The abundance of information we’re exposed to daily and the mental downloads we’re engaged in practically every minute of every waking day, are enough to short-circuit our systems and trigger stress, worry, anxiety and depression. Now factor in the Holidays – because even though they’re meant to bring joy and happiness, they can also bring about feelings of unrest, agitation and worry.
Needless to say, you add the Holidays into an already hectic lifestyle and your mental health and wellbeing can take a toll.
When I founded VREA Cosmetics, I didn’t want to stay focused solely on quality ingredients and innovate products. What I also want to create, is COMMUNITY and a space where wellbeing is encouraged at every turn possible. And for that reason, I really wanted to share with you some easy (yet very powerful and effective) tools, which will hopefully help you at every step along the way.
#1. Unplug from your phone for a day.
We are more connected than ever, yet more mentally isolated than ever before. Social media tends to add subconscious pressures to “be” or “look” certain ways, and when you add to that texts from people, news and other debauchery, your mental health is really subjugated to a lot of unnecessary pressures.
Pick a day every week, or at least start by doing this once a month, where you dedicate a day without your phone, and give yourself the grace to live freely and without digitally induced triggers.
#2. Take a walk around the neighborhood.
Mother Nature likes to heal everything - mind, body AND spirit. She calms our nerves and relieves mental fatigue.
The air quality where you live matters of course, but generally speaking – going outside can do wonders and just 20 minutes alone have been shown to be enough to boost vitality levels. And aside from the relaxation element, the movement itself can be extraordinary for the body.
Oxygen is essential in maintaining healthy brain function, and it’s important to know that the brain uses about three times more oxygen for healthy neuron function than muscles do. Simply put, going outside, and getting fresh air, can improve your brain function. And if your schedule is demanding, try going on a quick walk outside, during your office breaks. That will be a great start!
#3. Get your finances in order.
For many of us, the subject of finances triggers feelings of unrest, so what are we thinking when adding this to a SELF CARE list? Well… It’s because the sooner we face the "anguish", get organized and in charge, the sooner our mental bandwidth will be freed.
You may have experienced this feeling before – something is weighing on you, but you keep putting if off because you don’t want to deal with it, yet that thing is not going away, and in fact you’re consciously and subconsciously carrying that weight and pressure with you every day until it’s resolved. When we think how burdening our finances can be, dealing with them head on and as soon as possible, will be like ripping off a Band-Aid, so we can heal and move on with more peace of mind.
#4. Say NO more often.
Sounds harder than it is at first, but the habit of saying “NO” to the things, circumstances and people that don’t bring joy or "value" into your life, is one of the greatest things you could ever do for yourself and your wellbeing.
And if you’re thinking that doing so may be “selfish”, just know that only 20% of your day will actually produce 80% of your results, so your time is precious and it belongs to YOU. We’re not saying “go for NO on everything”, only to be more selective and exclusive with whom you lend your time and energy to. And talking about energy, that energy has emotional currency and paying it left and right will only drain you mentally, physically and emotionally.
#5. Try doing something everyday, that you love and/or brings you joy.
That might be dancing, reading, taking a bath, painting, or going on a walk. You likely think of others all the time, and all the things that are out to be done. And you prioritize all those people and things, but how about YOU? Where do YOU factor in all this? Even a few minutes of doing something that makes you happy on a daily basis, will contribute to your mental health, mental strength and overall wellbeing.
#6. Do something you used to love as a child.
There aren’t too many things in life quite like child-like enthusiasm to keep our spirits cheerful and youthful. Tapping into that energy and into that time and space when the world maybe didn’t weigh as heavily on you, could bring about a joyful spark that could provide relief and, in some cases, even induce new ideas.
For me (Alex), one of the things I used to love doing as a child, was reading books on ancient Egypt, while perched up in the cherry tree we had in our backyard. As a 37 yr. old, climbing trees now won’t really cut it (RA et all), but I can still take a book on the subject and go outside on a park bench and read. Gabby (our Marketing Coordinator maven), loved going on walks with her dad at the San Clemente pier, and she’s keeping that spark alive any chance she gets. Now it’s your turn! What is something you used to love doing as a child? We encourage you to bring that back into your life if possible.
#7. Make yourself a small promise every day and keep it.
The reason I really wanted to include this here, is because the act of keeping promises to yourself on a daily basis, is a titanic factor in strengthening your self confidence and self-esteem.
It could be as simple as promising yourself to go on a 10 minute walk and following through. Or committing to de-cluttering the guest closet and getting it done. Drinking a cup of tea everyday maybe? The list of quality promises which would take little to no exertion is endless, but the results will be immense. Achieving daily small promises, will contribute to your confidence. And when you feel confident, you feel amazing!
#8. Practice the PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGH.
We already do it unconsciously; usually when we’re about to fall asleep, when in a claustrophobic environment, or after a very heavy cry – which you may notice in small children a lot.
When feeling stressed or anxious, most of the information out there says to take deep breaths IN (and out). Why? On the premise that when you’re worked up, your heart is beating too fast, and the breath work can help bring it down to its normal levels.
But what happens physiologically when you take deep breaths in?
When you inhale, the diagram goes down, the volume of the heart increases and as a result, the blood moves more slowly. When the blood starts moving more slowly, a little group of neurons that pay specific attention to how that blood flow is doing, will send a signal to the brain, letting the brain know that blood is moving slower through the heart. In response, the brain then signals the heart to speed up. So those deep inhales we’re doing to “slow down” the heart rate, physiologically tend to do the opposite.
Breath, however, IS in fact HIGHLY EFFICIENT and helpful when done RIGHT.
Here’s what:
If inhales are longer or more vigorous than the exhales (because inhales could be shorter but more vigorous than the exhales) – IF inhaling is longer or more vigorous than exhaling, then your heart rate will go up.
And the opposite holds true. If you want to calm down quickly and slow down the heart rate, the exhales should be longer and/or more vigorous than the inhales.
The new age breathwork may position deep inhales as the stress reliever, but it is NOT the deep inhales that achieve the immediate stress release, it’s the deep exhales that do. And the physiological sigh is just that. Two short inhales, followed by a longer (or more vigorous) exhale. A sigh.
The need to breathe doesn’t come from the need for oxygen, we breathe because carbon dioxide levels get too high and this physiological sigh, releases the maximum amount of carbon dioxide. I recorded an entire podcast episode titled “Life Changing STRESS HACKS - how to effectively manage stress and anxiety” where you can learn more about the physiological sigh and lots more stress-relieving techniques (that actually work).
We hope you found this blog post to be useful and please - if and when you need help, or are seeking someone to talk with, we encourage you to do it! You are never in anything alone. Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for being part of the VREA Cosmetics family!
P.S. Our Eye Goals eye masks will be the most perfect addition to your self-care journey.
They're formulated to perfection, highly nourishing and hydrating, they're bigger than what you may be used to when it comes to eye masks, they're biodegradable and they will help protect your eye area from the harmful effects of blue light and air pollution.