Your body experiences stress when faced with a demand or a perceived challenge.
Your brain sends signals to the rest of your body that you are under stress and may release hormones that can make you feel anxious or on edge.
We all experience stress from time to time.
Although stress can be good for you when it is short-term, it can have significant impacts on your mental and physical health when it is chronic.
Keep in mind that everyone reacts differently to stressful situations.
Your past experiences, personality, and support system will affect how you respond to stressful life events.
Due to this, I have put together a list of tried and tested methods that will work for your unique situation to help you have a peaceful life.
You Deserve to Live a Stress-Free Life
Life is stressful enough.
You don’t need to make it harder on yourself by living with unnecessary stress.
If you want to feel lighter and live a soft life, you have to acknowledge that stress is real and harmful.
Once you accept that, you can take the necessary steps to create better habits that will help you live your best life possible.
Below, I will walk you through why you should live a soft life and 8 easy ways you can do it.
Let’s get started.
8 Easy Habits To Create A Stress-Free Soft Life
1. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is extremely important for your body and brain to function.
I know life can get busy, but sleep should be one of your top priorities if you want to have less stress.
Your body and brain need time to recover from your day.
If you don’t get enough sleep at night, you’ll likely feel more stressed, anxious, and unfocused.
Getting a good night’s rest can help you feel relaxed and ready to take on the day.
Here are some tips to help you get enough sleep:
Create A Sleep Schedule
Your body thrives on consistency.
If you want to wake up feeling refreshed, you should strive to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day.
Create A Bedtime Routine
Bedtime routines are great because they signal your body that it’s time to wind down for the day.
You could take a warm bath, read a book, stretch, or meditate before bed.
Just remember that you should avoid looking at any screens at least an hour before bed.
Make Your Bedroom a Sanctuary
You should also try your best to make your bedroom a relaxing and comfortable space.
Your room should be dark, quiet, and cool.
This will make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Actionable Tip: Try getting 30 minutes more sleep each night and see how you feel.
Click here to read: 15 Tips for Living a Cozy Life
2. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the act of being present and in tune with what you are doing.
When you are mindful, you clear your mind of judgments and noise and allow yourself to live in the present moment.
Not only will practicing mindfulness help you relax, but it can also help improve your ability to focus.
If you want to live a soft life, you have to learn how to be present.
Here’s how you can practice mindfulness:
Start Small
You don’t have to meditate for hours each day.
Take 5-10 minutes to sit in silence with your eyes closed and focus on your breathing.
Bring your attention back to your breath whenever you start to think about other things.
Practice Mindful Walking
You can practice mindfulness while walking outside.
As you walk, pay attention to your surroundings. Look at the colors, sounds, and smells.
Walking is a great way to clear your mind and practice mindfulness.
Use Meditation Apps
If you don’t know how to meditate, try using a free meditation app.
There are many apps like this that will guide you through meditation.
Actionable Tip: Try taking 5 minutes to practice mindfulness first thing in the morning.
Click here to read: 8 Surprising Benefits of Meditation That Can Transform Your Life
3. Declutter Your Space
The people you allow into your home and how you arrange your home play a massive role in your mental health.
If you want to feel more relaxed, you should try your best to surround yourself with positive people and declutter your space.
Cluttered homes often lead to cluttered minds.
When your home is a mess, it can make you feel like you need to constantly clean everything.
You will learn how to better focus on the things that matter when you declutter your space.
Below are some tips to help you declutter:
Start Small
Don’t try to clean your entire house in one day.
Pick one room or space and go from there.
You can start by decluttering your bedroom or desk.
One in One Out Rule
Try to follow the one in-one out rule when buying new things.
For every new item you buy, donate something old.
This will keep your home from becoming overcrowded with things you don’t need.
Declutter Your Time
Just as you should declutter your space, you should declutter your time.
Make sure you clean out your emails, contacts, apps, and files on your computer.
Actionable Tip: Start by decluttering one area of your home for 15 minutes each day.
Click here to read: Want a Tidy Home? Here Are 10 Smart Decluttering Tips
4. Set Boundaries
You must set boundaries if you want to reduce your stress levels.
Many people have a difficult time telling others “no.”
Always saying yes to others will leave you stressed out because you’re trying to please everyone.
Instead of pleasing everyone else, you should focus on yourself.
Here are a few tips to help you set healthy boundaries:
Know Your Limits
Learn what you can and can’t handle.
If someone asks you to do something that will overload you, tell them no.
It’s okay to say no.
Communicate With Love
If you need to set a boundary with someone, tell them calmly and kindly.
You can say something like, “I need some me-time this evening, so I won’t be able to make it.”
Don’t Feel Bad
Boundary setting is a form of self-care, and you deserve to take care of yourself.
Don’t feel guilty about taking care of your needs.
Actionable Tip: Set one boundary this week.
Click here to read: 15 Reasons Why Saying No is a Life Skill You Need to Learn
5. Exercise
One of the best ways to relax is to exercise.
When you exercise, you take care of your body and mind.
Not only will exercise help you relax, but it can also improve your mood and increase your energy levels.
Here are a few tips to help you get started with exercise:
Exercise that you enjoy
You’re much more likely to stick to exercise if you enjoy what you’re doing.
Do you like to dance? Then take a dance class!
Love hiking? Then go hiking!
Start Small
If you’ve never been active before, you shouldn’t go out and run a marathon.
Start by exercising 15-20 minutes 2-3 times per week.
Make it Routine
Like with sleep, you should try to make exercise a part of your daily routine.
You could stretch every morning or take a walk after lunch.
Exercise will help you feel energized and relaxed.
Actionable Tip: Wake up 10 minutes earlier each morning and stretch.
6. Practice Gratitude
If you want to live a stress-free life, you have to practice gratitude.
When you are grateful for what you have, it’s much easier to feel happy and relaxed.
Here are a few tips to help you improve your gratefulness:
Keep A Gratitude Journal
At the end of each day, write down three things you were grateful for that day.
These can be small or large things. Be sure to really think about what you’re grateful for each day.
Tell Others You’re Grateful For Them
Make sure to let the people in your life know that you appreciate them.
Send your friends a “thinking of you” text every once in a while.
Expressing gratitude to others will help you strengthen your relationships.
Reflect on the Good Things in Your Life
When you’re feeling stressed, take a moment to reflect on everything that you have going for you.
This will help you feel calm and at ease.
Actionable Tip: Begin and end your day by writing down three things you’re grateful for.
7. Eat Nourishing Foods
The foods you eat affect your mood, energy levels, and stress.
To live a soft life, you have to start fueling your body with nutritious foods.
Here are some tips to help you eat better:
Eat Whole Foods
Whole foods are foods that are close to their natural state.
Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
Limit caffeine and sugar
Too much caffeine and sugar can cause your energy to crash.
If you drink coffee, limit yourself to one cup per day.
Drink plenty of water
Water is critical to your overall health.
Not only will drinking water keep you hydrated, but it can also improve your energy levels and mood.
Actionable Tip: Replace processed foods with fruits or nuts, and drink 8 glasses of water each day.
8. Spend Time with Good People
Last but not least, you should surround yourself with good people.
Having positive relationships with others can help you feel loved and calm.
Here are some tips to help you have better relationships:
Only Hang Around Positive People
Surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself.
You should spend more time with people that encourage you to be your best self.
Limit the time you spend with people who drain your energy.
Communicate With Others
Make sure you let your friends and family know if you need anything.
Having open, honest communication with others will ensure you always have a support system.
Be There for Others
Remember that relationships go both ways.
You should be there for your friends and family when they need you.
Actionable Tip: Call or text someone that makes you happy today and plan a time to hang out.
Final thoughts
Living a stress-free life is achievable by incorporating these 8 simple habits into your daily routine.
You will feel lighter, in control, at peace, and happy when you live a soft life.
Start by taking action on one thing today. *
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