Life is full of stress. It’s hectic, organized chaos at best. It can seem overwhelming sometimes. You need to take the time to keep yourself sane. Here are five things you can do right now to feel better.
1. Breathe
- Turn off the ringer on your phone.
- Close your eyes.
- Take a deep breathe through your nose.
- Feel your lungs expand and inhale until you cannot possibly take in any more.
- Slowly release your breath from your mouth.
- As you do so, release all that you’re holding onto.
- Just let it go.
2. Get up
- Leave your phone in your desk.
- Go outside if possible, if not just take a short stroll.
- A few minutes of motion will get your blood pumping and ease tension.
3. Meditate
- Buddhist monks meditate on the nature of suffering for years of their lives. We can do the same for brief moments to center ourselves.
- Breathe in and out. As you do, concentrate on your breath.
- Be grateful for what you have.
- Be mindful and live in the present moment.
- There is only now, the past and future exist in your mind only.
4. Give
- Do something nice for someone else.
- Send flowers to a friend who’s going through a rough patch.
- Go to Starbucks and bring back coffee for someone as a surprise.
- Make a $5 donation online to your favorite charity.
- Give someone who’s struggling a 20-second hug.
5. Reach out
- Call a friend or family member you have been thinking about.
- Send a text to someone and just say hi.
Sometimes the best way to feel better about things is to get outside yourself! Be happy, live life and love hard because we’re only here once. And wouldn’t it be nice to make a difference?