Mental & Emotional Health

I had a lot of fun composing this silly list of ways to lower stress and I kept it going for a while! Let me know if you choose to do any of these, really!

~ Splash water on your face. Splash water on someone else’s face. I love to just randomly wash my face. I do it after crying (even though the tears just washed all my makeup off) and I do it mid-day (and then have to reapply my makeup!) just to feel fresher. Sometimes just washing the day off you makes you feel better. (And that splashing water on someone else’s face? Don’t tell them I told you to do it!

~ Do the hokey-pokey. *Put your bu-uuutt in, put your bu-uuutt out, put your bu-uuutt in and you shake it all about* Seriously, how many of you held a straight face reading that and thinking about me shaking my rear at you. Actually, if you get up to stretch, and no one can see you (and really, even if someone can see you) just shake yourself out, then stretch, then shake yourself out again. It’ll loosen up even more muscles, make you smile and you’ll be stretched out!

~ Hug someone. Hug someone you love. Hug someone you don’t love. Hug someone you don’t even know. Hug them for an entire minute. See how uncomfortable that makes most people and then don’t let go when they pull away. The internal pleasure you’ll get from that might just do it for you … and it might just make you an office enemy. But really, if you have someone near you that would be comfortable just holding on to you for a full 60 seconds, I’ve found that it helps me. It’s been a LONG time since I got a really comfortable long hug but I know that it helps me. Try it. Let me know how it goes. (If you need a hug, email me, we’ll meet up after a beer or two and hug in public to weird other people out!)

~ Repeat a joke, a saying or a prayer to yourself. Do it loudly, in the Portland Park Blocks. Demand that the students studying during dead week listen to you. (Once again, don’t tell them that I told you to do it.) Seriously though, find something that makes you smile and repeat it to yourself. Find something that soothes you and repeat it to yourself. Sing a silly song, sing your favorite song, just get your mind off your stress for a little bit and it will help!

mental & emotional health, holiday stress, stress relievers, face wash, crying, hokey pokey, dancing, being silly, stretching, hug, free hugs, jokes, prayers, singing