How I Deal with Anxiety and Stress

Use the Headspace App/Calm App

I know a lot of people who still think these apps are hoax-y but I will personally tell you that they are GREAT. And no I am not getting paid to say this! I first discovered guided meditation apps in my first year of university. I, like the rest of the nay-sayers, thought that this was super lame and a huge waste of time. I definitely do not use the app every day but I’ve found myself reaching for the app at least twice a month for the past year. I mainly enjoy using the app before bed to direct my mind to a place of rest. I used to be someone who struggles with thinking about WAY too many things before sleeping—and have found myself lying awake for hours at a time thinking about nothing and everything. Thankfully I have gotten past that phase in my life and fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. But even so, I still really enjoy using the app to clear my mind before falling asleep. I’ve noticed that doing so ensures I have a long, deep sleep every time. ??

Do Yoga

Much like the meditation apps, yoga helps with anxiety because it forces you to breathe while giving you the much-needed tension-relief with stretching. Now I’m not saying you should get down in a downward dog before you head into an interview (although that may not be the worst idea… just do it at home). But giving yourself the time to center yourself with yoga every day could definitely play a huge part in preventing anxiety from ever happening.

I’ve also enjoyed practicing yoga after a long stressful day to re-center myself and promote relaxation in my body and mind before bed. I am a girl who loves and treasures her sleep, so anything that will help me get shut eye until day light is a winner in my books.

Go for a long walk

This is something that definitely isn’t for everyone but is something that has really worked for me. Whenever I am feeling a lot of anxiety, for whatever reason, I like to just get outside, plug in my headphones, and just start walking. My walks range from minutes to hours. I try not to give myself a time limit, and just walk until I am feeling better.

This works for me because it gives me plenty of time to figure whatever it is I need to figure out while providing me with lots and lots of fresh air.

Apply a lotion with a calming scent

I got sent the Lush Sleepy Body Lotion and pretty much learned that this stuff is like crack to me. The light scent of lavender, tonka, and cocoa butter creates a perfect relaxing body lotion. I’ve made it a ritual of mine to slather this stuff all over my body before bed to give myself the most relaxed, deep, aromatherapy sleep ever. It’s definitely called Sleepy for a reason! If there was a candle in this scent I would have it burning constantly.

The lotion consistency is super creamy and is a heavier moisturizer so I wouldn’t recommend applying this right before putting on clothes or going out. But for an at-home body lotion, this is the puuuurfect product.

Running Your Wrists Under Cold Water

This is one that I saw on a TV show and decided to try one day when I was all out of options. It’s definitely the weirdest one out of the bunch but was actually very effective. All you do for this is one is:

• Turn on the faucet to cold
• Let the water run until it’s cold
• Run you wrists underneath the streaming cold water
• Take ten deep breaths

Warning: your wrists will get VERY cold. But for some reason this has worked every time I’ve tried and it has quickly become a great way to get some instant anxiety relief.

So those are my tips and tricks to relieving stress and anxiety! If you have any tricks that you love, share them with me in the comments below or tweet me @angelzhng.

Until next time,

School has been… well… to put it lightly, A HELL HOLE. Not joking, it’s getting to be stupidly stressful. Just a overview of what I have due next week: 3 deliverables, 2 presentations, and an Econ test worth 30%. And that’s a normal week for us.

I’ve really been trying to make time for days that I can just relax and focus my attention on something that makes me happy. For example, I went kayaking!

The last time that I went kayaking was probably almost exactly a year ago. This time the weather could have been a little warmer, but the skies were clear and the sun was shining so I jumped at the opportunity.

While the rest of the world are going through their final exams and projects, getting ready for summer, my classmates and I are still smack in the middle of part b of our 2nd semester. Having such an intense school semester has really made me realize that this Summer can’t be just be about making money like last summer was… I’m going to make time this summer to do all the things I want to do. And workout. And hang out with my friends. :X

There honestly aren’t enough hours in a day for me to be able to do everything I want / need to… But you can bet that I’m still going to try :b

How is everyone else’s spring so far?

Lately life has been given me plenty of reasons to need to unwind. Whether it’s been school, work, or personal, I’ve just been discovering countless stressors. SO ! For all you busy bodies who’s also been thrown curveball after curveball lately, maybe you could take something fro this and de-stress a little yourself !

1. Take a Lush bath. As great as a normal bath usually is, Lush baths are just that much better. The colours, the scents, the bubbles (sometimes)…. Lush really knows how to do a bath bomb. If you, for some psychotic reason, have not yet experienced a Lush bath bomb, STOP READING RIGHT NOW. GO TO YOUR NEAREST LUSH, BUY ONE, AND TAKE A BATH.
2. Hang out with friends. I’m sure we all know that friends are one of the most important factors of life. Take a break from what you’re doing and just be with people. Talk, laugh, interact. Being around the right people really will help get your mind off of whatever it is that’s weighing you down.
3. Take a “me day”. This one contradicts the last point a little, but take a “me day”. A “me day” is a day you spend… well… alone. But not studying or working …. just take sometime and do what you love. For me, a good “me day” is going to a favourite (or new !) cafe, grabbing a good drink and just… chilling out. Whether that means reading a book, tumblring, blogging, listening to music, or people watching. Just having some time to yourself really helps with unwinding.
4. Working out. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking “girl… I am already SO tired… why the hell would I work out?” Well… LEMME TELL YOU. First of all, I feel you. I for one am no where close to being a gym rat. Actually, on the contrary, I am pretty much one of the laziest girls you’ll ever meet. But recently I discovered that sweating and working out has been a great release for me ! Put on that Diplo TWRK Vol. 3 (thank you @janicefong), and SQUAT THAT BUTT LOW. Not to mention all the endorphins that are released when you workout. It actually helps SO much.
5. Taking a LONG walk. As lazy as I am sometimes, one thing I will always be down to do… is just walk. I often walk back home from work which is about a 4 km walk (according to google maps) and takes me about 45 minutes to an hour. It was tough at first but it’s quickly become one of my most-loved de-stressing rituals.
6. Jamming the f**k out. Throw on your favourite tunes, whip out the air guitar/drums/mic, and dance and sing like you’ve never before. LAME I know, but it works.
7. Lazy day in. This one is pretty self explanatory. Buy snacks, stay in bed, watch netflix. BOOM. Stress gone.
8. Exciting night out. Other times you need the exact opposite as number 7. Maybe you’re the type that needs to have a wild night out. Get drunk and dance the night away.
9. Doing yoga. MMMM love this one as well. Something about doing yoga is so amazingly relaxing and meditative. It really helps clear your mind, body, and soul of all tension. Took me a while to really get the hang of letting loose when I do yoga, but now that I know I can, it’s the best.
10. RETAIL THERAPY. Last, but most DEFINITELY not least…… This one seems to work every time. Unless your stressing about money… then maybe don’t do this. But GIIIRRRRL, go out and buy yourself something nice. You deserve it.

Hope this gave you some ideas of how to just relax if you’re freaking out about something. I know these are pretty typical and basic, but it’s nice to see it all in a list sometimes. Do one.. or all ten. Whatever it takes !

Until next time,