There are many things that can make someone stressed. Maybe there is something going on at home, you have too much school work, or you’ve been having a rough couple of days. I hope this list helps you de-stress and feel more happy. I recommend doing these things by yourself and with your phone off so you’re not distracted.

Step One: Find a Hobby

   One of the most relaxing things for me to do is draw. If you don’t know what a hobby is, it is something that you enjoy doing regularly. Depending on the hobby you have, it can be very relaxing, like fishing, art, reading, and brain teasers.  If you’re not sure what hobby to take up try this website, “150+ Hobby Ideas Broken Down by Interest and Personality”.

Step Two: Start Meditation

  Meditation is more than just just crossing your legs and humming. It’s more of being a tranquil state of mind. What meditation hopes you can achieve is being able to clear your mind and release “negative energy” by doing meditation. After you learn how to clear your mind and release “negative energy”, you can move onto doing meditation to improve your happiness and well being. There is a correct way to meditate according to Gaiam. I recommend an app called Stop, Breathe & Think. It’s all about meditation and the woman in the app guides you through the process.

Step Three: Go Outside

Once you got a good hobby down and meditation, time to get in touch with nature! When you stay cooped up at home you just see the same things every

day and have nothing to do, you can become sick of it. Staying at home can stress you out. It is also not that great for humans to become too familiar with their surroundings. Going outside can also boost your immune system and brain function can be increased too! Huffpost goes into deeper analysis about the benefits of going outdoors.  

Step Four: Have a One Person Dance Party

After you are calm and de-stressed, have a dance party for yourself or just listen to music! I personally call this relaxation method, “Music Therapy”.  I have a playlist for all occasions. For example, I have one for when I feel sad, happy, angry, or when I want to relax. It’s even been proven that when you’re sad it’s better to listen to more melancholy music, (I prefer to listen to calmer songs when I’m feeling down). This has been proven and supported by “The Conversation”. I think dancing to your favorite songs is a good way to de-stress too. When you dance by yourself you can feel carefree and just get down with your favorite songs!

I hope that you have a good time relaxing after reading this article. None of my methods are 100% certain to make you de-stressed; these are just ones that make me feel better. You can take some of my methods and make your own to-do list on what to do when you’re stressed. You can even a “care package” for yourself if you have a terrible day.