There it was in front of our eyes. It was either a warning sign, validation or maybe both. On a list of the 10 Most Stressful Careers, as reported by Forbes, the job we had blissfully chosen was listed. As if the struggles of daily living aren’t stress-inducing enough, top it off with an emotionally-charged career path that usually brings out the absolute worst in people. Got your Botox esthetician on speed dial? If you’re in the wedding industry, you should.

Even if you aren’t a wedding coordinator or venue owner, chances are your job is equally if not more stressful. Deadlines and emails and carpools and texts and bills and oh my. From the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning, a bucket of stress is just waiting to pour down on you. National Stress Awareness Month acknowledges the stress we routinely face but more importantly, aims to educate the public on the importance of self-care by learning tools and tactics to cope.

We’re giving you a full access pass into our own stress reduction methods and anxiety banishing techniques. Here are a few tips, tricks, and products we implement to combat stress.

 

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Exercise

Check out of the routine and check into the gym. Physical activity helps bump up the production of endorphins which increases your overall health and your sense of well-being. Don’t forget to snag some gym swag before you go:

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Travel

Plan or don’t plan, but whatever you do, GO. Giving yourself something to look forward to and specifically, a vacation will instantly elevate your mood. Ever traveled solo? Consider trotting the globe alone the secret key to the door of self-discovery. Check out our favorite travel accessories while planning your dream trip:

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Meditate + Practice Mindfulness

Mediation is a simple technique that, if practiced for as few as ten minutes each day, can help you control your thoughts and emotions so you may conquer stress and anxiety. To be mindful is to be present, focusing on the moment at hand. Mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, we just have to take time every day to practice the concept. Take time to pause – Focus on being present, listen to your thoughts, observe your surrounding environment, and connect with your emotions. Need a little guidance? Check our favorite products for pure nirvana:

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Turn Up The Music + Dance It Out

Listening to music can have a tremendously relaxing effect on your mind and body and has a unique link to your emotions. Turn it up! Dance like nobody is watching. You’ll be amazed how much joy a song and a dance can bring to your soul. We love to rock out to these lovelies:

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Decorate With Houseplants

The power of plants is not to be underestimated. Houseplants have endless benefits, including purify the air, reduce your stress, increase your productivity, and boost your mood, to name a few. Pick out a decorative planter a get gardening:

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Keep a Journal

Log your feelings. Document your hopes and dreams. List your future plans and ideas. By recording events, desires, and emotions, you gain control over your mental health. Journaling is a beautiful method of emotional release and can help you gain clarity and control. With endless journaling methods and themes circling the wide web, choosing a journaling practice can be an overwhelming process. Don’t worry! We’re giving you our personal favorites to get you started here:

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Indulge in Bathtime

Ah, the perfect escape! Baths are our favorite relaxing ritual. Baths improve blood circulation, soothe aching muscles, aid in sleep, heal the body, purify the spirit and even have anti-aging benefits. If you’ve had a long day, plan a detox bath with these renewing bath products:

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Discover Healing Crystals + Healing Stones

Channel your inner energy and heal from within. Healing stones and crystals work to heal your mind, body, and spirit. Certain stones possess certain properties, so do some research to learn which crystals and/or stones are best suited for you. We wear our stones and crystals in the form of jewelry, place them under our pillows while we sleep, and even use them decoratively around our homes and offices. Not quite sold? Try a Himalayan salt lamp to get you started, or a stylish piece of crystal jewelry:

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Breathe in Essential Oils

Aromatherapy can prove powerful in battling worry, stress, anxiety, and depression with proper inhalation techniques. Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Marjoram, and Bergamot are a few of our favorite anxiety battling essential oils. Diffuse oils while working, sleeping, reading, or for nothing at all! We’ve listed some of our favorite oils and diffusers below.

WARNING: If you are a feline lover such as ourselves, DO NOT use an essential oil diffuser! Our kitty-cat friends rapidly absorb the oils through their mouths and skin, and their livers cannot metabolize the oils’ properties. Essential oils are toxic and deadly to cats. However, that doesn’t mean that all our fellow crazy-cat persons can’t enjoy the benefits of an essential oil or two. To enjoy aromatherapy benefits, purchase an essential oil necklace! Simply rub the oils onto the wood beads and inhale the serenity all day while making a fashion statement.

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Sip Herbal Tea

While we aren’t hot tea people necessarily, we hear herbal tea works wonders for stress, healing, detox, and sleep! Okay…so tea isn’t quite our thing. But, if it were, we definitely go for these tea-related goodies:

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Go to Sleep

We cannot stress this enough. Personally, we designate at least one day a week to sleep in late and go to bed early. And if we’re really being candid, we may even admit that on those days we may not even leave the bed. Take time to rest your mind and body! Having trouble catching Zzz’s? Buy a white noise machine, custom pillow, or even all-natural sleep supplements to ensure a good night’s rest. Here are our tried and true favorites:

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Have a Home Spa Day

These products scream self – care and are begging you to incorporate them into your daily at-home spa routine. That’s right, I said daily. How do you ask? Simple. Dry brush before you shower to increase blood circulation, increase mood positivity, and promote healing. Try a detoxifying face mask one evening and a foot mask the next (Baby Foot is a MUST). Exfoliate with an all-natural body scrub during your morning shower and follow with an indulgent body cream before getting dressed. See? Spa days can be a reality! Here are our favorite at-home, spa-day items to get you started:

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Drink Wine

As if we needed an excuse to drink more vino, drinking wine has been scientifically proven to assist in disconnecting your brain and can have a calming effect. Invite the girls over, build that cheese plate, and uncork a bottle or two! Bottoms up!

 

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Stress can wreck your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. Learning to effectively manage stress will help you live a more balanced life with work, relationships, family, and relaxation. Learn to manage your stress and the triggers so you can live a happier and healthier life. Remember…put self-care first. Without a positive, healthy you, you aren’t living your best life.

 

Images by Live Socially Branded