Massage Therapy…Different types of messages. Pick your leisure and style! Every massage is not the same. Swedish Massage known to personally relax you. It entails long strokes or sometimes its happening in circle form. You have the ability to also pick not only the pace but also the intensity. Def one of my favorites. I’ve tried most of them and this is one of my favorites. It’s also known to relieve stress. I must say embracing freelance/consulting has helped me with not only work life balance. Since, you basically set your own hours. You have the ability to also choose roles that have chosen you Or deny roles that don’t match career goals or are not a good use of your skillset.
When I pivoted out of healthcare which was a high demand and stressful environment. Some may call it toxic environment but you really need to unpack what that means. Sometimes its tied to a leader. Others its tied to the environment. Pivoting over to the client side by way of freelance here’s that word again is a great way to choose environments which have also chosen you. Either way message therapy helped allot.
Deep Tissue Massage this targets your muscles more and like the Swedish massage it can be based on how intense you would like the message to be. After, I left healthcare. I didn’t need the intensity of the Swedish massage. The deep tissue focuses on getting the knots out in your back which is usually the result of a stressful environment. If this speaks to YOU get on Groupon and find a special for a deep tissue massage. I usually start with 45 minutes that tends to work. 30 minutes can really go by quickly. Sometimes the first 15 minutes the message therapist is locating your pace and intensity.
Exercise find which exercise works best for you. Allot of gyms have low cost or entry level classes. Either personally at the gym itself or finding a Groupon. Search which class you would love to try and find what works for you. Some people love to run or jog. Knowing yourself is half the battle. That doesn’t take away trying new things at a low cost. Once you find what you enjoy. Pilates, Full service gyms, swimming any real form of exercise helps you to release toxins and any form of stress from your body. Through your pores.
Others choose meditation or journaling as a way to detox and destress. Cost should never be a reason on why you can’t partake in something. You can find low cost journals that are aesthetically pleasing at any TJ Maxx or HomeGoods or Amazon. If you want to feel extra special. Invest in an aesthetically pleasing pen. You can find sparkly pens on Amazon. I love a pen with a fur eraser. Others enjoy writing with a fine point pen. Something about a fine point pen as well as writing in script. I heard relaxes others.
CityBike It’s a good time of year. To hop on a CityBike and head around the city or your neighborhood. If its not in your neighborhood. Go to the closest neighborhood and spend the day bike riding and drinking lots of water. They also have groups. People that meet up to go bike riding especially in Central Park or any main park in your neighborhood. Personally, I would get out your neighborhood and use this to explore another neighborhood or a friends neighborhood.
Candles Investing in different candles and the way different smells are not only meant to relax you. It also the easiest way to boost your mood or quiet your mood. A orange candle in the morning. The smell of Citrus in the Summer or Spring time might help with elevating your mood. Whereas a lavender candle before getting in the shower or bath at night will not only relax you. It will also help you to sleep.
Plants & Flowers Something about plants and fresh flowers. Especially, in a clean home instantly boosts mood. I would also add depending on where you live. Meaning in the summertime if your home or apt gets really hot. Flowers will die faster. I like to invest in flowers more so in the Spring & Fall seasons. Whole Foods always has different flowers on sale. Or weekly sales. This is a good way to learn about different flowers as well as the different smells. Smell and mood are related.
Mental Wealth also means trying New things! Getting out of your comfort zone. Commit to trying something new every month if possible. A pottery class, a cooking class, a baking class. Again, Groupon is your friend. 90 percent of companies are on Groupon or at least advertise a sale once a month. Sometimes, I add classes to my cart. If, I love the place or am familiar with it. However, discounts are usually only offered to new customers. If you do buy into a class or method. Usually, its limited to quarterly. Groupon also keeps record. It will remind you when are able to try this studio or service out again.
Housekeeper/Housekeeping Do you need to invest in a housekeeper? I can’t reiterate one of the best parts of going on vacation is coming back to a newly cleaned room with fresh bedding. I get it. We can’t all wait until we’re on vacation or taking a vacation might not be in the budget. However, they have low cost housekeepers. Especially, for new customers. Another hack. Wait until its a promotion to sign up or try it out. Maybe invest monthly or quarterly I like to do. That’s only 4 times a year. How much are you spending daily at Starbucks or taking Uber? Again this is about mental health.
What are you doing to check in on yours? No one is responsible for your mental health than YOU are. YOU are responsible for everything that is in your power or domain to maintain and regulate. How are YOU investing in You? What new activities are you committing to learning or at least trying it out. If you need an accountability buddy. Find someone or meet someone at the class to hold each other accountable. Remember, there is power in agreement.
Mental Health isn’t only a month out the year. It’s a lifestyle.
