As I maneuver through adulthood, I learn the importance of self-care more and more. In my search to deal with anxiety and stress, I have found some concrete tools (some of which are Detroit-specific) that have improved my overall emotional well-being.
I love living in an active, energized city like Detroit, but sometimes it is nice to use these tools to slow down and relax:
- Pick a slogan or mantra for the day. A commonly used phrase is “Just for Today…” You can fill in the blank with whatever is weighing on you at the time. For example, “Just for today, I will not be afraid” or “Just for today, I will not second guess myself”. And then really hold yourself accountable to the slogan that you create for yourself.
- Breathing exercises. My fiancé recently sent me this video about a simple breathing technique. I have found it helpful in moments of stress. It is a really simple, tangible thing that you can do to feel better when you are overwhelmed. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/VDR00112/The-4-7-8-Breath-Benefits-and-Demonstration.html
- We hear it over and over again, but stretching and/or Yoga does make a lot of us feel relaxed. However, Yoga can be pricy and therefore, unrealistic for many of us. I have found a couple of tools for this. One, the Yoga Shelter in Midtown has a deal that is 10 days of unlimited Yoga for $10. It is not a long time, but it does give you almost 2 weeks of access to guided Yoga, which I found to be really nice (and I learned some yoga poses that I can do on my own). Another is a Phone Application that my co-worker/friend introduced me to called “Daily Yoga”. It is free and has some really good practices of both Yoga and Meditation that you can do on your own.
(Note: DailyYoga does reserve some of their more intense routines for premium members that pay for a fee for premium membership – but the free courses are really great too – especially the de-stressor, which you can do in the office!)
- Healthy drinks: I have developed a new taste for drinking Vinegar. I first discovered this at Great Lakes Coffee Company, when my fiancé ordered one of their “root drinks”, which includes a flavor of the McClary Bros (Detroit made) Drinking Vinegar and sparkling water. Since then, I have tasted almost every flavor and always have a bottle of McClary Bros Drinking Vinegar and Sparkling water at home, so that I can make my own “root drinks”. I also really like Kombucha, specifically the Synergy brand that can be found at most Health/local Food Stores (the first place I ever had it was Honey Bee Market in Southwest Detroit) For me, I feel like I am taking care of myself when I drink these things. Maybe it is the placebo effect at work, but nonetheless, they help me feel healthier and more balanced.
- Setting the atmosphere. I am a really big “atmosphere” person. I feel like the space I am in plays a big role in how I am feeling. When I’m feeling stressed out, I think it is nice to clean my apartment and light a candle. It is also helpful to really observe the views I have access to – both on my drive home and from my apartment window – – Detroit has a lot of beautiful sunrises and sunsets that are worth stopping for.
I have not done any real research on these strategies. I am only speaking from personal experience – However, if you are one to feel anxious at times – they might be worth a try.
