How to Stay Balanced and Relaxed

Happy Monday, friends! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good, but the highlight was seeing the Chicago Air & Water show on Saturday and Sunday (once from the beach, and once from my apartment window)! Am I the only one who thinks they are the coolest people ever?!

Anyways, today’s post is a bit different from my others. If you were around here last week, you noticed that I celebrated my one year anniversary of being in Chicago with three things that I’ve learned thus far. That post spurred me to think about life a bit more, and just how crazy this past summer has been for me! There was a long period of not being 100% health-wise, and it took me a bit of time to get back to a place of feeling myself. So, in case any of you are struggling with something, I thought I’d share some of my ways on how to stay balanced and relaxed. Let’s dive in!

Shop the post below:

Dress: Loft (on sale for $20!) // Clutch: Banyan Tree (similar) // Shoes: Joe’s Jeans (similar) // Earrings: Ann Taylor (similar)

Get Outside!

One of the things that I love most about Chicago is being just feet away from the lake! Whenever I’m feeling wound up or stressed, I immediately head outside and just start walking down the water. There’s nothing more relaxing than being out in nature and breathing in fresh air – whether you’re walking around your neighborhood, to the park or anywhere else! Sometimes I’ll go with a friend, but I find that I reap the most benefits when I’m strolling solo. That way I can really focus on my surroundings and have my thoughts to myself.

Savor Alone Time

Like I said, I’ve only been in Chicago for one year and always find myself saying yes to everything. I just feel that since I want to continue meeting people and making new friends, I shouldn’t really say no. Well, sometimes your body thinks the opposite. After running around so much during the week and on the weekends, I feel super burnt out. So, lately I’ve been opting to stay in every now and then on the weekend, and I take that time to just be by myself. I feel so rejuvenated after spending a night in, rather than meeting up with friends for drinks. After all, who doesn’t love tidying up, lighting a candle and watching a good movie on a Friday night?!

Breathing Exercises

I wouldn’t say that I meditate or anything, but lately I’ve been paying extra close attention to my breathing habits. My aunt is a chiropractor, but had some excellent advice on how to calm nerves. Whenever I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed, I stay extremely still and focus on breathing in and out. The catch here is that she says you should focus on one thing in your mind, and say it out loud over and over. For me, I focus on Jesus and continue to say his name until I feel relaxed. I know… it sounds weird, but it really does work!

Scripture

Last but not least – scripture. Over the past eight months I’ve really been trying to learn and understand scripture, and lean more into the Word. My mom bought me a bible for Christmas, and at first I was unenthused LOL. However, I can honestly say that it’s been one of the best things for me since! I also received God’s Promises for Graduates last year, and it’s wonderful! No matter what you’re feeling – fear, sadness, anger, etc. – it tells you exact scriptures from the bible to combat those feelings! It’s absolutely amazing and such an invaluable tool.

What are your tips on how to stay balanced and relaxed?!

Dress: Loft (on sale for $20!) // Clutch: Banyan Tree (similar) // Shoes: Joe’s Jeans (similar) // Earrings: Ann Taylor (similar)