Relaxing doesn’t always come easy. We live in a fast-paced world that tells us to work ourselves to the bone. The pressure to succeed and not fail can leave us feeling guilty if we rest. If you struggle with this, I have great news for you.
My previous post explores the reasons you feel guilty relaxing. Giving you insights, ways to shift your perspective, and details the important benefits of relaxing. Both for your mental and physical wellbeing. Be sure to read that first if you feel it would be helpful.
I wrote this post as a follow up to give you some ideas for relaxing, guilt free. Why not bookmark this page? That way you can come back to it whenever you need.
Let’s get right to it, shall we?
Be Creative
Rediscover your inner child and be creative. How? Engage in activities that spark your imagination and artistic spirit. Choose an endeavour and immerse yourself in it, there are plenty to choose from.
Make something. Take out your old LEGO and rebuild it. Download a music making app, see what melodies you can come up with. Learn to draw or paint. Write a story. Start a fun DIY project to make something for your home.
There are many ways to be creative and express yourself. Whatever you choose, be present, curious, and engrossed during the process. That’s how I approach making music and the time seems to fly by.
Creating is like meditation. A time for the mind to be still and focus on a single task. One that captivates your attention and brings you tranquillity.
Doesn’t that sound appealing?
Listen with Intention
How do you feel when you listen to your favourite band? Music has the power to ignite all kinds of emotions within us. Sadness, woe, happiness, joy, and excitement. It can also calm us or boost our energy and mood.
But we consume music differently these days. It used to be a dedicated ritual. People would buy a vinyl, set time aside, play it, and listen. Whereas now we can consume music anywhere at any time.
My proposal to you is to listen with intention. Choose one of your favourite albums. Set some time aside. Become engrossed in the sounds, melodies, tones, and rhythms. Feel the music deeply. Relish in it and feel the emotions arising.
Not big into music? Listen to an audio book or podcast. Learn something new. Choose a story, topic, or guest that fascinates you. The key is to listen with intention. You’ll be astonished at how enriching the experience can be.
“Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can’t.”
– Johnny Depp
Engage with Your Body
Modern-day life means many of us have become disconnected from our bodies. Neglecting their importance. But your body is there for a reason. You need to feel and release emotions, otherwise they become trapped. Which can lead to burn out, depression, or emotional outbursts.
Try yoga or mindfulness meditation.
These practices help you to become in tune with your body. More aware of what’s going on within, allowing you to feel and release your emotions, in a healthy way. Although challenging at first, afterwards you’ll feel more relaxed and lighter. No longer burdened by the heavy load.
You also need to use your body. Take care of it. It’s there to protect you by fighting off diseases and viruses. It regulates itself and communicates with your mind. Engage in physical activity. Run, swim, dance, workout, or join a fitness class.
Exercise strengthens your body, and releases endorphins, natural mood boosters that reduce stress. Try and you’ll see how incredible you feel afterwards.
Meditate and Breath
Meditation and deep breathing have positive effects on your nervous system. When you’re stressed, anxious, or scared, you stimulate your sympathetic nervous system. You’ll be on high alert mode. Your heart rate and blood pressure increase, as you release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.
Can you think of a time you felt this way?
This isn’t a mistake, it’s your body going into either fight-flight-or-freeze mode. Preparing you for survival. Problem is, there are consequences when you’re stuck there for long periods of time.
The good news is you can choose to put your body into a relaxed state instead. All it takes is some deep breathing techniques. They are easy to do and cost you nothing. You can incorporate them into meditation or just breathe deeply whenever you feel tense.
You’ll notice how you can regulate your own mind and body. Creating a sense of calmness, empowering you to handle difficulties with more balance. Take the power back. The solution is simple.
“Deep breathing is our nervous system’s love language.”
– Dr. Lauren Fogel Mersy
Be Present
How often does your mind wander? It’s useful to recall memories, learn from mistakes, and make plans. But overthinking the past or future can cause sadness, regret, stress, and anxiety. You also miss the present moment. You miss life. And life is fleeting and precious.
It’s not easy to be present, but when you are, you can find stillness and peace. Any task or activity can be a mindful practice.
Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Listen to sounds with intention. View the colours, shades, and shapes. Don’t label, just look. Observe the sensations within your body, such as tingling or its temperature.
Feel the sunshine on your skin. Savour the taste of your favourite food. Relish each sip of your tea or coffee. Observe your thoughts passing by, like clouds in the vast blue sky. Don’t get entangled in them, become the watcher.
There are many ways to be present. Why not explore what resonates with you? Give yourself a break from thinking.
Restore Your Body
Do you have any aches, pains, and stiffness? These can weigh you down, affect your mood, productivity, and behaviour. Let me be clear, I’m talking about general discomfort here. If you have severe pain or unusual symptoms, speak to your doctor.
That being said, let’s move on.
Exercise strengthens your body and promotes repair, but what else can you do to restore and heal yourself? Stretch, use a foam roller, or get a massage. Doing so can increase flexibility, range of motion, and blood flow. As well as improve posture, back pain, prevent injury, and relieve stress.
Follow Wim Hof and try cold water therapy. Incorporate a sauna or steam room, switch between the heat and cold. It may not sound relaxing, but trust me, it is. I do this at my local gym and always feel incredible afterwards.
There are also tremendous health benefits. Including reduced muscle pain, stiffness, swelling, and inflammation. Less risk of developing heart disease, improved immune function, and general wellbeing. Build up to it safely though.
A restored and pain free body will help to relax you.
Why not take positive action today?
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
— Jim Rohn
Let Nature Heal You
Our modern, fast-paced lifestyle disconnects us from nature, especially for city dwellers. Those living in concrete jungles filled with traffic, crowds, noise, and light pollution.
How often do you breathe fresh air? When was the last time you star gazed? Or walked through a vivid green forest, listening to the melodies of bird song?
Nature heals us.
It can reduce your stress, anxiety, and blood pressure. Boost your mood and immunity. It also calms your nervous system, helping you to feel relaxed. There are many benefits of being in nature. Yet, we’ve forgotten. Caught up in developing technology and building structures to keep us inside.
So, where possible, re-connect and be present.
Notice the breeze passing by. Paddle in water, feel it flow through your toes. Observe animals with curiosity. Admire vibrant colours. Inhale the pleasant scents from plants and flowers. Listen to the sounds that come in and out of your awareness.
Experience nature, be in awe, and let it heal you.
Spend Time with a Love One
We can get so caught up in work, goals, and the stresses of life. Sometimes we forget the important people that make it meaningful. A partner, parent, child, sibling, or close friend. When was the last time you spent quality time with one of them?
We crave emotional and physical connections. Humans evolved to survive together, in groups, otherwise our species was at risk. That’s why loneliness and isolation have such severe effects on our mental health.
It may come as no surprise then, that socialising with others has health benefits. Including reducing dementia, promoting brain function, a stronger immune system, and improved mental health.
So, have a meaningful conversation, share a meal, go for a walk, or do a fun activity together. You could also volunteer somewhere, join groups, clubs, or start a new hobby. There are plenty of ways to meet new people if you lack close personal relationships.
Social connections are pivotal for your wellbeing, helping you to relax and unwind. Why not reach out to someone today and arrange something?
“If we fail to give our time with those we love, one day we will live to regret it.”
— Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Indulge Yourself
That’s right, I’m giving you permission to indulge yourself. If you struggle with self-compassion, this can be a great way to start small and build it up. Set some time aside for only you. Then do something that you enjoy or rarely have time for.
Have a bath, watch a TV series or film. Read a book, let the story captivate you. Allow yourself to have a cheat day by preparing or buying your favourite snack or meal. Book a massage or spa day.
Is there something you’ve always wanted to do? Perhaps travelling to a new country, city, or taking up a hobby. Then go do it.
Buy yourself a gift. Something that you’ve been craving for a while. Or just take time out and use the suggestions above. Spend time in nature, meditate, breathe deeply, be present and still. Rest and recharge.
Indulge yourself, you deserve it.
Write it Down
Our thoughts can drive us crazy. Especially when our minds get stuck in loops, going in circles, without any resolution. This can affect your sleep and other factors of your life, making it difficult to relax.
But there ARE solutions.
Meditation is useful but have you tried journaling? Writing your thoughts down gets them out of your head and into perspective. Putting your feelings on paper is therapeutic and allows you to work through them.
This can bring new insights, deep reflections, and help you to problem solve.
Every day I do a CBT exercise called Putting the Day to Rest. I write down what happened during the day. What went well and what didn’t. Then I note my thoughts, feelings, frustrations, and concerns, if any.
Finally, I outline my plan of action for the next day, including how to address any issues.
Having this time to reflect, think, and plan gives me peace of mind. I’ve put the day to rest and know what to do tomorrow, giving me the freedom and space to relax.
Why not try it for yourself?
“I can shake off everything as I write. My sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
— Anne Frank
Relaxing is Time Well Spent
It can be hard to relax but sometimes it’s the most productive thing you can do. Relaxing gives you a chance to rest and recover. It improves your wellbeing. Gives you opportunities to reconnect with yourself, nature, and loved ones. As well as increase your self-awareness when you take time to reflect and be present.
There are many ways to relax. This post has given you some great ideas to choose from. Now it’s up to you. The next time you’re feeling drained, stressed, or anxious, stop. Recognise that you’ve been pushing yourself too hard.
It’s time for a break.
Pick one of the suggestions from above and embrace it. Relax fully, guilt free. You’ve earned it. Why not pick a day this week and give it a go?
Let me know in the comments which one you chose.
Take care of yourselves,
Chris from Mindful Way to Be
