Battling Stress: Ways to slow down and romanticise life

Stress can be a silent enemy, so here are some ways that you can battle stress by slowing down and romanticising life whilst prioritising your health.

You may have noticed that last week, I did not publish a blog post. I've tried to stick to publishing a blog every Wednesday this year, which I have adhered to for the most part.

However, last Wednesday, I decided to hold off on publishing a blog post.

The reason was that I recently went to the doctor because of daily headaches. My GP advised me that I needed to slow down and take more time out for myself to relax because it was most likely stress that was causing my headaches.

So, I took a week off from blogging. I also made more time during each day for me to relax and chill, which was incredibly difficult.

If you know me or have read some of my 'Work' blogs before, you will know that I struggle with productivity guilt. I don't like taking time to rest when I know there are other, more productive tasks I could be doing, whether they relate to work (job hunting), my university studies, or simply housework.

But after going to the doctor, I decided to take their advice on board. So, last week, I saw friends, I went for coffee, I walked in nature, and did lots more that helped my headaches disappear.

And now, I'm sharing some tips with you so you can battle any stress you may face and slow down and romanticise life.

Tips to slow down and romanticise life to get rid of stress

Indulge in a small luxury

Luxuries can mean different things to different people. For some, a luxury is buying a new car or a new pair of shoes with a red sole.

But for others, it could be buying a new book or simply treating yourself to a coffee and cake. I've recently been treating myself to a café's iced coffee with cold foam, which I recently discovered.

This is my little luxury because it's not too expensive and doesn't take too long to go and buy one. Plus, it makes me feel happier knowing I've got a lovely, delicious drink to indulge in.

Find your inner peace

Finding your inner peace can be quite a challenging task, but it is key to allowing yourself to slow down and take a minute without feeling like you're wasting time. Trust me, I know.

What I mean by finding your inner peace is finding something that makes you feel calm and at peace, that empties your mind of stress and worry and allows you to be in the moment.

This could, for instance, be visiting the beach and watching the sea rise and fall, or sitting in nature somewhere and listening to the birds chirp.

Whatever it may be, having something that you know helps you feel calmer can be a tremendous help.

Make memories, not just conversations

Whilst I'm an introvert, I love seeing my friends. Often, because we're all so busy, we tend to go out for dinner or coffee to catch up, which I love.

However, I've recently decided that I want to experience more of life, and part of that is creating memories, not just conversations.

When I see my friends, I want to have fond memories to look back on that are more than just sitting in a restaurant and chatting. The conversations don't have to change, but the background of photos and the location in which we meet can change.

So, if there's something you've wanted to do or something you've wanted to experience, why not ask a friend to go with you?

Reflect on the good things

As a writer, I know how powerful it can be to write down your thoughts and feelings. But I also know how useful writing is as a tool to reflect.

So, if you're feeling stressed, why not add some time into your day where you can sit and write down your thoughts, feelings, and events of the day. It doesn't have to be in detail; you can write bullet points of things you're grateful for, or a list of what you did that day.

However you want to write it, jot down your thoughts in a journal and get them all out onto the page.

Elevate your routines

This final tip is a way of romanticising life, which is a term I've seen a lot of on social media recently. Essentially, it means noticing the smaller moments of happiness so that you live a life that makes you smile and brings you joy.

Some ways to elevate your routine could be to read your book whilst eating breakfast, or putting on your makeup and jewellery for the day, or even treating yourself to a lovely perfume.

It doesn't have to be huge changes, but small additions to your routines, like fairy lights in the evening, can help bring a smile to your lips and ease some of that stress.

So, if you're feeling stressed and want to slow down a bit more, I hope these tips can help you in battling your stress and romanticising life. If you've got more tips of your own, feel free to put them in the comments.

Until next time...