Tag Archives: life well lived

Life Well Lived: Relaxation Techniques

Its time for another Life Well Lived Getting Happy panel!

102: Chill & UnwindThis week is quite fitting for me right now: What are your favorite relaxation techniques? And what benefits do you see from practicing them?

I’ve been SO busy that I’ve actually, this past week, not had time to even edit my daily photos! Time to relax has come at a premium, but its also VERY important to help stay sane when things get busy.

I have a variety of relaxation techniques that I turn to as they fit in my days or nights (or even the season!)

One of my favorite relaxation techniques (that I don’t get to do often at all) is a hot bubble bath.  I would say a “long hot bubble bath” but I can never seem to sit in the tub for long before I actually go from relaxing to being bored. I suppose I am strange that way, but its true. Nonetheless, a bubble bath is one of my favorite escapes from “life” for a little while.

You’re going to roll your eyes at me, but I actually play a few of those games on Facebook that people will complain about their friends playing. I just have all my posts set to only show to those friends who also play. But at the end of the day, when I want to just shut the brain off and let go of the day and its many stresses, I log into Facebook and play a game or two. By the time I am done, I am ready to crawl into bed, sufficiently relaxed.  (Sometimes, though, I opt for games like Draw Something on my phone for that day disconnect.)

I mentioned the season helping determine some of my relaxation techniques. In the winter, I love a cup of hot chocolate or hot coffee in front of a the fire. In the summer, an adult beverage with friends or by the lake (or with friends by the lake) is a favorite technique as well.

Finally, the old stand-bys are always helpful. Those include taking deep breaths, stretching my neck and shoulder muscles, going for a walk, listening to soft music, and having a conversation with God. All of these will always, without fail, help me relax and settle down in any situation.

So tell me… what are your favorite techniques? Tell me here, or go visit the Main Post on BlogHer.com and join me in the comments. Also enter the current Life Well Lived Sweepstakes!

Life Well Lived: Joy through blogging

Its time for another Life Well Lived Getting Happy panel!

This time, we want to hear more from our readers. How does blogging, journaling, writing and connecting online help to increase your happiness?

On April 15, 2001, I started a journal on the LiveJournal website. Eleven years later, I still have that journal.

Writing is, to me, free therapy. It allows me to get all my feelings out “on paper,” analyze them, and then decide where to go from there. In the 11 years that I’ve had my journal, its seen me through college, jobs, heartbreak, moving, and marriage. It’s heard me sob about loss. It’s heard me squeal in glee about successes. And its even heard me ramble about any given new obsession I may have at the time.

I happen to genuinely enjoy writing, which is where blogging comes in for me. My journal is for personal life. My blog is for my love of writing. Writing gives me joy. I love words. I love painting a photo with words. I love telling a story, making someone think, or describing something.

Writing makes me happy. Be it just to write or for therapeutic purposes, it doesn’t matter. It’s a joy. What about you? How does blogging, journaling, writing and connecting online help to increase your happiness? Leave your thoughts here and/or join me in the discussion on the main page for this topic on BlogHer. Also, don’t miss your chance to win an iPod Touch and a $50 iTunes gift certificate to go with it in thecurrent Life Well Lived Sweepstakes!