10 Ways to De-Stress This Holiday Season

Happy Wednesday everybody! I hope you're having a wonderful week. I'm officially on my Christmas vacation! Wahoo! Because I live away from my family, I like to save up my vacation and use it around the holidays to ensure that I have plenty of time to spend time with everyone! As much as I'd love to hit up the beach earlier in the year, I never regret having all of my vacation time around the holidays. Even though I'm on vacation, I feel the undue stress of the holiday season. Why do we do that to ourselves? I know that Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time of celebration but I always seem to get caught up in the craziness of it all. I want to refocus, and thought y'all might too, so I wanted to share my favorite 10 ways to de-stress during the holiday season.

1 Watch your favorite movie. Several popular TV channels do marathons leading up to Christmas and play some of the best holiday movies! I always make sure to watch Elf and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Make an evening of it- pop some popcorn, make some hot cocoa, and snuggle in your favorite blanket to unwind.

2 Listen to festive music. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, cheery music is a quick and easy way to lift my mood. Earlier this week I posted my favorite Christmas songs in a playlist- that's a great place to get started!

3 Bake. If you're like me, taking time to try a new recipe is a great way to relax. I really love baking and have always found it to be a great stress reliever! There are all kinds of yummy holiday recipes out there to try or you could whip up a family favorite!

4 Visit a light display. Where I grew up, there were always neighborhoods who took their Christmas decor to another level as compared to mine. Everyone knew who they were and made a point to drive by to check the displays out every year! You could also check out one of the many drive-through light shows that pop up around the season!

5 Read a holiday devotional. My small group is working through one right now and I think it's the best way to refocus on what the season is about. There are tons of bible reading guides online surrounding the Christmas story or advent-style devotionals that you can find for free!

6 Visit a coffee shop. I find a stop by the coffee shop to be relaxing. You can settle into a comfortable chair with a hot drink and take a deep breath. Not only do I love to get a good cup of coffee, I love to people watch! I've always found this to be relaxing.

7 Find a way to give back. Last year I volunteered at the Capital Area Food Bank close to the holidays, and am so thankful that I did! It was really rewarding to do something charitable in the middle of a time that has become so consumer- and self-focused. You can read all about my experience here. This year, I participated in Operation Christmas Child and it felt amazing. Giving back can mean donating time, or food, or money to those less fortunate that yourself.

8 Reflect. Simply take a moment and reflect on everything that you have to be thankful for this year. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, the best thing you can do to de-stress is to focus on the blessings in your life. It makes everything else feel small!

9 Call a relative or friend to catch up. It can be so rejuvenating to talk with someone you haven't spoken with in a while! I love to call my grandmother or some family friends when I'm feeling stressed. They're a breath of fresh air and help me relax for sure.

10 Take a soothing bath. This is my go-to all year round to de-stress and things are no different around the holidays! I love bath products and always put them to good use during the busy holiday season.

How do you de-stress during the holiday season? What do you do to keep it all together when you're busy?

Gift Guide: Relaxation

Hey y'all! Today is an exciting day: the first installment of my holiday gift guides! I really love doing these (you can check out last year's here). Not only is it fun to put together shopping guides to help you find the perfect gift, it helps me curate my OWN wishlist as well as find awesome gifts for my loved ones. This collection is especially great to me. These gifts are geared toward that lady (we all know at least one) who is always on the go and never treats herself to some relaxation time. Below, you can help inspire this lucky lady to treat herself and ultimately relax!

1 Spa Gift Card. I've never used Spawish before, but it sounds like an amazing service- especially if your gift recipient is in a different city or state than you are! Basically, you are able to get a gift card to any of the participating spas for any service! The gift of relaxation is hard to give, but a massage might just be the closest thing to giving relaxation in a box!

2 Bath Pillow. An extended soak in the tub can be the perfect remedy after a long day. Having a bath pillow makes the experience that much better! My mom has one similar to this- however hers isn't also a neck massager- and she loves it.

3 Matching Pajama Set. As I've mentioned many times before, I love a good pajama set! They just make you feel so cozy and relaxed. Whenever I get home for the night, I like to change into my pajamas so I can start relaxing immediately. A soft, adorable pajama set will definitely promote relaxation!

4 Tea Gift Set. A delicious cup of tea is another fabulous way to unwind! I love that this set comes with a brew mug (I've always wanted one of these!) as well as a bag of tea to get started. The brew mugs are so neat to me because you don't need a bag for your loose leaf tea. Very environmentally friendly in my opinion!

5 Slippers. These are the perfect addition to your adorable pajama set! They are great for the lady who has hard wood floors- no slipping hazard. A fuzzy pair like these would be amazing to relax in on those chilly winter evenings.

6 Robe. Keeping with my cozy, relaxation theme- this robe looks divine! It would definitely keep you warm, and inspire that cuddly and relaxed mindset we're after.

7 Bath Set. I love a nice, soothing hot bath after a stressful day. The Philosophy brand makes amazing bath products, and a set with a matching scent like this absolutely would inspire relaxation. I love that you can follow up your relaxing bath with lotion of the same scent.

8 Eye Mask. Although I've never tried this particular mask, I just love eye masks! They are great for travel, or just using when you need to force yourself to keep your eyes closed. This would be nice to use while soaking in the tub, or just when you're laying in bed to fall asleep!

9 At-Home Manicure Set. This is too cool. The set comes with absolutely everything you need to have a decadent manicure in the comfort of your own home! You can use it with any of your favorite nail polishes and would be perfect to use alone or at a girl's night! 

10 Candle Set. Burning candles is one of those simple touches that can transform your room or home into a relaxed environment. Especially those with soothing smells- such as lavender or vanilla! Multi-packs like this set are particularly nice because you can sample a few different scents to find your favorite before you commit to a full-sized candle.

11 Fuzzy Socks. I absolutely LOVE these Nap socks. They are so luxuriously soft and keep your feet warm. They are my go-to socks when I'm snuggled up in my pajamas after a busy day. They come in so many different colors, you'll be sure to find a great fit for your gift recipient!

That's it for my Relaxation Gift Guide for Her. More guides will be coming your way soon!

What's your favorite item that inspires relaxation? What will you be getting the girl-on-the-go in your life?

10 Breakfast in Bed Ideas

TGIF, y'all! I am so happy that it is the end of the week. Dating back to my first few weeks in the workforce, I truly understand working for the weekend. It's real. This weekend I am lucky enough to have a friend come up to visit! We are going to be praying for good weather and sight-seeing for the next 2 days. If you are having a slower-paced weekend (which let's be real, that's what they are for!) I hope you indulge and take your relaxation to the fullest! One of the ways I love to treat myself is by making my breakfast and bringing it back to enjoy in my bed. If you follow along on Instagram, you've seen a few shots depicting this in the last few months. I definitely like to incorporate an indulgent breakfast in bed as often as I can!

Let me just plug this in at the beginning- I really don't like eating in bed. I hate having crumbs or spills on my crisp white sheets. It makes me shudder to even think about it! One of the ways I get around that fear is utilizing a serving tray. It helps to corral everything and gives you a stable eating surface! I love it.

Ready to hop on board? Here are 10 ideas for y'all to get a perfect (and clean!) breakfast in bed going this weekend.

1. Scones and fruit (pictured above!)
2. Bagel and cream cheese/peanut butter/jam
3. Oatmeal topped with fruit preserves
4. Breakfast casserole (I want to try this recipe)
5. Yogurt, granola, and fruit
6. Scrambled eggs and bacon
7. Omlette (this recipe sounds delish)
8. Cereal and milk
9. French Toast (my go-to recipe)
10. Donuts (these sound amazing)

Just add coffee and you have a perfect breakfast to fuel your weekend. Enjoy!

What's your go-to breakfast in bed recipe? What do you do to pamper yourself and relax on the weekends?

Why I stopped taking my coffee to go

For the past 2 months, I made a minor change to my mornings that has had a major impact on my day. I have decided to enjoy my coffee at home instead of taking it with me to drink on the road. I didn't realize how much this was going to change my routine, but I absolutely love it! At first, I started waking up 10 minutes early to make sure I wasn't off-setting my morning routine. I slowly found out that it truly didn't make a difference! I gave myself those 10 minutes back in bed and still have time to enjoy my cup of coffee {and the benefits I've realized through taking the time to do so!}.

In the mornings, I always have the Today Show playing while I get ready. I love the background noise, as well as hearing most of the stories. My apartment is pretty small so I can play it from my tv in my living room and hear just fine in my bathroom. I had previously been eating breakfast at my desk while getting my day started on my work computer. Although I didn't realize this, the behavior caused me to feel rushed through my morning and thrown into business before I actually started my work day. Not a good way to start things off. In addition, I hate to bring drinks to my desk for fear of spilling. So I was putting off my cup of coffee until I was completely ready and walking out the door. If I'm being completely honest- I felt as though eating and starting my work day a my desk was successful multitasking, however I actually found out that it was taking me more time to complete both tasks at the same time than it would to do them separately. Since the very first day I changed my ways, I find my mornings to be more relaxed and surprisingly more productive. I feel like they belong to me, not my job. I eat my breakfast on my couch with my cute trays {check them out via Instagram} and enjoy a hot cup of coffee while actually watching the Today Show. It's glorious!

I think that I tend to get to caught up in planning my day/week at the computer, so I wasn't taking the time to wake up and really begin my day in a calm manner as I prefer. This attitude shift helps me in several ways: I feel much happier when leaving the house, I'm more alert because I've already jump started my system with caffeine before getting behind the wheel of my car, and I feel as though my mind is truly ready to start the work day. Beginning the day with a positive and relaxed outlook helps set the tone for the entire day- which I appreciate!! I plan on keeping up with this change, even if it requires me to make small adjustments to my morning to ensure it stays in the routine. It truly is my recipe for morning success!

How do you start out your day to ensure it's successful? Do you have any tips on making the perfect morning routine?

10 Ways to Relax Right Now

Do you ever feel as though you couldn't squeeze one more tiny thing into your day? My life can get so hectic and fast-paced that it seems like I am always moving, always thinking, and always stressing. This is supremely evident to me when I lay down to sleep at night. I feel as though I can't clear my mind and just relax into sleep. Unfortunately this is not the only time the overwhelming feeling creeps up on me. Sound familiar? Here are 10 ways you can relax right now:

1 Take a deep, cleansing breath.
2 Listen to music.
3 Change your scenery.
4 Work up a sweat or head to a yoga class.
5 Reflect on a happy memory.
6 Write down a list of 5 things you're thankful for.
7 Laugh.
8 Call up a family member or friend who you haven't spoken to in a while.
9 Focus on the end result of a daunting project.
10 Watch a funny or uplifting video.

These are just a few ways that work for me. Although it can seem impossible, there are tons of different ways to clear out the negative or stressful thoughts in your head. I know for me work is a large {and consistent} source of stress in my life. Being able to identify the triggers and do your best to combat them is a great way to keep your mood in check. Hopefully these are helpful for you too!

How to you relax? What stresses you out?