3 Ways I keep Calm

I previously wrote about the 5 Daily Things I Do As Self Care; self care is SUCH a big deal to me and it’s something I’m constantly working on. It’s something I try to make sure I make time for in my every day life.

Keeping calm isn’t something I’m very good at. I stress out super easy. The more I stress out the worst my anxiety gets and it’s a never ending cycle. So there are certain things I keep around to help me/remind me to chill out.

When I moved to Orlando for the first time in 2011 I was so excited to finally living my dream of working for Disney. I had spent my whole college career dreaming of this and here it was finally happening! I was both equal parts excited beyond belief and scared. I had never moved out before then and I was going to be clear across the country at that! It was scary to think about!

For as long as I can remember Bath & Body Works has always been a bit of a “comfort” thing; my mom has been buying them since 1989 and I spent my whole childhood smelling like “Country Apple”. So I brought some of my favorite scents with me on my move. Taking them with me made a huge difference in how I coped with being homesick!

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I LOVE Social Media and Aromatherapy. I’ve been a sucker for citrus scents because of the fresh scent; they’re also good for nausea and sometimes headaches. Other than citrus (mostly lemon) scents I’m a sucker for lavender for their relaxing properties and again for aiding in getting rid of headaches!

Currently Sugared Lemon Zest is one of my favorite B&BW candles. I’ll talk about Trader Joe’s Lemon Cookie a little later.

I’m literally a sucker for anything lavender from bath products or candles or even foods (it tastes like Fruit Loops to me)!

I’ve recently been trying to get in the habit of using bath salts as I heard they can pull toxins from you but some days I forget. One thing I don’t forget is bubble baths. Bubbles are my favorite! I don’t know what it is about just laying in a bathtub full of bubbles!

But lavender is a constant scent especially in my bedroom and bathroom. Even just walking into my room and getting hit by a relaxing scent of lavender is super comforting and stress relieving.

While scrolling Pinterest I found something about the best plants to keep in your room (and the hardest plants to kill); Aloe Vera was one listed as it helps to induce sleep as it releases oxygen and cleans the air at night.

This is the first time I’ve ever had a plant in my room (I get paranoid they invite bugs and I hate bugs especially in my room) and it’s been a few weeks… it’s still thriving! I’m impressed. As far as inducing sleep I haven’t noticed much of a difference there. But if this goes well I may add another plant in the room!

However just seeing this on my shelf brings a sense of calm over me. I don’t know what it is about certain sights or things but they just calm me down. I’m sure there’s a psychological reason for it and I should definitely look that up after this post.

Another sight that washes calm over me is books. My apartment right now is much smaller than my last 3 so I had to get rid of my traditional bookshelves. I did try to do some weird make shift one with IKEA shelves which for the most part is working out, I just need to organize them a bit more — right now they’re just a jumble of mess. But I think once I figure out how I want them to look it’ll be perfect. I have some spring cleaning/organizing in mind that I really need to get started on.

Pinterest is a great way to gather ideas on ways to bring a little more calm or relaxation into your days no matter how busy they may be. And though some things may be obvious, I’ve found a few extra pointers here and there that have really helped me through the years!

What are some things that help you to maintain your calm? Do you have a favorite scent or a favorite ritual during the day?