With the flowers blooming and warm weather making its way to Northern Arizona, it is apparent that summer is almost here. Summer is my favorite season and I am such a sucker for warm weather. Warm weather always makes me more motivated and sparks my creativity. Enjoying time outdoors always inspires me and allows me to come up with new ideas, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. I also love going to the lake, laying by the pool, running outside, and just walking outdoors and feeling the sun.
To be completely honest with you, I was in a rut the past few months, but I’m finally starting to feel like myself again. It’s honestly crazy how stress impacts your body and the negative impact it can make on your well-being. I didn’t really open up about how I was feeling, which is something I regret. There is so much pressure to be “perfect” on social media and it’s oftentimes difficult to share the difficult times as well. With the immense stress of studying for the GRE, applying for graduate school, working full time, blogging as often as I could, I began having panic attacks. I would wake up in the middle of the night, my heart would be racing, and my chest would hurt. I was also getting horrible migraines at work and would get to the point where I felt so nauseated I had to throw up. It was scary because I had read about these types of experiences in books, but didn’t know they could happen to me.
I am 100% a type A person and I am the first to admit it. I have a really difficult time relaxing because I am always always always thinking of what I need to do next or how I can perfect what I am already doing. It is difficult for me to take naps, watch movies, or just sit in the quiet because I always have to be doing something, which can be dangerous for your health. I burnt myself out the past few months because I wasn’t taking care of myself. I would wake up, go to work for eight hours, come home and study for two hours, then blog until I fell asleep. Now don’t get me wrong, I am the one who chooses to blog and no one forces me to do it, but I still have deadlines to meet with brands and have to put thought into my posts. So yes, it is relaxing, but it also requires brain power.
I have now made some very positive changes in my life and I am so excited to share them with you because they have truly helped me and if any of you are experiencing stress or anxiety, I think these tips will help you too. If you ever experience depression or anxiety for extended periods of time, please consult with a doctor. These tips are intended to help, but they are not a cure and may not be useful for everyone.
1. Exercise
It is so important to get your body moving and step away from reality for a thirty minutes to an hour each day. The past few months I was in a very inconsistent workout routine and would skip days and weeks at the gym, which made me feel less energetic and more tired. After getting back into a consistent workout routine (I go to Orange Theory 2-3 days a week and work out on my own 2-3 days a week) I started noticing a positive impact on my overall health. I’m not just talking about getting in shape either, I mean my mental health. I felt less stressed since I was away from all technology and had an hour each day to just focus on making myself better. If you aren’t big into working out, go outside and take a long walk to clear your head. If you must take your phone for music or safety reasons, tell yourself not to check text messages or emails during that time.
2. Spend 1 hour each day away from technology
This relates back to number one. I spend my hour away from technology each day at the gym and it works for me. If that doesn’t work for you and you need to be on your phone at the gym or can’t workout, find something you can do for an hour each day without technology. This can be anything from meditating, doing yoga, or even taking a nap. I have found so much solitude in meditating lately and is something I do regularly now. During this time, I read my devotional, pray, and spend time with my own thoughts and with God. It is so important to spend time relaxing, which I have a difficult time doing, but I always feel better afterwards.
3. Eat nutritious food
You might be thinking, huh? That’s right, food not only impacts your physical appearance, but plays a major role in your mental health as well. When you eat nutritious food, it positively impacts your brain and ultimately allows you to feel more energetic. During the past few months, I had been eating out frequently, wasn’t eating nutritious food, and looked for quick fix options, which were ultimately junk food options. Not only did I gain weight, I also felt irritated and noticed a change in my complexion as well. Isn’t it amazing how everything in our body is connected? After I started eating healthy this past month, I felt more energetic, had way less breakouts, less irritated, and just felt better overall.
I of course have one additional tip that has been something that I have always had a difficult time coming to terms with, but once I did, it has made life so much easier and better. Know that no one can do life on their own. Life was created to be in community and we all need support systems, no matter how talented we are. Its okay to ask help when you need it and don’t be ashamed when you do. I’m one of those people who doesn’t like to ask for help because I feel “not good enough” if I can’t do it on my own, but that has changed this past month. I now lean on others more than ever and thrive off of community, which is something we all need to learn. Find someone you know you can trust and don’t be afraid to go to them in times of happiness and difficulty. Last but not least, know you are loved and you can do it!
Since most of you come to my blog for fashion advice, I wanted to share a little bit about my outfit. The white denim jacket I’m wearing in the photos is from Liverpool Jeans and it is my new favorite staple item for spring and summer. It is so lightweight, but the quality is amazing! I pair it with so many outfits and it looks great dressed up or down. It is the perfect jacket to throw on with a summery outfit. Use the code JONICA25 at checkout for 25% off your entire order!
I hope you all enjoyed this post and took something valuable away from it.
Have an amazing week!
Xoxo,
Jonica