Collaborative / Partnered Post - Easy Ways To Reduce Stress And Improve Both Your Body And Your Mind *

I don't think that there is a person out there that hasn't experienced at least some level of stress or anxiety, and with the world the way it is, it's no wonder that mental health issues are the rise. Take little old me - I had it all planned out, on Sunday afternoon, I was going to open up my laptop, and get my blog on, as I always say though the plans of mice and men, and my Macbook had other ideas, it restarted itself a couple of times, and when I eventually got it going, it was only going at a snails pace - argh!. So new Macbook ordered we then realised that the heating wasn't working, yes we've had the heating on July, please don't judge lol - a new wireless thermostat is now on its way to us and that should hopefully fix the problem and even though it's only Wednesday, it's already been a pretty stressful and expensive week!

It doesn't need to be anything major or tragic, just living and dealing with the day to day can cause us no end of stress and anxiety and too much of it as I've recently discovered can be pretty detrimental to not only our mental health, but also our physical health. 

Whilst it pretty hard to stop stressful things happening to us, there are things that you can do, and small lifestyle changes that you can make, to help you alleviate and deal better with some of the symptoms of stress and anxiety, and to improve your over all wellbeing - nothing hard I promise, just little things that you can easily integrate into your everyday routine.

Unplug & Spend Time in Nature

Like most people of a certain age (Ahem;) one of the best memories of my childhood is the amount of times I spent playing outside, I rode my bike, went to the park, played games with my friends, I made rose petal perfume in the garden and went for walks with my parents. There are plenty of children where I live but they just don't seem to play outside as much as I did. I know times have changed and there is the whole safety issue, but tv, social media and gaming really has changed not only childhood but also society in general.

I know I'm guilty of this I spend way too much time on my iPad, my phone is always close by, and the TV is always on. There is no denying that technology is vital, brilliant and helpful, but for a lot of people it's also a bit of an addiction. If you're trying to cut down on stress, and anxiety then try and keep an eye on just how long your spending on social media, or on your phone, and even watching tv - even spending a few minutes on social media or watching the news lately seems to send my blood pressure soaring, so know when to switch off, and if something makes you anxious then don't do it - I very rarely watch the news now, and whilst I still keep track of what's going on in the world I feel better for avoiding those few minutes of doom and gloom.

If you're finding it hard to avoid the lure of 24 hour tv channels, or the latest drama on Tik Tok, then unplug yourself and go for a walk - Walking along a beach is my ultimate switch off but it doesn't even have to be far, just round the block if that's all you can manage, if you can't leave your phone behind listen to some music, or even a guided meditation, and instead of smoking a cigarette which so many people still do when they're stressed, take a tip from your favourite professional footballer and try nic pouches uk. If you need that slight ahhh moment that you get from smoking then these may do the trick without a lot of the chemicals. Whether it's bright and sunny, or more likely in the UK pouring with rain, a bit of fresh air wakes you up a bit and makes you feel a little bit more alive.

Exercise & Move More

I think it goes without saying that a lot of us now lead quite sedentary lifestyles, whether that's because of health or personal circumstance, or maybe because you're stuck behind a desk all day, the plain and simple fact is that as a society we just don't move enough anymore, and that ultimately plays a part in both our mental and physical health.

One effective way to reduce and manage your stress to improve wellness is to exercise and move more. Now I know that there are people out there that love the gym, and yes I did used to be one of those people, working out to some of my favourite tunes, was at one point, a part of my life, and if you can do that great, good for you, but if the idea of leggings, and sports bras fills you full of horror then that's fine too. Do something you enjoy, if that's riding a bike with the kids, doing yoga to a You Tube video, swimming lengths at the local pool, walking the dog in the park, or blasting out your favourite tunes, and counting your steps, and the calories your burning whilst pushing a vacuum around the house, and whatever you do you'll feel a huge sense of achievement, even if that's just ticking something off your to do list.

Keep A Gratitude Journal

For someone that loves stationary and buying stickers and notebooks as much as I do I'm pretty embarrassed to say that I've never ever tried journaling, scrapbooking yet but proper journalling? no!

One good way of dealing with life stresses and strains is to put something down on paper, in the olden days it would be just a diary or maybe if you're creatively inclined a poem but nowadays it's more likely to be a journal, filled with thoughts, dreams, colour and stickers. Journals can be a great way to maintain a positive mindset, and deal with stress. One idea is a gratitude journal , where you can keep your mind focused on everything that's good in your life, and everything that's going well for you - keeping on theme will give you less room to concentrate on the negative, and what's missing or going wrong in your life. Making a point at the end of every day to write a list of good things that have happened that day and things that your thankful for will end the day on a positive and happy note, and put you in good stead for the next day.

Get Enough Sleep & Rest

I've talked so many times on this blog about the importance of a good nights sleep and it really can't be overstated just how important it really is for both our physical and mental health. If you're well rested and you've had a good nights sleep, you feel so much brighter and ready to take on whatever the world throws at you. I know it can be a double edged sword and stress and anxiety can really affect your sleep but if you try and develop a good sleep routine, it really can make all of the difference. Investing in a good mattress and comfortable pillow can make all the difference, remember you spend or you should spend more time in bed than anywhere else so don't scrimp on comfort . Try and cut down on electronic use before you go to bed, try to avoid arguments and confrontation, and then either have a bath or shower, and then have a warm drink whilst you read or listen to something calming, or fill in your journal.

Different things work for different people, so it might take you a while to find that off switch, but whether it going to a fitness class, stroking a pet, having a long soak in the bath, building a lego set, or having a jog round the block, it's so important to switch off, and try and destress and if you can't then don't be frightened or embarrassed to get professional or medical help, life doesn't have to be that hard x 

*Collaborative / Partnered Post

Unboxing Papergang - Box No. 44 - October 2019 Edition - Papergang x blurt *

Right after a couple of rubbish weeks,  I've actually had a busy but productive week - on Tuesday we celebrated my Godmothers birthday,  I managed my first trip to the Metro Centre in months and had a meal with Mummy Lou, and I've also managed to do quite a bit of blog prep. I've got a haul post, a super rare outfit post, a kitchen review, and a high end beauty review to come but first I'm going to play catch up and get on with my October unboxing's, minus the furry photo bomber ;)

As well as their usual involvement with Tree Add, Octobers Papergang box was produced in association with The Blurt Foundation. Although charity is a really personal thing, The Blurt Foundation is a charity that's quite close to my heart. I've suffered from depression and anxiety for many years now, and The Blurt Foundation is a charity that's dedicated to spreading awareness and understanding about depression and mental health, and £1 from every October box sold was donated to The Blurt Foundation, you can find out more about the charity and their work here.

The theme of October's box is happiness, and that's reflected in the very Max friendly, colour palette, and the cheerful, brightly coloured, almost doodle style design of the outer box sleeve.

Underneath the jazzy, sleeve you find the usual brown cardboard box, and the contents inside the box is wrapped in a sheet of bright orange tissue paper.

The first item in the box as per usual, is the information booklet. October's booklet focused on the work of The Blurt Foundation, and the work they do in drawing attention to mental health issues, and as per usual it also included a designer profile, of the creator of October's box Melanie Johnsson.

Competition Colouring Poster

Now, normally the outer sleeve of the Papergang box contains either something to cut out and make or something to cut out and use, October's box though, didn't. In this crazy world, that we live, it's really important that we all take some time out, to chill out, to relax and to regroup, and one of the biggest trends in the last few years has been colour or colouring therapy. Adult colouring books are huge at the moment, and a lot of people find it a good way to regain focus.  So instead of the cut outs, October's box contained a poster, that you can colour in and decorate in any way that you wish. 

Not only that but if you share your finished creation with Papergang, either via email, or via social media before 28th November 2019, then one lucky winner, will receive a 6 month subscription to Papergang.

I haven't started mine yet but I've got a few ideas what I'm going to do, i just need to make some time to do it.

Happiness Planner 

Next a gorgeous, fabric backed book featuring the same eye catching doodle style, squiggles, crowns and stars, as the outer box sleeve, only on a off white coloured background, and with the words "HAPPINESS PLANNER" embossed on the front in a metallic, copper orange.

Featuring a ribbon page marker, and a sheet of coordinating stickers, it's a sort of organiser / planner but instead of being a conventional diary it contains space to write down happy things, and to highlight the positives in each day. It also contains pages with motivational / positive statements and phrases.

I know things like this aren't for everybody, but I'm a firm believer in trying to find the positives in life. Last year I did the 365 days of happiness tag on Instagram (I'm @LouLou699 if you fancy a follow), where every day for a whole year I posted a picture of something that made me happy, or of something good that had happened that day. I know it doesn't always seem that way but I do think that there is something good in each, no matter how small, it's just that sometimes it takes a bit of finding, and hopefully writing things down in a planner like this might help us put things into perspective, and help us find the positives. As per usual with Papergang the quality is excellent, it's a well made nice thick book and it contains STICKERS!! Unfortunately I can't find anything similar on Ohh Deer so I can't give a price comparison.

Scratch & Reveal Postcards

The next item is actually 6 items in one, it's a set of 6 scratch and reveal postcards. Using the same colour palette, and doodle style design, they aren't just plain postcards, every one has a scratch off section, like a lottery scratch card, that features a motivational quote or a phrase. The postcards include quotes and phrases on Live, Trust, Dream, Do, Nurture and Listen.

I've only scratched off one, all be it a little too vigorously, but I love the whole concept, either to reinforce self belief, or to let someone else know that you are there for them.

These particular postcards are exclusive to this kit, but plain, non scratch postcards, retail at around 75p each on Ohh Deer.

Dual Tip Art Pens 

Next up a set of pens. Now although you only get 4 pens, they are actually double ended so you actually get 8. You can a yellow, and an almost neon orange, blue, and pink. As I say each pen is double ended, one end is a fine liner pen that's ideal for handwriting, the other end is almost a brush marker style, felt tip.

The colours are lovely, and so cheerful. The pens have a nice angular feel, which makes them easy to hold, and they almost seem to taper slightly towards the fine liner end, which it makes the pen easier to control, and to write with. Again the pens are exclusive to this box, and there is nothing similar on the Ohh Deer website. 

Universal Calendar Card

Finally the ever present Universal Calendar Card, which coordinates perfectly with the rest of the box, and features the same crown, triangle, swirl, and splat type design, only with a slightly blurry finish and in much brighter almost neon tones. 

Although I've had Papergang boxes with more items in them, I still really liked this box, and the whole self care theme, and I can't wait to start filling in my happiness planner, and colouring in my poster. If you fancy trying Papergang for yourself, you've still get time to get your hands on November's winter, Hygge, themed box, so please click my link to find out more x 

*This Post Contains Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links