Pause. Take five. Have a breather.

Hello. Hi. So we have a new camera and the husband wanted to have a go so here you’ll see various images of my face, but the lovely lavender fields make it kinda nice no? Plus, he did a pretty good job on the Lightroom action don’t you think? Anyway, whilst you remember the feeling of calming lavender, hold that thought… doesn’t it feel good to just pause for a second and feel the silence?
The epitome of modern life is pretty much the word ‘busy’. That’s all we ever are and that’s all everyone else is. Too busy to enjoy the time spent with loved ones, too busy to make time to eat well and too busy to just — be. We’re all so blinded by our own ideas and thoughts of what life should be that we forget to actually enjoy it. That’s not to say doing life is easy, oh no. I know it’s not. The amount of choice, freedom and reach we have is actually crazy— we can do anything, now that we have a mini computer connecting us to the world in our pocket.

We all want to do more, see more, be more, whilst keeping an eye on what our peers are doing but always being ‘on’ is exhausting. You can’t always have your shit together, it’s not sustainable or healthy. When you have a large majority of people realising that it’s all getting too much and even getting ill from stress and anxiety, the world of wellbeing and mindfulness was born. Now, the ideas are not in any way new or revolutionary (a conversation for another day) but simply updated to fit our modern world.
Sometimes, its just difficult to manage everything whilst keeping a composed exterior let alone interior. I’ve struggled for many years managing my stress and anxiety levels — it really doesn’t help that I’m a perfectionist by nature and a lover of order. There’s plenty of tactics and tips to help manage our daily lives so I’d like to share a few that have really helped me that may help you too.
Neom Organics — I love everything about this brand from the branding to the transparency in everything they do. My favourite items are the rollerball treatments; Intensive Stress Relief and Intensive Mood lifting. They’re perfect for keeping in your bag to use on your pulse points and take a deep breath. It’s the best for when you have one of those days when you’re literally up to your eyeballs and feel like it won’t ever end.
Headspace — When I’m extremely stressed or have a lot on, I tend not to sleep well at all. No amount of pillow spray will work so Headspace has really helped to calm my mind before bed. I know it’s more of a guided meditation app that most people use for ten minutes of calm during the day but I found focusing my mind when I can’t sleep just helps put everything back in it’s place if that makes sense. Download it and have a try, another app called The Daily Calm is good too.
Fitness — I hate to say it, but a good sweat is the best thing in times of extreme anxiety and stress. I can’t recommend enough that when you’re going through something hard, an intense workout consistently, like HIIT (High intensity interval training) is the closest to medicine. Going to the gym almost daily helped me to focus on a goal I had complete control over and helped me overcome a period of depression. So yes, I seriously recommend it, especially when you think you can’t.
The great outdoors — By outdoors I mean out of a city environment and into somewhere open, preferably with lots of green and trees around. The easiest thing is to head to your nearest park. Take your shoes and socks off and just stand barefoot on the grass. Not only does this ground you, it just brings a sense of calm that only being like this can. Obviously, when it’s raining a simple walk in the park is just as good.

The most important thing I’ve learnt is to have self-awareness. By listening to your body and your feelings, you’re better equipped to manage yourself and ultimately everything around you. It’s easy to snap at someone if you’re feeling particularly under it that day, but the minute you’re more open to being aware of what you’re feeling you can stop it in its tracks by helping yourself. Self-awareness takes time to develop because it’s about listening to your body and reacting in a way to manage your feelings, but also to assess your thoughts before they become words you can’t take back. But if you’ve read this far, I’m pretty sure you’re already on your way to figuring this out.
What helps you keep calm and feeling well?

