How To Get Rid of Stress *Naturally*

It's Spring! Why the hell am I sad?

When you are in a stressed state of mind, you can’t think clearly. It’s like a brutal tequila hangover. Your mind is foggy AF, you’re lacking endorphins, and perhaps the most unpleasant side effect of stress — you’re quicker to hit the tippy top of your bitch-ometer.

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Good evening, friends.

I’ve been feeling sad lately and I don’t really know why? I remember reading about the “Spring Blues” last year, so maybe I have those.

It’s also possible this unwelcome (and rude, might I add) feeling may be stress-induced, as I believe stress tends to bubble up when you’re feeling down — not only when you’re overwhelmed.

Whether this sadness is stress in disguise or a weird fluke, all that matters is that being in a downer mood sucks.

In my pursuit of low mood self-diagnosis, something hit me — and caused a mini heart attack in the process — Is my brain remembering the god-awful nightmare of March 2020, and is in some way reliving it? Is this Covid PTSD?

Because I want this newsletter to be helpful (not depressing), I’m going to leave that heavy intro where it belongs — BEHIND US — and give you sage advice for ridding unwanted feelings, whether that’s sadness, anger, guilt, annoyance, jealousy, or other unfavorable feeling.

Below are 6 tried and true (and some new!) things that always get me out of a funk, and anyone can do them. I hope they help you.

Take a Mom-Springa

What in the cahoots is a “Mom-Springa,” you ask? It is a term I stole from a book I read last year that I can’t recall the name of, but a Mom-Springa is a vacation from your life, taken by moms (obviously), but any and every woman reserves the right to take one.

Whether that’s a solo beach getaway, a weekend trip with your sisters, or a one-night spa staycation, you need a Mom-Springa.

Rearrange your living room

Or any room in your house. I moved my couch up the other day, literally 6 feet closer to the TV, and the living room feels like an entirely different room.

Take an epsom salt bath at night

And not just one night, the end. Create a new evening ritual where epsom salt baths (or plain old showers) are now your *thing.*

Why epsom salt? Epsom salt is said to rid not only toxins from the body, but bad energy from the day. I will take 1 million pounds of epsom salt, please.

Create a new music playlist

Music is so powerful in shifting our moods and even giving us different perspectives on life. I would like for music videos to make a comeback, on that note.

While Taylor Swift will always have a place in my heart and my playlists, it feels damn good to ~mix it up~ in terms of genres and artists.

Get a new pair of shoes

I might be suggesting this because I really want (and honestly need) new shoes, but there is something magical about getting new shoes.

If you’re into cool and stylish footwear that not everyone will have, I suggest Alohas. I have yet to purchase a pair from them, but I drool over their Instagram page often.

Spend QT with your girlfriends

Last but definitely not least, spend quality time with your girlfriends. This can not be a crammed 20-minute coffee meet-up or a phone call with your kids screaming that their butts need wiped in the background. That’s not going to rejuvenate you.

This needs to be an intentional hangout with your ride or die crew, sans all distractions of life. I’ve said it once and I will say it again: Good friends are the pinnacle of the good life, and there is little that can’t be solved over a leisurely lunch with your best friends.

Conclusion

Why did I title this post “How to get rid of stress *naturally*?” Because we tend to pop a bottle of alcohol or drugs to “feel better.” But we all know (from experience) that that doesn’t work in the long run. It only delays the inevitable.

And while I am no doctor, I am a proven case study that natural things like working out, going outside, drinking water, and spending time with people who *get you* are the most effective ways to feel better when you’re in a slump.

Thank you for reading! Cheerio!

Be you.

Xo, Ash