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Hey friends! I wanted to write a post about some ways that can help clear your mind and reduce stress that are absolutely 100% free. It's so easy to get caught up in wanting to buy new things that we think will make our lives better (I do this all of the time!), when reality is, most of our happiness can be found and created within. By taking time to slow down and tune in, it can really help shift our mindset.
Go For A Walk
Going for a walk has always been a quick and easy way for me to clear my mind. It gets my body moving and fresh air into my lungs. It can be therapeutic to go for a walk with a friend, though sometimes you just need some alone time to breathe. I always find that I'm much more level headed after simply going for a walk, taking time to observe my surroundings, which could be urban or nature, and I always feel much more grounded.
Here is a link to a Spotify playlist that you can listen to while on your walk. All of the songs are calming and help me feel centred and alive.
Practice Yoga
You probably already knew I'd have yoga on this list! Normally I'd suggest going to a public yoga class so that you have the attention of a trained professional, you can let go and just listen instead of think about what to do next, and you also benefit from having a community of fellow yogis around you. Sometimes getting to a yoga class either doesn't fit in your schedule, your budget, or maybe it's overwhelming and intimidating to go. If this sounds like you, there are so many great online resources that you can use to learn and benefit from yoga.
Rachel Brathen (aka @yoga_girl) has three FREE classes added to her website every week. The instructors are knowledgeable and there are a variety of classes that will cater to what level/ailment you're looking for. You can find it here.
Dana Falsetti has yoga classes called "Practice With Dana" that you can purchase a monthly subscription for on a pay-what-you-can model. You can find Practice With Dana here.
If "yoga" isn't your thing, learn some stretches that can help relieve pain in your body that you can do before bed. This will also help you have a better sleep.
Meditate
Do you have 5 minutes to scroll on Instagram? Great, you have 5 minutes to meditate! We all have time to add meditation into our daily routine. Meditation allows us to sit still and become present with the body. If you've never meditated before, that's ok! It's not difficult to start and as long as you have a quiet space to sit, you're good to go. If you're just getting started, I'd suggest trying a guided meditation. I use guided meditations all the time - they help me sit still a little longer.
I like to use Spotify for guided meditations. One of my favourites is Hay House Meditations which you can find here. You can find other guided meditations here or on YouTube.
Write In A Journal
Anyone who keeps a journal will know what a powerful tool this is. Journaling helps me not only get my thoughts out of my mind and onto paper, but it helps me gauge my growth over the years. When I read old journal entries from years ago, I think "wow, I remember going through that and look how far I've come since." Sometimes you don't know where to start, so it's a good idea to do the old put the pen to paper and don't stop until you fill the page, even if it's nonsense at the end!
I keep two kinds of journals; a regular journal and a gratitude journal. Keeping a gratitude journal is one of the best ways to learn how to always operate from a place of abundance. It's as simple as it sounds. You just write down all of the things you're grateful for each day from the food in your belly to the roof over your head.
Entertain Your Inner Artist
You can choose your own adventure with this one! Colour, paint, make crafts, dance and sing. Do something that you did as a child. Find something that can exercise the creativity inside you, something that is fun, something that will let your inner child come out and play. Be playful and remind yourself not to take life too seriously. I love singing as loud as I can while driving and having dance parties before I get into the shower. If it doesn't help clear your mind - hey, at least it was fun.
These may seem like obvious ways to help reduce stress in your life, but I do want to remind you how important and easy it is to take care of the mind. Work to incorporate more things into your life that bring you joy and inner happiness. If you have any other free ways to reduce stress in your life I want to hear them so I can try them out! Leave it in the comments below. <3
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