Y’all it’s been a week! I’m so happy we have a long weekend ahead of us to recharge a little bit. Not only was it a busy week, but I’ve got ten million things I’d love to sit here and complain about – it really was one of THOSE weeks. I’m not going to complain about them though, I’ve done enough of that already 😜 but it’s not going to change anything at this point, so what good will it do? Not a lot.

Instead, I’ve tried to give myself some “me time” and think of ways to help myself relax a little bit. So, if you have also had a heck of a week, here’s a few ideas on how to give yourself a little self-care.

Exercise. I’m not kidding when I say there are few other things that relieve stress better than exercise. I was pretty thankful for some of my long training runs this week! It doesn’t have to be hard or intense workouts though, just getting yourself moving helps a lot.

A couple times this last week I walked Dobby before work, and it is so much more enjoyable than trying to walk after work. For one thing, it’s a lot cooler in the mornings, and it’s also a lot quieter! It’s actually been very peaceful and I’ve really come to enjoy those morning walks. That’s one really easy way to get some exercise and relax. I encourage you to give it a try!

Food! Plan for your favorite meal so you have something to look forward to, or indulge in a delicious treat. It’s okay to treat yourself every now and again! Dan and I went to DQ on Thursday, and I think we both really needed it. It was not only something we were able to do together, but it was deeeelicious, and it definitely perked me up.

Find something mind-numbing to do. There have been plenty of days where I get home and I just don’t want to do anything, but I also sometimes have a problem trying to sit down and actually do nothing. It’s ironic, I know. Anyway, I’ve been working on this diamond art painting thing for a few weeks now, and it’s super time consuming, but it’s also kind of relaxing. It’s basically a paint by number thing, except with diamonds, so the only thought it requires is matching the right colors to the paper. It’s great, because I don’t have to put a lot of thought or effort into it, and I’m still giving myself something to do. I like to turn the TV on in the background and have myself a hot cup of coffee and just chillax for a while. And you can customize your diamond picture to whatever you want, so why not make something nice to put on your wall!

Finally, surround yourself with good vibes. If you’re already stressed, why be around people who are only going to add to it!? I’ve got my runnings friends to vent and solve the world’s problems with, and I’ve got Dan to come home to as well. He’s always been a great shoulder to lean on and he knows how to make me laugh when I just need to let loose.

Those are just a few ideas on how to make a stressful week less draining. What do you do to take your mind off the crazy things going on around us? How many of the things I listed above do you do to unwind? What unique ways of relieving stress do you have? I want to hear it all!

I hope you all find something stress-relieving to do during this long weekend and go into next week feeling refreshed.

Here’s to hoping next week is a little quieter! 😉

Until next time! 🙂

Megan Reiffenberger