Home Stress Relief

    This week is International Stress Awareness Week. I feel like the world is just one ball of stress right now. So many things are happening at the same time. There are natural disasters, war, political indifferences, and inflation, amongst other things. I feel like each day we are navigating life with so much uncertainty. But, this month, we must continue to be thankful for having life. We may be affected by one or more stressful event that is not always under our control. But what we can control is the environment in which we settle into each night. Our home is the safest place to manage stress, but it depends on how we set up your space. Today I want to focus on the senses of smell, taste, and sound. How can we use them to create a peace away from the outside world.

    The smell of our home can play a role in how we feel. You may like a scent that smells like the outdoors. You may like fresh scents such as linen. Or you may like fruity scents such as apples. What our nose picks up is different for each of us. But once we find the right scent, it can take us into a very ‘feel-good’ space. Candles are one of the best things to scent up a home. Finding that right one is joy. Recently I have been in love with using my candle warmer lamp on a timer instead of lighting the wick for safety purposes. Here are some suggestions of candles from small businesses and a candle warmer lamp from amazon.

    The tastes of different food items can make you feel relaxed as well. Not all treats are good for your health. But if eaten in moderation it can be okay for those extremely stressful days. Something that can hit the spot on a stressful day is a charcuterie board. There’s a little bit of salty, a little sweet, and a whole lot of savory. You can make it your own, if you don’t like cured meat, only add cheese, fruit, crackers, and nuts. You can swap anything that does not suit your taste buds. Another of my favorite snacks for stress reduction is sunflower seeds, with the shell on. Being able to crack the shell releases so much tension. Here are some charcuterie ideas below.

     The sound of music has been my love forever. I do love the lyrics and being able to belt them out. But the instrumentals or the beat make up more of my love for the song. My favorite music genre is R&B and its many variations. In most of these songs you hear the drums, you hear the saxophone, or you might hear the piano. Most of the music derives itself from jazz and blues. The instruments can take lead us on a journey through different emotions, but in the end, it makes you feel good. Here are some tunes for inspiration.

     In conclusion, if I ruled the world, I would bring fairness to all. Stress would be at an all time low. Unfortunately, I don’t rule the world, but I rule my household. I get to decide the energy I bring into it, so this is just a little something that I hope can be of use to you as well. I am grateful for my life and I refuse to allow too much stress affect my health. It is now the holiday season where you see so many lives lost too early for this reason and more. Let’s all relax, relate, and release as much of our stress as we can.