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Do Something You Loved Doing as a Kid

Do you ever long for those days when recess, pillow forts, and Saturday morning cartoons were your biggest pleasures?  Just because you’re all grown up now doesn’t mean you can’t still partake in the simple joys of childhood. Turn off your cell phone, disconnect from the internet, and act like a kid again!

Ride a bike to the park. Start a pick-up kickball game with your family or friends. Go to the beach and bring along your favorite book. Make a snowman in the wintertime. The possibilities (and your imagination) are endless.  Take along your own kids, or borrow a friend’s to really get into the spirit of things!

Cost: Free!

Volunteer Your Time or Expertise

One of the best feelings in the world is giving back to others.  Non-profit associations are always looking for more help, so even if you can only donate 5 hours a month, your time will be very much appreciated and well worth the effort. Volunteering can be something small – like reading a story to young cancer patients one day a month – or something bigger – like serving as a disaster relief nurse. No matter what you do, you can be content to know that you’ve made a difference in someone’s life.

(Extra bonus: Not only is volunteering incredibly fulfilling, it’s also a great resume builder. If you’re a recent grad or career changer, volunteering can give you valuable training and hands-on experience to jump start your career!)

Cost: Mostly free! (You may have to provide your own transportation and pack a lunch). Volunteering abroad may cost the price of airfare and lodging.

More Info: Check out AllHealthcare’s exclusive Guide to Volunteering. You can also Google “volunteer” and your town and state or visit Volunteer.gov, American Red Cross, Serve.gov, Volunteers of America, and Habitat for Humanity.

Stretch, Breathe and Meditate

It’s hard not to feel stressed and overworked by the hectic pace of our hyper-connected society.  Before you go into meltdown mode, hit pause, relax and take a breather.

Yoga is a great thing for some , but even some basic meditation, stretching and breathing techniques can work wonders for your stress relief. When you stress out, tension is stored in your body, causing pain and tightness, especially in your back and shoulders. Stretching will get your body loose and your circulation flowing in full force again.

To meditate, find or create a relaxing atmosphere, sit on level ground (use a cushion if you like), close your eyes, relax every muscle and breathe deeply with your abdomen, not your chest. Focus on each inhale and exhale to exclude other thoughts and quiet your mind.

Cost: Free
More Info: Google “how to meditate” or visit How-to-Meditate.org

Have a Really Good Laugh

It’s been scientifically proven that laughter is both preventive and therapeutic. It decreases your stress hormone levels and boosts healthy hormones, like endorphins, while strengthening your immune system. You even get a mini workout for your abs, diaphragm and your shoulders!

One good way to achieve this is to spend some quality time with your funniest friend. Not only will you laugh a lot, it will also take your mind off all the stressors in your life. Plus, the emotional bonding will boost your self-esteem and feeling of connectedness to others.

Laughter really is the best medicine, so call up your funniest friend and hang out. You can also rent your favorite comedy or watch re-runs of a funny show together. You’ll be glad you did.

Cost: Free

SLEEP

Nothing beats a good night’s rest.  Many working professionals bring their troubles home with them and that equals more stress for you and your loved ones. Why not sleep it off? Getting even 30 minutes of shut eye can help you relax and put your problems in perspective.

If you’re going to try to sleep off your stress, make sure you’ve got surroundings that promote good quality rest. A dark, cool, quiet room with few electronics is best (turn off the phones, blackberries, and laptops!). If you still feel too antsy to rest, try a cup of Valerian Root or chamomile tea. A warm bath can also help put you in a restful state of mind.

Cost: Free
More Info: National Sleep Foundation

Get in Touch with your Creative Side

Looking at art definitely has its calming effects, but it’s not always all about the finished product. You don’t have to be Picasso to get the health benefits of producing beautiful works of art either. People who make art as a hobby find that the process of self-expression through unwinding and creating art can be extremely soothing as well.  Art therapy is thus frequently used in hospitals, clinics and rehab facilities to promote physical, emotional and mental wellbeing via creative expression.

Artistic self-expression helps lessen anxiety, stress and depression, and promote self-awareness, self-esteem and insight into your life. You can pick up reasonably priced art supplies or art kits at any hobby store. Just set aside an art space, turn on some relaxing music and paint to your health!

Cost: $7 and up
More Info: Google “art store” or “hobby store” and your town and state. For more info on art therapy, read Mending the Heart–Calming the Mind With Art Therapy

Cook a Delicious Homemade Dinner

America’s “Fast Food Nation” has us plowing through processed, barely digestible microwave dinners and super-sized extra value meals. Not only is our physique suffering, our stress and anxiety levels are off the charts. Everything around us, even food, is moving way too fast.

Back up, slow down and consider taking the time to cook your next meal with simple items you already have in your fridge and cupboards.  The process of chopping, measuring, stirring and sautéing (and even washing the dishes afterward) can be incredibly therapeutic.

Check what ingredients you have in your kitchen, and look up a recipe (see below). Pick something simple that won’t stress you out! Let the culinary sensations overtake you, and then invite a friend (or fiance) over to enjoy your delicious meal and bask in the compliments!

Cost: Free!
More Info: Visit any of these websites to get recipes:
• Allrecipes.com
• Cookingbynumbers.com
• Bigoven.com
• Recipematcher.com
• Supercook.com

Get Outdoors, Go to the Park, Take a Hike

Let’s not forget to stop and smell the flowers!  Science has proven time and time again how the psychological benefits of nature can calm the brain and better your mood and concentration. Hospital patients recover faster when they have a view of trees and flowers from their window, and children with attention-deficit disorder exhibit less symptoms in a natural environment.

So get back to basics, and enjoy nature. Bring a blanket to the park and lie out, or go for a hike and take in the scenery. Bask in the sun, breathe in the fresh air, and appreciate all the colorful simplicity of the outdoors. Your brain’s health depends on it.

Cost: Mostly free (Some parks/hiking grounds may charge $3-5)
More Info: Check out this great great interactive park directory or just Google “hiking trail” or “park” and your town and state

Take a Bath with Candles and Aromatherapy

The recuperative and healing properties of water have many stress-relieving benefits and allow the body to fall into a deeper sleep. Submerging in a bath tub relieves your body from the constant pull of gravity, and heated water relaxes muscle tension, improving circulation, range of motion and energy flow.

Melt away your stress by creating a mini spa in your bathroom. Turn on soothing music, dim the lights, light candles and prepare fresh towels. The music will drown out household sounds that you may associate with everyday stressors, and relaxed lighting can go a long way when creating a peaceful mood.
Most importantly, make arrangements for your well-deserved uninterrupted solitude. Turn off your cell phone, log out of email and if you have roommates or family around, tell them to leave you alone for an hour or two. Be sure to prepare your bed beforehand so you have a nice, comfy space to crawl into after your bath.

Cost: $4 and up, depending on how many spa items you want to buy.
More Info: You can pick up high-end aromatherapy bubble bath soap, scented candles, skin-moisturizing oils, and exfoliating body scrubs on the cheap at your local T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross stores.

1. Pay bills promptly. When a bill arrives for payment, you can do one of two things with it. You can pay it promptly or set it aside to be paid later. (yes, there’s a third option, not paying it at all—but let’s not go there.) The habit of pushing off bill-paying to the last minute is a habit that will lead to trouble, namely late charges, damaged credit and aggravation. The best way to function is by making your payments within twenty-four hours. The results are worthwhile: your business contacts will be more attentive, your phone will ring less insistently, and your days will become less frantic.

2. Don’t spend what you don’t have. Marketing trends in the USA are always evolving in sophistication. Their goal is to foist off tons of commercial junk on a gullible public. One of their favorite techniques is convincing a buyer that while he might not be able to afford it now, the future will be brighter and payments will be easier later… so swipe that card and don’t think about tomorrow. This disavowal of the future sells a lot of stuff, but gets many couples into serious trouble. It’s important you realize today’s expense may not be more easily paid tomorrow. If you don’t have it, don’t spend it.

3. Avoid paying interest. The root of many couples’ financial woes is the payment of interest. Whether the source of trouble is the purchase of furniture, a vacation, an auto loan, or the infamous credit card, the drain on family income never seems to end. Mr. Jacobs believes that, with the exception of a mortgage on sensibly-priced real estate, interest should never be paid. As was stated in the prior paragraph, don’t spend what you don’t possess.

4. Maintain a reserve. A slogan expressed frequently during the Great Depression was: When poverty walks through the door, love flies out the window. One way to forestall this problem is to set aside assets when times are good, so you’ll have something to fall back on when leans times come. Living hand-to-mouth is not the best way to sustain a successful marital relationship.

5. Make spending decisions together. Never forget that marriage is a partnership. Major financial decisions must be a joint effort. Although one of the partners may possess better money sense than the other, they both share the final outcome, and each deserves a say. If you can find a way to truly cooperate on important financial matters, you’ll find that the decisions are usually mutually satisfying. The alternative leads to resentment, certainly not a way to live life.

Read the whole article here at Hitched.

According to the globeandmail:

They stomp through wedding shows and rip apart floral arrangements.

They snap at wedding planners and send caterers running for cover.

Quick to anger and hard to please, they are known by their fearsome roar: “It’s MY wedding!”

Bridezilla?  Close, but no. A rarer but rapidly multiplying species is encroaching on her natural habitat and terrorizing weddings: Groomzilla.

What happened? Let’s talk about my husband and my wedding.  On second thought, there’s not really much to talk about. He really could not have cared less about flower arrangements, invitations, or table linens. He was happy to let me pick out a tie for him to wear (one that matched my gown, naturally!). We didn’t argue about a thing.

I can assure you that he was NOT browsing at GroomsOnline and would have laughed at articles like… “Grooms get Excited about the Wedding Cake.” Wedding cake?? Is that a euphemism for something else? No, cake means cake and some men want to choose it themselves.  After all, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right?

Fine, but take this one: “What about your Friends? Balancing Buddies and your Bride.” Uh oh. If your man is eagerly reading this article, there’s trouble brewing. It’s just one more step before he’s laughing gleefully at “How to Throw the Ultimate Bachelor Party…”  May I quote from this gem of a piece? Oh pleeease? There’s a common thread running through it; it’s quite subtle but if you read closely you’ll figure out what it is:

The renowned bachelor party could be the most anticipated night of a man’s life, with the exception of his wedding day, of course (smirk). But it’s not only one more night of pure debauchery before marriage for the groom-to-be, but rather a night for all men to be… well, men…. Invite some party girls who have no relation to your everyday crowd, the girls who always want to be around for a good time. If you don’t know of any, just call them up at 976-WILD…

Where to go: This usually includes a strip club, a strip joint, oh, and did I mention a gentleman’s club? The night could also involve a restaurant, a casino, his favorite bar, and you may want to cap off the night at a hotel room…. Since you’ll probably be a loud and obnoxious bunch, forewarn the kind management at each establishment that you’re holding a bachelor party, so they won’t be surprised when your friend starts approaching all the women in the joint to give them a little spanking…

Besides making all the arrangements for the bachelor party, you can give the groom something special to remember the night by. No, not a stripper’s phone number, but a video montage of his dating past or of his life, for example, that you can show to everyone at the party.

If you ask me, any man who’s planning on enjoying this type of “final fling” is hardly marriage material. It’s never too late to ditch him at the alter.  Vulgar, selfish, and egotistical is part of the reason ten percent of grooms are morphing into Groomzilla.

But what is it that turns normally kind, decent, intelligent men into, well, monsters?

Couples are marrying later in life and the cost of weddings is rising. Older grooms have more money and a stronger sense of personal style – and when a groom is spending from his own wallet, a $250 bouquet suddenly gets a lot more interesting. Also, working women increasingly have little time to plan a wedding, so men are stepping up out of necessity. And, of course, there’s the rise of the metrosexual, the heterosexual man with stubborn opinions on centrepieces and bouquets. (Globeandmail)

Take-charge grooms can sometimes be a blessing, especilaly if the bride is busy at work or has other duties that take up her time. Some brides are just not as interested in the nitty-gritty as the groom is, and are happy to hand over the riens.  We like grooms who get involved without going overboard. But when involvment leads to bickering and terrorizing, you’ve got a problem.

Here’s a handy little quiz to find out if you are headed toward Groomzilla-ville:

When you proposed, you:

A. Got up off the couch and mumbled something about guessing you guys should, like, make it legal or something.

B. Got down on one knee and tenderly asked the woman you love to share the rest of her life with you.

C. Hopped into a helicopter that whisked you and your lady away to the wedding of your dreams. Her dress, the cake, her bridesmaids – you picked them all out!

Your idea of a perfect

wedding is:

A. City hall, “I do,” and back to the couch for Hockey Night.

B. A day of joy, laughter and love, with a great party for friends and family.

C. A day of joy, laughter and love for you. Your bride? She’ll be there too.

The bridesmaids’ dresses are:

A. Irrelevant. The question is, are the bridesmaids hot?

B. Blue, because that’s our favourite colour and we’re going for an ocean theme.

C.Celadon, cap sleeves, floor length, taffeta. No, not celery, celadon!

Your relationship with the wedding caterer is:

A. A caterer? I thought she was cooking the food herself. How much is this going to cost me?

B. Great! Free food samples, free cake samples …

C.Strained. The marinated mushrooms should be stuffed with herbed chêvre, not feta!

At your wedding, you will wear:

A. A rental tux from the mall.

B.A tuxedo you purchased after consulting your fiancée.

C.A tuxedo you purchased after consulting with your fiancée, best man, mother, friends, co-workers, therapist and strangers on the street.

I won’t even bother posting the results. If you can’t figure out for yourself who is “Slacker Groom,” “Gallant Groom,” and “Groomzilla,” seek help fast.

But one specific bride caught my attention. Heather Clark, 33, from Boulder, CO is an event planner who is currently immersed in preparing for her own wedding.

Dear Sugar has some tips to quiet those butterflies in your stomach. The advice is sensible, as long as you are not having serious doubts. For normal wedding jitters, follow these tips to help you loosen up and stop worrying!

• Don’t confuse plain old stress with cold feet. It’s only natural to worry about the details that will make your wedding perfect. But don’t let those worries affect your overall outlook on your relationship and upcoming marriage.

• Remember that right before the wedding, emotions are flying high, but things will cool down as soon as you’re back to your every-day life.

• It may seem counterintuitive, but opening up to your fiance about your worries can go a long way in helping you feel better. Working through it together will make you a stronger couple.

• You can also open up to a close friend or family member. Getting it off your chest might be just what you need to move past it. Don’t be afraid of judgment; anyone who’s gone through this themselves will be able to sympathize and reassure you.

• If you really don’t feel like talking to anyone, try writing it all down. Examining your feelings closely might also unearth exactly what’s bothering you and help you get over it.

• Give yourself a break from all the wedding fuss. Take a long walk, go see a movie, or plan a nonwedding-related night with friends. Taking your mind off things may give you some much needed clarity and room to breath.