Do you ever feel like your brain decides to get up and walk right out the door, leaving you to fend lifelessly for yourself? Yeah, me too. The worst part? It’s my fault. Well, not for your brain throwing in the towel, but for mine. Shame on you for allowing yours to reach that point! We run our brains into the ground with the work we put them through and the pressure we put on them on a daily basis. Can we stop that? Probably not. However, there is something else we can do for them.
Our brains need a vacation. And not the same one(s) we take with our bodies. Like, they need their own private getaway on a private island they probably own somewhere.. because brains work so hard that they have to make a lot of money, so surely they’ve purchased one somewhere at some point. The cool thing is that we don’t have to physically remove our brains and take them to that island; we just have to figure out fun ways to trick them into believing that’s where they are. The methods used to achieve this will vary from person to person, but I thought it would be cool to share a few of mine to help get you on your way to that island:
1. Light a Candle
I never said it had to be complicated. There are just certain things that symbolize and create a sense of relaxation when I think about them, and candles are one of those things. Certain scents just allow me to close my eyes and drift away to a different place (like that private island we talked about). On top of that, when I think candles, I think of dim lighting and a relaxing atmosphere. For me, the perfect recipe for a brain vacation (especially if it’s donut scented).
Allyn Recommends: Voluspa Candles (the Visions of Sugar Plum is one of her favorites around the holidays) and Essenza Candles. She’s a salted caramel addict so she’s obsessed with the warm, sweet notes of the this salted caramel candle! I bet these smell equally delicious as well:
2. Sip on Some Hot Tea
I had to specify that I use hot tea for this specific purpose, because, while I also enjoy other types of tea, they don’t create the same feeling. Whether my brain is bouncing off the walls from stress, overthinking, or even illness, hot tea is always a go-to for me. The heat of the liquid flowing through my body naturally makes my muscles relax and takes all of those stressful thoughts away. I can close my eyes and not have a care in the world for the duration of my drink. Brain vacations don’t always have to last long; sometimes a short period of time is all they need to rest and recharge.
We Reccomend: Celestial Seasonings Fruit Tea Variety Pack – we always have this in our pantry. The teas have a great flavor, they are caffeine free, and it costs less than $3. If you’re a fan of loose leaf teas, Allyn’s a big fan of DEAN & DELUCA’s Peppermint Tea and also the Strawberry Blush/Peach Tranquility Tea Blend by Teavana. This Blueberry Bliss Rooibos Tea sounds delicious, too, doesn’t it?! Here are a few more options:
3. Grab a Journal
Write something. It doesn’t matter what it is. Just physically write anything – there’s actually lots of ways writing by hand benefits the brain. When I’m feeling lost or overwhelmed or stressed or all of the above, I often find that if I can convince myself to take a few minutes to write (not type), it makes all the difference in the world. It’s like those feelings are actually my brain screaming at me that it needs to escape, and once I start writing, that’s when the vacation begins. On top of all of that, it’s highly possible that whatever you end up writing will be pretty awesome. ; )
Try: The Kikki.K 365 Days Journal – the blank pages give you the freedom to write, draw, doodle, or list – whatever it is you need to do. Plus, the 365 page set up encourages you to jot at least a little each day! They also have books for creating you life plan, mapping out your goals, and building a gratitude practice.
So, now that you know a few of my brain vacation tricks, what are some of the ways you clear your mind? I’d love to read about them in the comments!
