Just Breathe

I had a long day. Woke up early. I was so eager to get into work, get a lot of work done and then leave early for my phone call. I thought, "ooooo, maybe I will be home today with a move date to Florida!". Nope.

The phone call went fine but unfortunately we have to regroup on Thursday. I came home early and was a bit stressed. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster recently, flip flopped, "DC, FL, DC, FL, current job, look for new job, stay in DC, move, FL, DC, FL, DC, FL..." etc. etc. My brain is always on. When I was on vacation I had a massage and half way through she said "Do you have trouble relaxing?". Oh my! Well here is what I did tonight when I got home: Ran 6 miles in the rain, took a long hot bath with new LUSH bath fizzy, drank rose, made dinner, watched Top Chef reruns, read magazines in my comfy fluffy bed. I feel a little more relaxed and mentally ready to start the day tomorrow as a new day hoping for everything good! I know I must think positive!

When I'm stressed out, shoulders are tense, mind is in constant ON mode here is what I like to indulge in:

Warm Bath - after years of looking at Bath Bombs at LUSH, I gave in and bought two in Montreal over the weekend. (the display in the stores makes me want to buy one of each!) AMAZING. Why did I wait all these years. Waving, not Drowning was what I used tonight. Relaxing scents of lavender. Loved it.

A Glass of Vino/Bubbly - OK, so some people relax with a nice cup of tea. I like that also. However, I truly think I calm down and relax the best with a nice glass of wine (or bubbly of course). A long day at work, a nice glass of wine on the couch. Makes me happy.

Magazines - I subscribe to multiple magazines. Actually probably too many to note on here (some say its a problem of mine. Martha, Vogue, Glamour, US, OK there are others!). I find it relaxing to cuddle up on my couch and get caught up on my piles of magazines. I like to declutter and tear out things that give me ideas for events or shopping or eating. Sometimes a magazine is nice because I don't feel bad falling asleep 1/2 way, unlike a book.

Cooking - Tonight I used a lot of items in the cabinet. Kind of a "pantry" dinner they would say. I find it calming to chop, saute, stir in a lot of surprise flavors and eat a nice dinner I cooked on my own. Yes, many nights I stick a Lean Cuisine in the microwave, however my preference is to use a pan on the stove and natural ingredients. Living on your own with no dishwasher can cause the relaxation part to fizzle when its time to clean the sink full of dishes. Tonight, my one pot easy brown rice veggie meal made my stomach happy.

Yoga - I haven't been able to get to the studio as much as I want to recently. I have downloaded free pod casts on Itunes as well as I listen to Kimberly Wilson's Yoga Cd's. Often I will light a lot of candles in my living room, turn the lights out and do a 20 to 40 minute session on my own. It is a great way to relax before bed.

Candles - What is it with lighting a bunch of candles that calms you down? I love to light a bunch of smelly candles in each room in my apartment when I walk in the door. I think when it gets dark out, the light calms me and the scents blend together nicely. I have a mix of candles from everywhere: CVS, West Elm, Anthro, Target, as long as you like the scent, light them up. They are soothing!

No TV - The past few months I have stopped watching TV in my bed as I fall asleep. I ended up falling asleep the minute I turned it on and I would wake up at 3am with lights and sound on. Try it, turn your TV off, it is nice actually. Quiet.

NO Phone - This is rare. Since December when I got my Iphone I have been addicted (how did I get by before!?!?). I think I actually have my phone in bed half the time. I check my emails, Facebook, Twitter, etc., 24/7. Once and awhile I try to turn the ringer off and ignore it. Tonight I did it. I tried and it worked. I had that type of day where I kind of wanted to be alone. It's hard, but try it, it's nice.

I am relaxed and ready to get in bed. What are your ways to wind down after a stressful day?

xoxo