10 Easy Ways to De-Stress

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, MARS Incorporated. All opinions are mine alone. #WhatMakesDove #CollectiveBias 

Today's post goes out to all my fellow hard-working ladies out there.  We made it halfway through the week - hooray!  Who else feels pulled in about a million different directions on a daily basis?  And now, with the holidays coming up soon, it's only going to get crazier... but we can do it!  Today, I am excited to share 10 ways that we can relax, calm, and all-around de-stress after a long day with a little "me" time:

1. Write in a journal: Get your feelings and thoughts out on paper.  For me, this blog is like my internet journal, and when I need time for myself, I write out my thoughts or share the good things I've been enjoying lately.

2. Exercise: Anything from a walk to an all-out sprint will release endorphines and help you feel positive.

3. Spend time outside: Even if you don't want to work up a sweat, bring a chair outside, and take deep breaths out in the fresh air.

4. Enjoy a favorite snack: Treat yourself a little.  DOVE Chocolate PROMISES have been my go-to recently, and with three flavors (Dark Chocolate, White & Dark Chocolate Swirl, and Sea Salt Caramel & Dark Chocolate), there's a perfect snack no matter how I'm feeling.  You can purchase the 31 ounce canister at Sam's Club. The best part about DOVE is the little inspirational message hiding in each wrapper.

5. Reach out to a friend: Make a call, send a text, or visit a neighbor who you haven't seen in a while.  Taking your mind off stress and laughing with a friend can help you feel more relaxed immediately.

6. Buy a plant: Having houseplants not only livens up your home but also helps you breathe more easily with the release of oxygen and can improve your health by lowering blood pressure and heart rate.

7. Pamper yourself: Take a bath, give yourself a facial, or paint your nails.  Feel better on the inside by indulging yourself on the outside.

8. Craft: The repetitive motion of crafting can help those who suffer from anxiety or chronic pain with effects similar to meditation.  While I enjoy making string bracelets, beading, knitting, and crocheting can also ease stress and increase happiness.

9. Unplug: Stop checking your phone every 5 seconds.  I know when mine is on, I look over every other minute to see if I have any new emails or alerts.  With it completely off, hopefully you will have more time and mind power to focus on other things.

10. Go to bed early: If you can't wake up later on a weekday, give yourself more sleep and make it feel like you're sleeping in later by going to bed before you usually do.  Limiting screen time late at night can help you fall asleep more quickly, too.

As you can see, I love the concept of women supporting women, and DOVE Chocolate is doing just that.  While I am working to support the women around me, DOVE has partnered with CARE to help female farmers succeed in West Africa.  With the CARE program, women are obtaining funds to be invested in their farms and enabling themselves to make decisions for not only their households, but also their farming communities.

Join the conversation and see what DOVE is doing to help women around the world by clicking here.  When you purchase DOVE Chocolate, you can even sign up to earn $1.50 back on Ibotta with the purchase of the 31 oz DOVE Chocolate PROMISES canister.

What is your favorite way to unwind?

Weekending + My Birthday!

Happy Tuesday, friends! And yes, it's October 3rd, in case you were wondering...

It's also my birthday!  I wanted to pop in today for a quick (and late) weekend recap of our trip up to New England.  My first boss is retiring this month, and my old staff threw a going away golf tournament for him and honored him with a dinner afterwards.  I was so happy to be able to go up, see all of my old co-workers, and thank him for starting me on this career path.  We just caught the tail end of the fall New England heatwave, and it was in the mid-70s playing on Thursday.

The rest of the weekend dropped into the 40s at night, and even in the sun, it was only low 60s. We visited family, played games, ate doughnuts, drank beer, and picked pumpkins.

I assume I'm the last person to finally find these seltzer jrs in ridiculous flavors, but if you haven't yet, you need to!  For those who don't know, Polar beverages are a staple in New England.  I actually went to college right up the hill from one of their factories, and I loved looking out my window to see their giant inflatable Polar bear on their roof!

Speaking of my alma mater, we stopped by Holy Cross on Saturday morning on the way to visit family in Massachusetts to buy a bumper sticker for our golf cart, and apparently it was homecoming!  (I guess I don't read my emails well...)  It was so fun to walk around and see everyone in their purple and white.  Holy Cross also holds an extra special place in my heart, because that's where we got married!

Since our trip a few weekends ago to Chicago, I've been on the lookout for the best doughnuts everywhere.  I found Tastease online in Hartford, and they're mini donuts - yes, please!!

And last, I am praying so hard for everyone affected by the senseless violence in Las Vegas over the weekend.  It hurts me to say that I am feeling so desensitized by all of this terror, and our country needs to finally take a stand on gun violence.  Acts like this cannot and should not be the norm.  We need stricter regulations for gun holders now.

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday!  Let's get right to it with a little about my week...

1. Dressing for Summer... still: The Southeast did not yet get the memo that fall is here.  The weather has been in the high 80s recently, and honestly, I'm loving it.  My fall clothes aren't getting the wear they should be, but I'll keep wearing bright colors as long as I can.  Here's my favorite look right now: sandals c/o Oka-B (Clemson friends, how great is this color?!), palma tassel top, white jeans, and drop earrings.

2. Fall television: There is so much to look forward to this season.  Returning shows I'll be watching are Designated Survivor, The Big Bang Theory, Great News (Tina Fey will be on it this fall!!), SVU, Modern Family, and Stranger Things.  There's not too many new shows I'm thrilled about (or hours left in the day after all the shows above), but Law and Order True Crime and Young Sheldon do look good.  What I'm most excited about, fitting right in the middle of both categories is definitely Will & Grace!

3. My favorite memories: Photos are my favorite way to remember our life and things we've done.  That's why I started this blog in the first place.  Earlier this month, we had a neighbor take a few photos of us for our anniversary and for me to use as a new headshot (I guess after 3 years, it's time to switch up my bridal portrait profile photos...).  We decided to do the shoot right at our home, and I can't wait to switch up some of our frames with these photos.  If you're in the Charleston area, Ashleigh of Following Seas Photography is a joy!

4. A weekend away: Last weekend, Mike suggested that we take a quick long weekend trip sometime in December, before Christmas.  We both have huge things happening for work in November (a couple trips for me and a huge project for him), so he says we deserve a little getaway before the craziness of the holidays - I'm in!  We're looking for somewhere Southwest flies, whether in the US or international.  First thought was Cuba, but it may be more tricky now with the rolled-back sanctions?  Maybe an all-inclusive somewhere in the Caribbean? Or somewhere like Palm Springs or the Florida Keys - any suggestions or ideas?

5. Blog post recap - Chicago love: Oh goodness, I'm still dreaming of our weekend in Chicago.  In case you missed it, my two posts this week are linked here: 10 ways to make the most out of your weekend and 10 photo spots you cannot miss!  In the past, I've always done top 5s in cities we travel to (like Denver and Charlotte), but there was just so much to offer in the Windy City!

Linking up for Oh hey, Friday, Five on Friday, High Five for Friday, and two doses of Friday Favorites

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!