10 Simple Ways to Ease Anxiety and Stress :)
The COVID_19 situation is changing every day, and I think most of us are experiencing some degree of stress or anxiety. As part of my ongoing research in creating The Serenity Experience, I’ve spent the last couple of years reading about and testing ideas to reduce stress and increase happiness. Here are 10 simple ways that work for me - I encourage you to try them all and see what works for you :)
Meditate :) If you’ve never done it before, you can find loads of free meditation videos on YouTube or you can check out my favourite meditation app, Unplug - free 7-day trial! - they have a whole section specifically for “panic” if you’re feeling really anxious, and many other different sections and themes.
Yoga :) Again, if this is new to you, check online for instructional videos - find an instructor you like and give it a try :) This will also help you sleep better, among many other benefits. My brother-in-law just sent me this amazing Star Wars-themed yoga for kids video, which my niece and nephew love, and my yoga instructor Heather Catuiza is offering free 15-minute private online sessions!
Make a gratitude list :) It can be one thing, 3 things, 10 things. Being specific helps in my experience. I'll share my list from a couple of days ago:
1. Being able to go for a couple of nice long walks over the weekend - especially the one down to the lake.
2. Wearing my sparkly gold sequin slippers almost all the time. (see the video on my instagram page - they are very entertaining!)
3. That our home is so colourful and full of joyful things to look at, many of which remind me of the lovely people who made those things. Makes self-isolation less lonely.Seek out Water :) Watch it sparkle, listen to it’s rhythm (whether big or small), sit with it. Have a bath by candlelight. Drink lots of it (good for your immune system!). There’s science behind why being near water is soothing to us - one really interesting book that I’ve read about it is Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols. A few of the ideas in this book inspired elements in my Serenity Experience installation.
Check out The Serenity Experience :) Originally a multi-sensory immersive art installation that I built as an experiment in creating peaceful, happy feelings, I’ve now created an online version so that everyone can have access to it. Since I can’t be there physically to create the other sensory elements, you all get to be co-creators now!
Listen to happy podcasts :) One of my new favourites is The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos - so much interesting research about what actually makes us happy! Two others that I recently listened to that made me happy with the sounds of birds in the background were LeVar Burton Reads (for fans of Reading Rainbow, Star Trek TNG, and good short stories, specifically "The Water Museum" from Oct 8, 2019), and Nature Talks (from The Nature Conservancy of Canada, specifically episode 5 from Aug 23, 2018). As an aside, The Nature Conservancy does amazing work in protecting wild areas of our beautiful country - I'm proud to say that I make a $100 donation to them for each edition of "Drifting Mist" that I sell. Listening to podcasts is a great way to feel less lonely while self-isolating.
Read something joyful :) Not just anything, but something that makes you feel so happy to be alive. A few that I’ve loved recently: “My Life in France” by Julia Child (probably the most joyful “travel” book I’ve ever read), “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert (everything she does is amazing, but this one is particularly joyful), “Lost Woods” by Rachel Carson (a collection of her earlier writing and personal letters - absolutely poetic in her descriptions of the natural world), and “Forest Bathing” by Dr. Qing Li (why being in nature is so good for you, and how you can best reap the benefits).
Spend quality time with a pet :) If you're lucky enough to be living with a pet, carve out 10 minutes to spend just with them. No phone, no TV. Just cuddle with your pet (if it's the cuddly sort), talk to them (if it's not the cuddly sort), play with them, watch your fish swim around, whatever. The important thing in my experience is to make your pet 100% of your focus for a brief window of time. Feel it's little heart beat. And breathe. Take 10 nice deep breaths. You won't believe how immediately this will effect your mood and state of mind - it's one of the most grounding things I know. (Of course, if your pet decides 10 minutes is far too much, respect that and enjoy their company from a bit of a distance!)
If you don’t have a pet, check out this list of animal live cams, including jellyfish and sea otters :)
Listen to happy music :) There’s research to indicate that listening to Gregorian chants or Mozart is really good for your brain, and will make you feel better. But also just fun pop tunes you can sing along to, or play songs you love if you know how to play an instrument - the effects on your mood will be almost instant :)
Help someone else :) I’m going to be honest - I spent last week being pretty anxious and stressed out about the global pandemic situation. And then I remembered that I’ve spent the last couple of years digging into anything I could find about the neuroscience of happiness, and researching about how we can control how happy we feel. I have lists of resources, and archives of videos I’ve made. As soon as I remembered this, I knew that if it could help me, chances are it could also help other people. Which is why I’ve spent this week creating the online version of The Serenity Experience, as well as a few blog posts to share some of this information and ideas of how to get through this as calmly as possible. Happy, calm people are more able to help those around them, so by taking some time to get grounded yourself, you will be doing a great good deed to all the people you’ll be able to support in some big or small way somehow in the near future. Having my personal mission to make all of this available has made me feel a million times better this week than last week, and I’m betting that helping someone who needs it will make you feel great too :)
I hope these ideas are helpful to you :) If so, please feel free to share with your friends and family!
Stay safe and healthy, and wash your hands!
xo
Jessica