It’s November. That means it’s time for #BlogLikeCrazy! I love this time of year because it always renews my love for writing and blogging.
If you don’t know what Blog Like Crazy is you can read more about it here from my friend Javacia Harris Bowser.
I have quite a few ideas penned already, so I’m hopeful I can complete the whole challenge this year. Happy Blogging, babes!
Since I’ve started my mental health journey I’ve found a lot of resources for reference. I’ve discovered web sites, bloggers, Instagram accounts, newsletters, and more. I’ve fallen in love with a plethora of them and I thought I’d share a few of my favorites over a few posts. This first post will be newsletters and later I’ll share some other types of accounts that I love.
The Greatist – This newsletter contains great articles for mind, body, and soul. I enjoy 90% of the posts in here and find most of them applicable to me (which is saying a lot). They cover everything from confidence at work to boosting your immune system to relationship goals.
The Mighty – This is, by far, my favorite mental health newsletter (and resource) period. It speaks on so many levels and I really think it has an article for every situation or person/level. The Mighty has seen it all. They get most of their feedback and answers from their community (you!) so it’s spot on. The newsletters are usually little pick-me-ups for your day or week along with highlights like top signs of depression, what to do when you don’t have anyone, or mental health symptoms we don’t talk about.
Tiny Buddha – A friend turned me on to this golden nugget years ago and I’ve never looked back. I love getting this email every day and reading the story (or two) in there with the lesson the author’s learned about life. They have become a part of my daily routine and I’ve learned so much from other people’s experiences in dealing with my own past.
Check these out if you have time and let me know what you think at sherri@yougotrossed.com. I’d love to know if you get any other newsletters you would recommend?
I’m a tightly wound person. My husband can tell you that, my therapist can tell you that, and my family can tell you that. I’ve worked for years to learn how to unwind in my day-today, but I still get tense a lot. I have a few at home remedies I like to try when I feel a tension headache coming or the familiar ache in my shoulders.
Baths: We have a great claw-foot tub that is perfect for long, hot baths. I keep bath bombs and foam on hand to make them even more relaxing. Some of my favorite bath bombs come from Lush and my favorite bubble bath is Dr. Teal’s Soothe & Sleep Lavender Foaming Bath with Pure Epsom Salt. I light candles, turn on my “spa” station on Pandora, and slowly sink into the tub until I turn into a human prune.
Meditation: When I am super stressed or having a panic attack I turn to my calming apps to bring me back to earth. If you have an Apple Watch the Breathe app is a great app. You can set it to trigger at random times throughout the day, or you can manually kick it off any time you want. It’s good for a quick check in with myself and to focus on how I’m feeling at that moment and why. For longer meditations I use the Simple Habit app on my phone. I’ve fallen in love with this app (thanks to recommendation of friends) and they add new meditations all the time. I use the free version and it works great for me. They have series you can follow for different needs you may have and I’ve found them all helpful so far.
Praying: Some people may categorize this with meditation, but I don’t. Praying definitely relaxes me, because I’m talking to (my) God and basically venting. It’s almost like therapy for me. I’m able to let God know what’s on my mind, what I’m happy about, what I’m upset about, and what I don’t feel I can manage right now. I always feel better after I pray.
Reading or TV: If I have some extra time I like to read or catch up on my “fluff” TV shows. Fluff shows are the shows I don’t have to think about – comedies, usually. They are just feel good shows that usually have a happy ending. Thinks like “Manifest” or “This is Us” are NOT fluff shows and I think a lot or cry a lot during both of those.
I’m interested to hear about how you relax at home. Feel free to let me know at sherri@yougotrossed.com.
*This post contains affiliate links.
I *run* (and I use that term loosely) a fun little venture here in town called Free Hugs Birmingham. I stand around town with my sign, wearing my t-shirt, giving out free hugs to passersby. Or I just wear my t-shirt out and about giving free hugs to whoever sees me and wants one. Or I just start a random hug-a-thon at someone’s birthday party for fun.
I’ve modeled this after the original Free Hugs campaign, but don’t do it nearly as often as he does (or as often as I’d actually like to). So, that brings me to my poll below. Who’s in need of a hug? I know I could use some after all the news lately. I’m presenting a poll below to get an idea of when the best day and time of day you think would be to find me out on your corner with some free hugs.
Keep an eye on the Free Hugs Facebook page to see when I’ll be out next. I will definitely be making an appearance soon since the weather is finally cooling off!