenic delight. 

Mount Madonna has hotel-style buildings with shared bathrooms (no TVs or phones) to help keep you present in the experience, separate cabins, or the option to bring your tent during the warmer months. 

Some of their offerings include yoga classes in asana, meditation, pranayama, and philosophy, “yoga of devotion” in the Sankaṭ Mochan Hanumān Temple located on a mountaintop, and use of the wellness center where you can receive a traditional massage and other body therapies. 

You can take it outdoors by going on a hike, swimming in the lake, or mindfully walking in the garden. If you’re looking for a silent retreat they offer this option as well.

Price: Prices are per person per day and include vegetarian meals, lodging and facilities use. Choose your experience with single person occupancy starting as low as $78 a night if you bring your own tent,$148 a night for a more remote, double cabin location, and as high as $255 a night if your looking for your own bathroom. There are many different accommodations to choose from sure to please every person.

Maybe a retreat isn’t realistic for you right now? Mount Madonna offers several free online, live classes!    

For more information visit: (https://www.mountmadonna.org/online-offerings)

Sum Up

There you have it. The best yoga retreats in the United States. If you need of some stress relief, one of these retreats is bound to do the trick. In fact, yoga retreats can be life-changing because they reset your intentions, your perspective on life, and most importantly yourself.

A yoga retreat is an excellent way to relieve stress and recharge your body. Go alone or grab a friend. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, consider retreating to one of these amazing yoga havens for a little peace and relaxation. You won’t regret it!

The post Best Yoga Retreats In The USA (For Everyone’s Unique Needs) first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post Best Yoga Retreats In The USA (For Everyone’s Unique Needs) appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

When you’re human, you deal with some level of stress. Stress management techniques are often not taught in our everyday lives. They weren’t added to a school curriculum growing up or implemented into the work day. Stress can come from various situations in your life. 

Your job may cause you stress, you may have relationship issues, or deal with family problems such as health issues or an unhealthy relationship with your family.

Whatever the case, finding a way to give yourself stress relief fast is so important. Using skills help you feel empowered and in control. 

Stress can be tolerated and beat with these instant stress relief mind hacks, because finding stress relief doesn’t have to take years of soul searching.

What Happens Mentally and Physically During Stress?

There are many emotional, physical, and behavioral aspects to an acute state of stress. If not controlled in a timely manner, symptoms can occur such as:

• Chest palpitations
• Chronic irritability due to feeling out of control
• Difficulty breathing
• Indecisiveness
• Shakiness and sweating
• Inability to concentrate when needed
• Physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, fatigue, and sleep problems 

These are some of the typical symptoms that people face when they are experiencing acute stress. 

Mind Hacks to Fight Stress

The best way to fight ongoing symptoms of stress that affect your mind and body are to learn useful mental health hacks. We are often told to exercise to reduce stress. While exercise is vital to your overall health and wellness, paying attention to your mind, and how it is the root cause of your stress, is so often overlooked. 

Basically, you can train your mind into thinking everything is going to okay and bring its attention to something else. 

Whether it is distraction behaviors, or relaxation exercises, you can yield the power of mental jujitsu!

This is how I term gradually mastering how to control your stress through the use of strategic skills or mind hacks. 

In this fast paced world, it’s important to know how to beat stress so it doesn’t beat you. 

After all, we are the one’s in charge of our mindset, and it can be hacked easier than you realize. This is the basic principle behind the mind hacks used to counter acute stress effects. 

What Are 5 Ways To Fight Stress?

1. Intentional Journaling 

Think of the times your worry thoughts were running through your mind, causing you to spiral and feel out of control. You couldn’t find a better way to process them and they felt like they beat you, and they continue to beat you. Writing is a powerful tool for processing our inner thoughts and feelings regarding a stressful situation. When we don’t know how to process a situation that happens all of a sudden, our main goal should be finding a way that helps you name and interpret how you feel.

Instead of bottling up your emotions and thoughts, it is best to let them flow in a safe way. Journaling is, therefore, an important tool for this.

Not only can you process your emotions and let them flow as they come, but you also develop an improved sense of awareness about yourself. When you learn what your triggers are, you can begin to see certain patterns the make you tick surfacing through your writing.

Keep a journal as a safe space to air your stressful thoughts. It can be a place where you don’t have to worry about how you sound, how your thoughts may affect others, and allow yourself to simply be who you are.  

2. Guided Imagery 

Do you ever feel stressed and start to fantasize about being somewhere else? Especially, escaping somewhere peaceful such as a beach or for a hike through a rain forest?

Guided Imagery is a powerful meditation that helps your mind to declutter itself from racing thoughts caused by stress through the use of a peaceful image. You can either concur up an image of a beach, for example, or guide yourself into relaxation through guided imagery meditations people have thoughtfully put their time and effort into already. 

I love to go to YouTube and type in guided imagery. Choose a video based on how much time you have and what image looks the most inviting. It’s the most easy and efficient way to access tons of videos created for your pleasure.

You will see that as you do it, your brain shifts its focus from the acute stressful condition towards drawing that image in your brain.

This is a powerful method to move your attention away from troubling thoughts in times of stress and transport you to another place.

For best results, it is important you keep trying this meditation often. This way, it is engrained in your mind and easily accessible through memory. I watched a guided meditation before getting an MRI and it helped me escape to the beach in my mind and forget where I was so I could remain more still and calm.

3. Socialization 

When you are going through periods of acute stress, there is one thing that can aggravate your situation the most: Staying isolated. It is true because, as humans, we often bring a lot of focus on ourselves. In times of stress and isolation, we tend to magnify our problems and get into a vicious cycle of overthinking, which is difficult to break. It is best to divert our attention in these times. Socializing with other people helps to shift our focus from ourselves to others. 

There are two aspects of socialization: You get the emotional support you need by sharing and seeking help. If that is not the case, at least you take the spotlight off of yourself and bring it to other people. Instead of becoming centered on yourself, you play a positive role in thinking about other people’s problems. 

4. Taking Self Care Breaks

Your mental health matters in times of acute stress, and when you take care of yourself during these times, you are doing yourself and others a favor. Furthermore, when you implement self-care practices into your life on a routine basis, you have a better chance at maintaining a lower stress level, as opposed to using self-care practices only in times of stress.

Self-care practices are physical, emotional, and mental activities aimed at focusing on you. Some self-care practices include Exercising, eating a balanced diet, taking care of your physical appearance, saying no, journaling, being kind to yourself and others, meditation, engaging in a satisfying hobby, learning a new skill, socializing, etc. 

 Be ready to take pauses – don’t get too indulged in situations when you find yourself not having the emotional capacity to tackle them. By taking self-care breaks, you are protecting yourself from burnout and maintaining a calmer sense of self on a daily basis. 

5. Finding Humor

Whenever a stressful condition occurs, you don’t have to become stuck in a negative headspace. Overthinking and negative emotions can easily prevail in tough times, which will make you think worse of every situation.

To save yourself from this negative cycle, it is best to think of something productive or funny. Finding humor during tough times helps you to gain some resilience and insight into the situation. It also helps your mind to think differently from the perspectives that don’t go in your favor. 

For example, if you are late from a business meeting and you find yourself getting stressed, instead of thinking about the worst possible thing that could happen, allow your mind to focus on things that give you an instant giggle. You could think of something hilarious your kids or animal did. You could think about a funny show you watched, or a joke someone told you. 

The Takeaway

Dealing with acute stress doesn’t have to be difficult at all. Beat stress for good by using these mind hacks whenever stress arises for you. 

After all, you are the only person who is in control of what you do next after stress occurs. 

You can feel powerless to it time and time again, or you can recognize stress as a symptom of being human and take control with these mental health hacks. The choice is yours!

The post Mind Hacks To Quickly Fight Stress (And Win) first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post Mind Hacks To Quickly Fight Stress (And Win) appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

Most people enter a relationship full of hope, excitement, and trying to silence any doubt. There are many reasons a person doesn’t see a problem, even when others do. They could have been single for a long time and afraid to be alone again, flattered by superficial things that won’t matter down the line, or not in the best place in their lives, so settling feels acceptable.

Whatever the reason, sometimes it can feel impossible to know exactly how much negativity and gut feelings to push aside. It could save you a lot of time and pain to look out for these relationship red flags early on. 

How Do You Know When A Relationship Won’t Work?

1. Your Emotional Needs Do Not Matter

In fairness, being a good partner means being attuned to their emotional needs and not just your own. However, if you feel your partner constantly rolls their eyes at you when you’re expressing your emotional needs, something isn’t right. Rather than expecting your partner should just know what you need, the best thing to do for a successful relationship is to be clear about your needs and expectations.

 Whenever I’m confronted with a client telling me in a session that their partner should know by now what they need, I immediately challenge this. You should ask your partner directly for exactly what you need. This way, a wonderful thing happens in which they know what you want and you get what you want, win-win! 

If you feel you’ve been very clear and upfront about your needs, you’ve take actionable steps toward fulfilling what your partner needs, but they are unable or unwilling to satisfy your needs, they are not for you.

2. They “Should” All Over You

If your partner constantly tells you what you should do, what you should change, how you should act, how you should feel, how you should present yourself, they’re “shoulding” all over you! Excuse the defecation reference, but it’s one of my favorites! 

If your partner constantly suggests you should change yourself or whatever you want to do should be done differently, this is bound to lead to lower self-esteem.

Further, this suggests that whatever you’re doing is wrong which leads to questioning yourself and feeling inadequate. If your partner doesn’t leave emotional and physical space for you to be who you are, then this is one of the clear relationship red flags they are not right for you. 

3. You Don’t Make Each Other Laugh

According to helpguide.org, “Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.” They go on to say, humor in a relationship could help you let go of your defenses because you forget about judgment or doubt, act more spontaneous, and express your true feelings. 

Humor in a relationship is very healthy. Using humor indicates your partner wants to keep things light-hearted or they are trying to make you feel good if you’ve expressed feeling negatively. Either way, their deliberate use of humor is for your benefit and a good sign.

If you and your partner just don’t seem to get one another’s sense of humor, you’re in for a dull life. If your partner doesn’t feel the need to keep things light or want to see you smile, never let someone steal your smile! 

4. You Don’t Think About Them When They Aren’t Around

When a person is in a healthy relationship, they spend time with their partner that leaves them feeling fulfilled. If your family, hobbies, friends, and even doing your taxes start to get you more excited than spending time with your partner, you’ve lost interest. If you and your partner separate and you move on with your day as if you never got together, you may be over them.

5. They’re Inconsistent

If the person you’re dating says one thing and does another and makes promises they often don’t keep, you’re dealing with an inconsistent partner. You find you don’t know who they will be from one day to the next. Their actions and mood are unpredictable. If you’re not getting a person with consistent actions, then something is holding them back from giving you their full attention and respect.

6. They Don’t Make An Effort With Your Family and Friends

This is a telling one. When a person is interested in you, they really care about what the people you love think of them. They are looking to make a good impression. They say yes to get togethers with your family and friends and they seem interested in getting to know them. This is all in the interest of making you feel secure and happy. This is when you know someone is into you. 

If your partner always has excuses why “they just want to spend time with you,” they’re not able to share in your life in a healthy manner. This will inevitably create problems for you down the road. 

If your partner is unwilling to enter into your world as you do for them, then they are not prioritizing or respecting your needs. Your friends and family have been established before they came along. If it feels like you have to give them up because your partner isn’t willing to spend time with them this is not a good sign.

7. The Sex Is Bad Or Nonexistent

When the thought of being with your partner sexually feels foreign or even off-putting, this is a red flag there is trouble in paradise. There can be many reasons this could happen. Your lack of a connection isn’t getting you in the mood, their behavior is negative and far from a turn-on, they’re not giving you any clear signs that they’re interested in you sexually. Whatever the reason, address it head-on or run the other way if a sexual connection is important to you.

8. You’re Lives Are Separated 

If you spend most of your leisure time and family time apart, there is likely a reason you aren’t blending your worlds. What’s worse, is if you ask for this person to prioritize spending time with you, doing the things you want to do and they refuse or make excuses. Your interests should matter to them. Even if they do not want to partake in your interests, they should be willing to learn about what excites you and give you the space to talk about this. 

If they keep what they do in their spare time a mystery, they are either hiding something or not interested in letting you get to know them. 

9. You Fight Often

Fighting is normal, even in a healthy relationship. You and your partner are two different people with two different opinions. Fighting on occasion isn’t a bad thing. It could mean that you are passionate about them and fighting for them to see your side because they matter so much to you. 

But, there are relationship red flags to look out for that are clear indications your fighting is unhealthy.

Unhealthy Fighting

Of course, first and foremost, if you’re fighting gets physical this isn’t okay. If you or they, or both of you cannot control your anger so much so that it turns physical, your toxic to each other. 

Other, less serious, but problematic red flags include name-calling, threatening to break up with you, or infidelity. If these fights are frequent you’re at risk of developing mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, or depression. Fight fair, end the relationship or seek professional help if this is becoming too often and too painful.

10. There Is Little To No Communication

On the flip side of fighting, if you and your partner barely communicate, this could mean a couple of things. Your communication doesn’t go well so you’ve given up. Or, you or they just don’t care enough to communicate effectively. 

If you show a genuine interest in what your partner has to say, actively listen by repeating some key facts back to them about what they said, and given them positive encouragement you’re communicating well. 

If they do not mirror the same behavior for you, communicate negatively, or tell you something like, “I just want to relax,” whenever you want to communicate, they are not respecting your relationship.

11. They Never Talk About The Future

This is one of the easier relationship red flags to spot. If your partner avoids making plans for the future with you or they discuss plans with others that don’t include you, they are not interested in keeping you around for the long haul. It isn’t okay for you to be made out to seem like a crazy person when you ask about a future with them. If this is something they want, they will welcome the conversation. 

Other clear signs they don’t want a future with you include getting angry when you ask, telling you it isn’t necessary to discuss this now, or negative non-verbal communication like rolling their eyes at you, appearing frustrated, becoming less affectionate, or turning their body away from you. Reasons they may avoid this topic could be they are keeping their options open or they are afraid to tell you they aren’t that into you.

12. You Feel Worn Out After You See Them

When you connect with a person you typically feel happy and at peace when you’re spending time with them. If you’re dating someone and you find you feel drained and relieved once you go home for the evening, this is a tell-tale sign you’re incompatible.

There’s likely a power struggle going on, insecurity on their part which makes them act out, or they feel trapped in something they don’t want to be in.

They constantly correct you or scoff at your opinions. This can feel demeaning, embarrassing, discouraging, and downright hurtful. If they are constantly draining your energy for any reason this isn’t healthy. Relationship red flags like this are bad for your mental and physical health.

13. You Feel Negative Emotions More Often

If your encounters with your partner leave you feeling mad, stressed, sad or drained more often than not, this is unhealthy. When a person consistently feels negative, this can lead to behavioral changes like isolating more, lashing out at others, or unhealthy behaviors aimed to temporarily reduce stress like overeating, under-eating or using substances.

How Do You Tell Someone A Relationship Isn’t Working?

Even if you suspect this person isn’t invested in the relationship, letting them go most kindly is best. Why? What if you had feelings for them, but feel they do not? Feeling hurt may cause you to break up with them in a crass and abrupt manner. 

But, if you choose to break up with them and discuss your reservations (i.e. “I don’t feel we are on the same page with how we feel about each other” or “I’m not sure we are a good fit for each other”) and respect (i.e. “I wish you all the best”) then you will have a better chance of finding out how they really feel. This is because you expressed how you feel and didn’t place any blame on them. 

Finally, it is always best to let someone down gently and honestly because if they showed signs of any red flags that made you feel unsafe, you don’t want to be harsh with someone threatening.

Remove Yourself From The Equation to Help See The Red Flags

Relationship red flags can be hard to notice when you’re “in the bubble” of the relationship. You may be rationalizing many things outside of your awareness.

A vital tip to consider when trying to spot relationship red flags is pretty simple:

Consider what the potential relationship red flag may be for you. Take yourself out of the equation. If a loved one confided in you about this concern, would you view it as a red flag the relationship was in trouble?

Why is this effective?

When we look at someone else’s life it’s easier to view it more objectively. The facts of the situation are clearer because you’re not clouded by the subjective emotional responses that makes problems harder to see.

A healthy relationship is vital to your happiness, and a toxic relationship can lessen that happiness. If your constantly questioning the relationship and losing for yourself and others to justify things are okay, they probably aren’t. Recognize the red flags early and save yourself precious time and energy. 

The post How To Spot Relationship Red Flags (Unhealthy Relationship Signs Early On) first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post How To Spot Relationship Red Flags (Unhealthy Relationship Signs Early On) appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

Wake up, get kids ready for school, get yourself ready for work, attend four meetings today, sit in traffic, get dinner ready, make sure the kids do their homework, finish work you wanted to do tonight, send out Christmas cards, take kids to doctors appointments and sports games; the list goes on! When stress pushes you to your limit, this is what is called burnout.

This time in history, is perhaps the first time that people all over the world are experiencing burnout at the same time for the same reasons.

COVID‐19 has effects millions of people for different reasons. As a result, it is not surprising burnout has the same widespread effect. Coping with a pandemic can feel scary, overwhelming and endless.

Working at home, not working at all, feeling isolated, and juggling parent life while kids are home, are just some ways in which everyday life has changed.

Identifying burnout and stopping it in it’s tracks in crucial to getting through this pandemic.

What Is Burnout?

 Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by intense, untreated stress.

Burnout is a serious problem, affecting not just your performance, but your self-esteem and personal life.

Over the past 12 years as a licensed mental health counselor, researcher, and skills coach, I’ve helped clients to learn to manage the stress that can cause burnout and to ultimately achieve more peace and productivity. 

Burnout can affect parents, people with demanding jobs, and anyone who is pushes themselves past their breaking point.

Watching people go down the road that inevitably leads to burnout; allowing themselves to feel there is nothing they can do about it is painful.

Burnout Symptoms

If you’re unsure if you’re experiencing burnout, consider these symptoms.

What Can You Do About Burnout?

Burnout is completely preventable when you have the right mindset and tools to combat this mentally and physically depleting condition.

Learn 11 Ways Burnout Can Be Prevented

1. Have An Attitude of Gratitude 

People have complex emotions and often cause themselves unnecessary pain. There, I said it. Recognize what you do have and what is going well for you. Harping on where you want to be, but aren’t, is no way to live. 

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t challenge yourself and reach for the stars. But, make it a point to take strategic moments where you humble yourself to the idea of human suffering. 

Are your strong emotions appropriate considering the circumstances? Or, can you use an emotional intensity adjustment?

In the therapy world, we call this affect being congruent with the content. Are you suffering because you want a life partner or a promotion at work, but don’t have these things yet? No.

These realities are unpleasant and challenging. However, is a person who lives on the streets in the freezing cold with untreated schizophrenia suffering? Likely yes. 

Calibrate your emotional response to situations more appropriately and you’ll find tremendous relief. You’ll develop a better understanding of what really matters in life.

This isn’t to say your issues do not matter. But, if you take a couple of minutes a day to remind yourself what you are grateful for, especially in comparison to how things could be worse, your stress will lessen significantly. 

How To Have An Attitude of Gratitude 

I typically ask my clients in therapy to list 3 things they are grateful for each night before bed. People tend to feel the pressure of worry on their shoulders when they lay their head down to sleep.

Don’t worry about the things you list having to be major; they matter, however big or small if they are important to you.

In fact, we often have more small moments in our everyday lives, we can reflect on than major events.

An example of something big could be gratitude for you and your family’s health. 

Something small could be a moment today in which the sun was shining and you took a long walk and played some good music.

When you choose to focus on what you’re grateful for, rather than setting yourself up for feeling let down, a sense of peace tends to wash over your body and mind.

Humble yourself to the experience of having an attitude of gratitude as often as possible, and you will set yourself free.

2. Fake It Until You Make It 

Exude a persona of positivity and self-confidence, even if you’re not quite there yet.

The more you train yourself to use a positive and encouraging inner dialogue, the more this type of self-talk will become more automatic. 

If I’m a negative thinker, I may find myself thinking about an upcoming job interview in a defeating manner. For instance, I may tell myself “You’re not qualified enough to get this job.” As a result, I’m more likely to stumble on my words and sit on the edge of my seat with anticipatory anxiety.

Instead, what if you commit to a more positive and encouraging statement in response to your self-doubt? Such statements could be, “I have all of the qualifications this position requires.” “I will allow myself to feel confident during this interview.” Now, I’m more likely to take a sigh of relief and feel psyched for this interview. 

The key here is that I may not fully believe this yet, but the more I allow myself to keep answering back to self-doubt, then I’m much more likely to feel confident.

3. Be Decisive To Prevent Burnout

Your goal here is to reduce fatigue caused by the perceived burden of decision-making. The more decisive you are, the more time you free up for completing other tasks. Write down all possible decisions floating around in your head. Now, rank them based on the most important elements. 

Start with working on the most time-sensitive and time-consuming task, so that whatever follows after this is easier and feels less pressured.

Working on your ability to make a decision faster can:

• Reduce mental fatigue.
• Make you more decisive and action-oriented.
• Help you accomplish everyday tasks 

Consider all of your options, and then push yourself to narrow them down to two. Depending on the complexity of the decision, this may sound challenging. 

But, the faster you narrow down your options to one or the other, rather than a long list of options, the faster you will be able to make a choice. This is because there is less mental clutter.

“When choosing between multiple alternatives, people usually focus their attention on the two most promising options. The quicker we do that, the faster we make the decision.” This was the result of Psychologists from the University of Basel’s reported findings on decision-making in the scientific journal Nature Human Behaviour. 

We often know which options we like best, but in a world where there are so many options, we pollute our minds with trying to decide if the other options are more favorable, simply because they are there. 

Take these extraneous options off of the table and focus on two choices. Then, give yourself a deadline for making your decision. Once you establish a set goal, for instance, “I will decide on which two schools to send my child in two weeks,” timeline, then you give yourself an end date to the mental burden.

Create bullet points for what factors are most important in your decision-making process and conduct all the research you can around on the most important factors. 

Once this date approaches, make the decision and decide to stick with it. No wavering, no buts.

If you’ve committed this two week period of time to doing thorough research and establishing the main bullet points that you are looking for within a school, then you did what you set out to do.

Move on, and focus your attention on other things!

4. Have A Self-Care Routine

On January 2019, writer Anne Helen Petersen wrote an essay on BuzzFeed that went viral.  She pioneered the notion of “millennial burnout”—a chronic state of stress and exhaustion that millennials experience as their baseline existence.

This is because millennials have the burden of choice, now more than ever in history, and they sometimes have unattainable expectations for themselves. 

Never underestimate the power of developing a solid self-care routine.

Here are some examples of self-care routines to ward off burnout:

“Every night before bed, I will spend five minutes being alone with my breath and setting the intention to allow myself to feel peace and tranquility.”

“I will prioritize maintaining good hygiene by showering every day and brushing my teeth daily.”

“Every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday I will exercise for 25-60 minutes when I wake up.”

“I will silence my phone and set aside at least 15 minutes to be mindful each day.”

Common self-care practices include yoga, mindfulness meditation, relaxation exercises such as progressive muscle relaxation, exercise, getting enough sleep, taking a relaxing bath, or practicing challenging negative thoughts. 

5. Just Say No

There is nothing wrong with helping out friends and family to make their lives easier or saying yes to a work project you’ve been asked to work on.

However, maybe certain people are asking you for more than you’re capable of. Maybe the demands you’re placing on yourself feel constantly suffocating. If this is the case, then you may be saying yes too often. 

Whether you’re saying no to doing a friend or family member a favor or ding anything you do not feel capable of handling, say no to things that will deplete your energy.

If you feel there is something you cannot handle, because you just have nothing left to give in this moment, sometimes you just need to say no. Many times, we say yes at all costs because we believe it will make others happy or make us stand out at work, for instance. 

But, what if you know in your gut that you’re taking on something that you do not feel emotionally capable of handling? Maybe you know you do not have enough strength in the skill set this task requires.

Whatever the reason, if spending your time and energy on something will cost you more than you will gain, just say no.

People will respect that you had the self-confidence and self-awareness to not over commit yourself. 

If they don’t, that is not on you.

Saying no when you’re feeling drained isn’t being a bad person or not doing your job, it’s self-preservation.

The benefits of learning when to say no far outweigh the long term effects of overworking yourself and developing health issues down the line. 

6. Take A Vacation At Home

That doesn’t seem to make sense, does it? With the current state of things, many people are not traveling on vacation. 

Don’t let this make you feel like you’re trapped and helpless.

Escape from everyday stressors with these creative ideas:

Learn things you can do to make life feel more exciting in this article. 

Practice Using Guided Imagery

Guided Imagery is a relaxation technique that includes beautiful natural images accompanied by soothing music to help you relax. It’s a lovely way to escape, especially before bed.

20 Minute Guided Meditation for Reducing Anxiety and Stress–Clear the Clutter to Calm Down 

Ocean Escape (with music): Walk Along the Beach Guided Meditation and Visualization 

10 Min Guided Meditation For Sleep & Relaxation | Fall Asleep Fast With Soothing Rain Sounds  

Travel Virtually To Places Around The World

The term armchair travel has become popular to describe having a virtual experience from home without actually traveling. It provides a sensory experience in which you can explore far away lands without leaving your couch.

From visiting Egyptian sites to virtual deep sea diving insider.com put together an article with links to virtually visit places around the world.

Smithsonian Magazine has made it possible to travel historic artists homes, artwork and more.

Thrillist has comprised a great list, full of links to virtually travel to Japan, Ireland, Chile and more!

Have A Theme Night Based On Past Vacations

You and your partner, or whomever you’re spending time with these days, could pull up pictures from past vacations and look through them. You can tell each other stories about destinations and things that happened on vacation to reminisce about your favorite moments.  

Make an evening out of it by cooking your favorite food items that transport you right back to your favorite vacation destination. 

Hey, it’s not a trip to Italy, but get lost in the evening and allow yourself to feel like you’re escaping for a little while!

7. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Consistently getting a good night’s sleep will heal you from the discomfort of burnout.

Most people need eight hours of sleep every night to function optimally during the day. Not getting enough sleep is one of the first signs of burnout. A lack of sleep can cause health issues down the line. 

When you push yourself too far by letting work take away from time you can be sleeping, you will wake up the next day feeling foggy and finding it difficult to concentrate.

This takes away from hitting the “reset button” sleep provides.

Be sure to have a sleep routine so your body and mind prepare for rest and relaxation. Ways you can accomplish this are: 

• meditate before bed
• Practice relaxation strategies for at least 10-15 minutes 3-5 times a week
• Schedule time to let your thoughts pour out
• Have self-care objects that evoke a feeling of relaxation and set the mood that you’re winding down for bed.
• Dim your lights and avoid the use of technology before bed to keep your environment less stimulating.
• Block out light and noise. You can try a white noise machine or even a fan to drown out background noise. Blackout curtains work great for blocking out light from the outside.
• Beware of your daytime habits that could get in the way of sleep. These include alcohol consumption, drinking caffeine late, eating before bed, or drinking too much fluid before bed. 
• If you feel you need extra support essential oils for sleep could be life-changing to activate your bodies natural healing energy.

8. Set Realistic Expectations

One word, calibrate. If you’re looking to start a side hustle, get promoted at work, do yoga four times a week, write a novel (because it’s one of your five passions), then it’s no surprise you will burnout, and fast. 

Focus on one or two hobbies or tasks at a time. If doing yoga, or any other relaxing activity, becomes a chore, scale back. Your time should be sacred, so keeping every action within the realm of possibility and scaling back if necessary is perfectly okay.

This does not mean you’ve failed. Adjusting your expectations of what you can accomplish is attending to self-care and avoiding burnout.

Recognize the symptoms of what could lead to burnout and remind yourself it is okay to take a break from things if they are causing you more stress than good.

9. Resist The Urge To Isolate

Several years ago, I read a book called Schopenhauer’s Porcupines for one of my graduate school courses. 

A group of porcupines is struggling to stay warm on a cold winter’s day. Over time they move closer together to keep each other warm, they poke each other with their quills. In order to stop the pain, they move away, and once again struggle to stay warm. They continue this cycle as they struggle between attempting closeness for some relief and freezing.

People, like porcupines, are in need of close relationships in order to be happy. But, they often struggle with a “shocking prick” when they attempt closeness. Conversely, they feel lonely and “out in the cold” when they attempt to navigate the world alone. 

Leupnitz describes how easily people perpetuate this same dilemma, longing for closeness, but also needing to quickly retreat from it due to the pain. What a beautiful and tragic metaphor. 

Attempting to be exceptional at everything you do and to wear 10 different hats is exhausting. It can often lead to crashing on the couch and feeling like you’ve got nothing left in you to offer anyone. This behavior can lead to loneliness. You may conclude that socializing isn’t “productive.” 

If you think about it, there are likely many times that interaction with friends or family elicits a more positive emotion within you than you had before. We are often trapped with our own thoughts which, if skewed towards negative thinking, can cause a feeling of hopelessness and fatigue. 

Sometimes, interacting with others can re-ignite creativity. This is because they’ve offered a different perspective on your concerns or their company has given you a break from your stress and now you’ve come back with more clarity.  

Never underestimate the powerful benefits of human connection. We all need someone to take the pain away. This is what you can receive when you allow intimacy into your life, despite the pain that may inevitably return as a result.

10. Use These Empowering Statements To Help Avoid Burnout

1. If unforeseen changes occur in my day, I will try my best to adapt to the situation.
2. I can deal with whatever comes my way if I complete one task at a time.
3. When I pay attention to how I’m perceiving things more positively, I leave myself room for a more hopeful outlook.
4. Having to deal with stress will make me stronger and doesn’t have to feel so draining.
5. Each minute, hour, and day is a new opportunity to start fresh and achieve my goals.
6. I will achieve my goals if I meet myself where I am by setting realistic and achievable goals that can always be gradually increased.
7. I will be more focused and clear-headed if I sleep enough, eat well, and exercise as often as I can.
8. If I fail, I will try again, consider if I’m placing realistic demands on myself, and give myself time to recover.
9. I am a strong person who can handle life’s challenges when I am patient and kind to myself.
10. When my emotions go to a negative place, it’s more productive to take a break from what I’m doing than to “power through.”

11. Delegate Responsibility

There is only so much time in a day and energy in our minds and bodies. 

Delegating responsibility to people in your life is essential to avoiding burnout. 

Assign your partner and/or children to do chores around the house regularly.

 Let your boss and coworkers know what you need to effectively work as a team and try not to take everything on yourself. 

Sometimes we can convince ourselves that taking on everything looks good at work, but if you’re feeling frazzled and exhausted day in and day out, a smart employee asks for what they need and asks for help.

At home, giving everyone set tasks, rather than take everything on, sets the precedent that your living lives together and there are certain duties that come along with this.

Your children can help take out the garbage, unload the dishwasher, empty the garbage baskets around the house, set the dinner table, unload the dishwasher, dust, etc.

For children, assigning set tasks makes them feel useful and helps them build life skills they need to live independently.

Teach your children how to do a chore or task the right way and then allow them to improve on that and find their own way.

The Takeaway

Unrelenting stress can cause a person to burnout fast.

However, change your mindset, set a routine for sleep and self-care, and stay connected. These are just some of the strategies you can set your intention towards this year to create a burnout-free lifestyle.

Burnout can be avoided by taking even just small moments to reset your mind and body, using these 11 tips You’ve got this!

The post 11 Powerful Tips To Prevent Burnout (When Adjusting To The New Normal) first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post 11 Powerful Tips To Prevent Burnout (When Adjusting To The New Normal) appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

Are you having trouble deciding what holiday gifts to buy people this year? It is not surprising. First of all, you may have lost touch with people due to keeping your distance because of COVID-19. Second, many people aren’t doing the same things they used to due to staying home, which makes gift-giving more challenging. 

One thing is for sure, it’s hard to imagine everyone on your holiday list couldn’t use more support with reducing their stress level. 

That’s why I made your life easier by selecting this gift guide to help your loved ones stress less. Show them your thinking of them. Ditch the cheeseboard you have in your shopping cart and give them the gift of less stress. 

Give them something they didn’t realize they needed. Make their life a little easier during these challenging times. Give the gift of less stress this holiday season because we all need it now more than ever.

Holiday Gifts For Stress Relief 

1. The Weighted Blanket:

Weighted blankets can be beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep quality, and much more. Weighted blankets provide gentle pressure to reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. Instead, the blanket helps your body release calming hormones such as oxytocin, melatonin, and serotonin. 

When combined, these chemicals relax the body and reduce stress. The gentle pressure of the weighted blanket provides a sense of security, slows your heart rate, and can even lower your blood pressure. All this from a blanket! People are raving about weighted blankets as they’re quickly becoming a staple item to sleep better and reduce stress.

The All Season Weighted Blanket. Including a bamboo cooling side for sweaty sleepers

Customer Review: “It is very comforting and helps me sleep better. It does make getting up harder.”

Custom Cotton Mosaic Weighted Blanket to Match Their Style with 12 different patterns

Customer Review: “It is very comforting and helps me sleep better. It does make getting up harder.”

2. Humorous Epsom Bath Salt, Christmas Gift, Bitch Relax

A little humor goes a long way when stress is high. Bath salts can help relax muscles and soothe achy joints. After a long day of pushing the body to its limit, bath salts can feel very rewarding. Taking a bath to relax is underrated. Throw your favorite feel-good movie on your computer or phone, play some soothing songs, or just enjoy the peace and quiet.

Gift yourself some bath salts or your loved ones to melt your stress away. These particular bath salts have the added benefit of being funny. In other words, bitch relax (love it!).

3. Bedphones Sleep Headphones

Headphones so comfortable you can wear them to bed. These headphones are ultra-small and covered in soft foam, Bedphones’ patented on-ear design lies flat on your pillow. Fall asleep comfortably to your favorite soothing music, podcast, or block out the snoring of your loud partner with a relaxing white noise app. 

Customers Review:

“I have searched for and tried many different wireless earbuds and nothing was comfortable, as I am a side sleeper. I am so thrilled to have Bedphones now and am sleeping soundly and comfortably through the night. The sound is great and I cant tell that I have anything on due to the comfort. I pair these with the calm app and sleep like a baby. These are so worth the money and I highly recommend!”

“Since receiving my bed phones and loading the perfect sleep music to my phone I’ve enjoyed the BEST sleep. My husband snores, and while the bed phones do not completely drown the noise out, it seems to just blend into the music. I am no longer being abruptly jerked out of sleep due to the noise coming from the other side of our bed. Thank you, Moonbow, for a product that has made it possible for me to have a good night’s sleep and which may have saved my husband’s life!”

Poor Reviews: 

“After about a year the battery life deteriorated. Works only about 7 hours – not a full night’s sleep.”

“I am concerned they may come off too easily”

4. Linen and Pillow Spray

These have been my favorite go-to for years to help me power down and sleep like a baby. Once you spray your pillow with soothing scents it triggers your mind and body to relax. 

Marpac Yogasleep | Premium Aromatherapy Linen and Pillow Spray Natural Essential Oil Blend for Sleep and Relaxation

Pillow Potion- Lavender Mist

Spritz on pillows & bed linens for a deep feeling of relaxation & a comforting, peaceful night’s sleep. This spray included essential oils which help naturally help you fall asleep.

Customer Review: WOW! My bedroom is a spa. To say this smells phenomenal is an understatement. The scent isn’t to heavy or intense and it doesn’t leave any residue on my sheets and silk pillowcase. It lasts a long time and really makes my whole bedroom smell so nice.

Pillow Spray/mist, Sleepy Head 100% Natural with Lavender, Frankincense and Chamomile 

Calming lavender has been blended with soothing chamomile and frankincense- a powerful combination to de-stress and unwind.

Customer Review: Could not be happier. Smells amazing and just about to order another one – the bigger size! I have fallen in love. Thank you so much! Super fast delivery too, packaged beautifully. Very very happy.

5. Give Em’ All the Self-Care They Need with a Self-care Gift Box

These gift boxes included essential self-care and pampering items sure to relax even the biggest worrier. Show them they are loved with items such as body oil, candles, french green clay face mask, bath salts, lip products, sweet treats, bath bombs, hair masks, hand & feet masks, jewelry, fragrances, serums, facial wipes, sprays, essential oils, body scrubs, and more.

Natural Spa Box Self Care Kit Gift 

Customer Review: “Beautiful gift set bought for a friend’s birthday since we couldn’t see her during quarantine. She loved every product and appreciated the at home spa day.”

Self Care Christmas Mystery Box 

Customer Review: “Purchased 2 Regular-sized Christmas Mystery boxes. And I definitely enjoyed opening them. Enjoyed the variety and can’t wait to gift them for Christmas to loved ones. I’m sure they’ll love it!”

Mental Health Self Care Package for Her – Self Care Box For Women Stress Relief Gift 

Customer Review: “I purchased the mental health self-care box for our daycare provider and couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out! The turn around time was excellent, the box is super cute and the items are quality. I will definitely be ordering again!”

6. Sound Machine

Holiday gifts are extra special when they improve someones life. Give the gift of sound for a night of better sleep and relaxation. White noise promotes relaxation before sleep by providing a constant, soothing sound. Stop your thoughts from circling in your head and allow your mind and body to relax.

Sound machines are also helpful for those who have a snoring partner or a noisy neighborhood. Help your loved one hit the pillow with confidence knowing their sound machine will gently drift them off to sleep with no distractions.

DUET WHITE NOISE MACHINE WITH NIGHT LIGHT AND WIRELESS SPEAKER

Featuring 30 sound options including white noise, pink noise, brown noise, fan sounds, nature sounds, and 8 lullaby tracks. Stream your favorite sleep soundtrack, podcast, or music from your smartphone directly to the Duet speaker wirelessly.

Dohm Classic Sound Machine

Customer Review: A peaceful sleep at last Review by Sherri R. on 18 Jul 2020review stating A peaceful sleep at last. This is the 2nd Dohm I have purchased. My boyfriend fell in love with mine, so I bought him one for his birthday. So much better than those other sleep noise machines. Really blocks out noise…”

GO™ TRAVEL SOUND MACHINE The Yogasleep GO provides great sleep anywhere with features designed for travelers. 

Customer Review: “The size of this machine is perfect for traveling. There are a number of sound selections to choose from but we prefer the standard sound. Its got a great volume and holds a good charge, even worked for a weekend camping trip”

7. Himalayan Salt Rock Lamp

A Himalayan salt rock lamp acts as natural sources of light and provides a relaxing amber glow. They provide some incredible benefits, such as helping allergies, breathing, reduce stress, and can help you sleep.

It’s the perfect gift for anyone who needs more tranquility and good vibes in their life!

Holiday Gifts To Reduce Stress

Holiday gifts that help reduce stress will let your loved ones know you understand their challenges. They will feel taken care of, appreciated, and loved. Don’t just give a gift to, well, give a gift. Give holiday gifts that are a game-changer for those you love. Give a gift that keeps on giving this holiday season!

Gift recap:

More Holiday Posts:

• The Holiday Gift Giving Guide To Help You Stress Less
• How To Enjoy The Holidays Without Alcohol
• Food and Holiday Stress

The post The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide For Someone With Stress first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide For Someone With Stress appeared first on Your guide to stress less.

Disclaimer: This article contains a few affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. These are sometimes I fully recommend when it comes to celebrating self-love. Please read my disclosure for more information. Thank you for your support.

Does it feel impossible to start loving yourself? Practicing self-love isn’t easy. Past experiences have led to present beliefs that you don’t deserve to love yourself. You may not have the slightest idea where to start. To start loving yourself may feel like an impossible dream for you.

You remind yourself of all the things that have gone wrong in your life. That job you wanted that you didn’t get, that relationship the didn’t work out, the extra weight you’re carrying that you just can’t seem to lose.

You may start loving yourself but then you quickly take it away with some self-deprecating belief because you didn’t meet your expectations.

Why Is It So Important To Love Yourself?

Did you know that we have over 70,000 thoughts a day? Chances are, some of those thoughts will be negative. 

Does that mean these thoughts need unrelenting scrutiny? Nope. 

If you tend to behave in this manner, you don’t love yourself the way you should.

So, when you learn to love yourself, you breathe easier and let go of unwanted tension in your body and mind. You give yourself the opportunity to let the good things shine through, however big or small.

How To Start Loving Yourself

If you tell yourself it isn’t possible and you’re not wired that way, this infringes on your god-given right to be happy. Learning to love yourself is possible if you’re willing to keep an open mind and trust this is a journey.

Loving yourself doesn’t sound like a big ask, does it?

If it does, then be patient and allow yourself time to cultivate a beautiful relationship with You.

Start loving yourself by focusing on one item on this list each day. Then, start back at one, rinse and repeat.

1. Don’t Be Afraid To Put In The Work

Do you know how they say a relationship is work? Well, it’s a mistake to only work on improving your relationship with others before you work on yourself.

If at the end of the day you cannot rest your head down on your pillow and be happy with who you are, then you deserve to fix this.

Commit To Thinking More Positively

The more time you spend challenging thoughts that cause you pain and replacing them with messages of hope, the more relief you feel. Most importantly, choosing not to settle on negative thoughts creates a sense of control. Challenging your feelings, especially when you do not have evidence to support them, is when the real work comes into play.

To free yourself from negative thinking you need to challenging your thought process, again and again, and again.

If you find yourself automatically thinking about the worst case scenario for a potential outcome, simply notice this and correct it.

The most important thing is to stand up to your own mental bullying and fight back.

Let’s take a look at this in action:

How To Challenge Negative Thoughts

For instance, let’s say it drains you to be in social situations, but you crave this.

Thoughts often pop into your head such as “No-one cares about seeing me anyway,” “I’m not interesting enough to have friends, they will get bored of me.” or “I’m better off being alone.”

There are a lot of changes to be made, many challenges ahead. There will be moments in which your body and mind feel fatigued from being more strategic about the quality of your thinking. But, the moment you go against allowing your automatic negative thoughts to take over and suffocate your happiness, you will feel empowered.

Decide there’s got to be another way by committing to start loving yourself by putting in the mental work.

This will feel like mental jujitsu, but you’ll never feel more at peace than when your mindset defaults to positivity autopilot

2. Don’t Only Look For Love In Others

“The surest way to lose your self-worth is by trying to find it through the eyes of others.” – Becca Lee

If you only look for love in other people, when they express doubt you will feel unsafe and unstable. This will make you question what you know about yourself. This is why you must learn to accept who you are and reject the opinions of others who have caused you pain. 

Don’t let others shake your sense of self.

Having people to love and being loved in return is a beautiful thing. However, if you do not love yourself first, you will be incapable of feeling the love others have for you on a deeper and a more meaningful level. 

3. Stay True To Your Passion

Whatever it is in life that gets you excited, however big or small, don’t let it go. Try not to pay attention to what others think or if others find it interesting too. All that matters is how your passion makes you feel. 

Lose yourself in what you love. Allow all the noise to fade into the background and focus on that thing that makes everything go silent.

Join groups, read books, listen to podcasts about your passion. Whatever it takes to feel like you’re immersing yourself in something that ignites a fire in you. 

Whether it be playing an instrument, drawing, crafting, or running, pursue your passion. Whatever your passion is, never stop doing the thing that you can’t wait to get back to.

4. Take A Break From People Who Cause You Pain

If you find that certain people in your life often chip away at your self-esteem, it may be time to take a break. 

When you’re feeling vulnerable, it’s easy for others to make you feel inadequate. These may be people in your life that you don’t want to let go, such as family members. You can work on yourself and let them back in when you feel a little stronger. You don’t  have to let them go entirely, but set proper boundaries.

Moreover, it wouldn’t be fair to them if you didn’t have an honest discussion about how certain things they say or do affect you. This will give them a chance to improve how they communicate with you, if they are willing and able. 

Whether you tell them you’re taking a break from them or not, give yourself time to work on yourself. With less negative energy around you, you can see the world through a different lens. When you’re feeling better about yourself things that people say or do tend to have less of a negative.

5. Have a Self-love YOU day Once A Week 

This is a day where you commit to only do things that you want to do.

If someone asks you to do something, anything, you allow yourself to say No. 

Prepare a list of things you want to do on your “You” day ahead of time. 

You don’t want the day to feel like a chore. So, commit to 1-3 items on the list you’d like to do that nourish your body, mind, and soul. 

If you can’t have a You day, because you have kids or some other circumstance, dedicate a You hour to yourself. This can be at the end of the day when your winding down and seeking relaxation.

Some “You Day” ideas:

Exercising 

Watching a funny movie 

Take a relaxing bath

Reading a book

Meditating

Going for a nature walk

Giving yourself and manicure/pedicure

Writing in a journal to catch up with yourself. Speaking of writing in a journal…

6. Start Loving Yourself By Journaling

Journaling can be a very cathartic experience. This is a special time that you set to allow the free flow of your thoughts to soar across the page, phone, or computer. Journaling is good for your mental health. It helps you process feelings and situations, vent, and problem-solve.

In a study published in Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, researchers found that writing three to five times, for 15 minutes each session, was enough to help people deal with emotional and traumatic events. 

Set a timer for 15 minutes and begin writing. If you’re new to journaling it may feel odd or even self-indulgent at first. But, stick with it and you’ ’ll find that what you write will begin to feel more self-explorative. 

We have so many thoughts trapped in our brain and journaling releases some of those thoughts. It helps you take a closer look at them. Doing this will allow you to let go of thoughts that were causing you pain or tension.

7. Stay True to Yourself

Staying true to yourself means you remain who you are within your experiences.

Staying true to yourself means that if others are behaving in a certain manner, you don’t allow yourself to act the same.

When others get into the mix, there may be a habit of submitting to the moment. 

What I mean by this is, your friend is bitching about their boyfriend so you do the same about your partner. Then, you end up feeling bad and hadn’t intended to trash-talk him.

You can be there for someone without having to feel the way they feel!

For example, you’re going to lunch with your friend who is always in an anxious state. Allow that to be their emotion and just listen and try to understand her pain. 

Don’t take it in or try it on for size because it serves you no purpose.

Stay true to how you want to feel if you’re working hard to be happy. Hold on to the moments when you’re feeling hopeful and positive. Don’t allow people to tear them away from you. They may not be doing this intentionally.

However, you’re entitled to not have to walk in others shoes to understand what they’re going through.

It’s up to you and you alone to remain in a positive headspace.

8. Practice Using Positive Affirmations To Love Yourself

Use statements you can repeat to stay in a positive headspace every day. The morning is best for positive affirmations. You will start your day prioritizing being kind to yourself, which is one way to love yourself. Start each day by telling yourself something positive.

Positive Affirmations:

“I am happy and calm and I will not allow anything to take this way from me”

“ I worked very hard today and I’m proud of myself.”

“Self-care is important to me and I deserve to stay in a positive headspace.”

“I choose to see people who love me a gift and I will love myself the same way.”

9. Ask Yourself One Question, “Whose Going To Love you Better Than You?

My mom always told me my Uncle said “Whose going to love you better than you? He said this in response to my mother cringing at the amount of money he spent on himself. 

I’m not saying you have to spend money you don’t have. Instead, treat yourself with relaxation (this doesn’t have to cost a dime), your favorite treat, or something nice within your budget. This will help you radiate confidence because these actions help you take pride in yourself.

If you walk around in a stretched out, wrinkly shirt, it will convey a sense that you’ve likely given up on yourself and other people’s perception of you. 

Aside from material things, we only have ourselves at the end of the day. So, if you are your punching bag or treat yourself like a receptacle, trash-talking yourself constantly, you’re going to feel like garbage. 

Be patient with yourself. Take a slow, relaxing breath when you become frustrated. Learn from your mistakes and try not to allow yourself to repeat these mistakes. Treat yourself with respect and try not to judge yourself so often. Do not label yourself negatively.

These are some of the ways you can love yourself.

10. Meet Yourself Where You Are

If you’re having a rough day, it’s ok. Saying to yourself “Why do I have to feel this way?” Or “Something bad always happens to me.” perpetuates the pain. It sends yourself a message that you’re unlucky or unable to be happy due to life circumstances. 

Take the power back by recognizing that every day and all moments cannot be good and thats okay. All things cannot be perfect each moment of your life. 

Accept your imperfections and wear them like a badge of honor. These imperfections make you uniquely you as much as your strengths do. 

If you tell yourself you’re having a bad day, well, you’ll likely have a bad day.

But, if you challenge this, by choosing to view your emotion as momentary and fleeting, you will allow the next moment to be a fresh start.

Doing so sends allows yourself to move on, adapt, and let each moment have its own emotional response, and then LET IT GO!

11. Treat Yourself As You Would A Friend To Start Loving Yourself

When I’m meeting with a client who is judgng themselves and discussing their failures since we last met, I remind them of one question to ask themselves. “Would you treat a friend the same way you treat yourself? 

That question always resonates with people because it’s eye-opening. 

If you called a friend lazy, had no patience for them, and judged them for their mistakes, do you think they’d still be your friend? Not likely. 

So, why would you do these things to yourself?!

Stop and notice the moments in your day when you’re being impatient and unkind to yourself. Remind yourself of how you would relate to a friend if you wanted to cheer them up. 

You deserve to give yourself the same positive attention and affection you give to others.

12. Do Not Compare Yourself To Others

Are you someone who tells yourself beliefs such as, “If others succeed, it means I’ve failed” or “If other people like that person, they don’t like me as much” 

When you’re in a constant state of competition with coworkers, friends, or family members, you’re always on edge.

This creates a feeling of defeat. Don’t put yourself down because others are doing well.

Choose to view their success as a motivator. Strive for what will make you feel successful and happy.

This could be within your job or within relationships. Though, I recommend ensuring you don’t put all your self-worth into your job because it won’t always be there).

13. Talk to a Therapist      

If you find that learning to love yourself feels like an impossible feat, it’s okay to ask for help. 

A trained professional can offer you skills to put into practice to work on loving yourself. If loving yourself has been a challenge for many years, you may need a little extra help and there’s nothing wrong with that. 

There are many different types of therapy, so I suggest researching them.

Check out my article about CBT for millennials to learn more about short term therapy. Therapy can provide you with lifelong skills necessary to make every day better.

14. Let Go Of The Past

You may have made mistakes. Maybe you’ve done things you’re not proud of. What matters now is that you see things clearly and you’re willing to interact with the world more healthily. 

Let each new day be an opportunity to write over the past and create a new story that will make you proud. It’s uncomfortable and shame may still rear its ugly head. 

However, be patient and trust that you will forgive yourself. If others aren’t ready to forgive you, give them space. It is their right to protect themselves and hopefully, they will come around. Especially if they see you’re working toward self-improvement. If they’re really important to you, show them you’ve changed by proving it with your actions. 

Don’t settle for obsessing over your mistakes. Take a moment to reflect on these mistakes and remind yourself who you strive to be. Write it on a giant poster board if you have to so you don’t forget your intention. Allow yourself to let things go and make the next moment a pleasant and healing moment.

15. Hold On Tight To The Good Times

You’ll have good and bad days. However, if you’re struggling to love yourself, you’ll have more bad days than good. 

Take the moments where you feel happy, accomplished, loved, helpful, excited, productive, etc., and write down your thoughts while you’re riding this high. 

Don’t wait until tomorrow because you may not feel the same way. Capture these moments because you can look back later and gain insight into how your mind works in these moments. Use this to your advantage. 

As a result, you will find you are more patient, social, flexible, more forgiving when you’re feeling your best. 

Use this knowledge to learn more about how you interact with the world when you’re feeling good. Push yourself to embody these qualities to the best of your capability in the present moment.

16. Tune Into Your Thought Process

As always, it’s crucial to pay close attention to your thoughts. Specifically, the negative thoughts that are causing you pain. Be sure to read my article on how to challenge negative thoughts and how to use them responsibly.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, one of the most common and effective types of therapy, focuses on teaching someone how their thoughts affect their emotions and how this ultimately affects their actions.

A person’s inner dialogue dictates every move they will make after they have a thought. If that thought is negative, their next move is often unhelpful.

Building cognitive awareness and understanding how your thoughts affect your mental health is a life-changing practice. Though it isn’t easy, it essential to loving yourself.

If you find your thoughts are judgmental, unkind, or discouraging, work on challenging your inner thoughts. It is the most important skill you will ever learn in your life.

Naturally, this will require work and mental strain. You will likely fall back into negative thinking. But, expect this will happen because habits are challenging to break. If you expect this, then you can prepare yourself to keep charging through, despite setbacks.

Be sure to read more about CBT to learn if it’s right for you.

Read my article on CBT For Millennials here.

Learning to love yourself is a process. So be patient and kind to yourself. Self-love should be practiced, like anything else that matters in life. 

Consider it a journey you’re embarking on. There will be pumps, and you will stop and go again with your practice. But, don’t give up because “Whose going to love you better than you?”

Self-love is the most valuable gift you can give yourself to reach your full potential, find happiness, and stress less! 

Check Out These Inspiring Products To Enhance Your Journey Toward Self-love (I’ve starred items that are must-have’s!)

Live Love Be Yourself Personalized Recipe Book

**Love Yourself Face Mask

**The Self Love Handbook E-book

Loving Yourself Art/ Quotable People

Oscar Wilde Quote Print Art

Love Yourself First Lucille Ball Magnet

Charles Bukowski Quote Wall Art

**You Matter Poster

**Self-Love Journal: Change Your Mindset in 90 Days 

Love Yourself : Mindfulness and inspiring words Coloring Book

**2021-2022 Love Yourself 2-Year Small Monthly Planner (Big Seller)

Fall In Love With Yourself Bookmark

Wear It Proudly

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken Quote Ring

Love Yourself Wrap Ring

Love Yourself Empowerment Shirt

Be yourself, Love yourself, Trust yourself T-Shirt

**You Are Enough Necklace

The post How To Love Yourself: 16 Ways To Journey Toward Self-Love first appeared on Your guide to stress less.

The post How To Love Yourself: 16 Ways To Journey Toward Self-Love appeared first on Your guide to stress less.