10 Wonderful Ways to Relieve Holiday Stress! From the Heart

The Big Holiday many people have been waiting for is just around the corner. 

It's literally just days away and many people are feeling the stress building! Oh don't get me wrong, I'm sure everyone loves this holiday, but when the stress becomes so all encompassing, it's hard to enjoy it!

What can you do to make this time of year the joyful and wonderful time it's supposed to be?  Well in my experience, I know I had put a lot of the pressure on myself and got caught up in all the things that could go wrong.  I needed help to see that my focus was in the wrong place!  Instead of focusing on the negative, I needed to focus on something positive and different.

So here are some of the things I do to help relieve that pressure:

1. Wrapping things up can make me crazy.  I have two left hands but  I still want my packages to look nice!  Now I still do that, but I use gift bags to make the packing that much easier.  Dollar Stores are great help for this!  Inside each package goes a personalized note to the recipient, letting them know how much they mean to me! (It doesn't have to be long, just meaningful)
2. Take lots of breaks,  drop everything and go for a 10 minute walk around the neighborhood.  When you get back you'll get twice as much done because you are  more relaxed.
3. Take your phone with you and grab some festive pictures while out in the "hood".  Focus on Christmas decor, Dogs in their Christmas sweaters, People willing to smile at you, etc.
4. Get physical and do someone a favor while you are out!  Do you have a neighbor that could use a little help?   Offer to do something for them (go to the store, shovel their walk, walk their dog, or ask them to join you for a cup of tea or coffee)  The gift of your time is priceless!
5. Head out to a local church and just take a few steps inside the doors.  Go to a church/temple that you may never have been to before. (Check the internet for times, most places of worship will have some kind of schedule and extended hours)
6. Take an hour or two and head to your local library.  Browse the shelves for something you might enjoy reading over the holidays.
7. Turn up the music (not necessarily Christmas music, but something that you enjoy!  ABBA, the Beatles, Rolling Stones (am I dating myself?))
8. Browse You Tube to learn a new dance.  Moving and getting your blood flowing are great ways to relief some stress.  Plus you could learn a few new moves along the way and share those with your family and friends (Even if it's just to laugh at yourself).  
9. Sit back and watch a movie!  Again it doesn't need to be a Christmas movie, but one that you enjoy!
10. If all this fails, then you can always take a nap!  Sometimes just resting your eyes can do wonders for your nerves and your anxiety. Close those eyes and say a little prayer so your focus is on something supernatural and divine.

When your stress  drops to a manageable level, you can restart what you were doing and probably accomplish more than if you had stayed with it.  Taking a break is a game changer for many people. Believe me, the holidays will come one way or the other, but if you are relaxed, they will be more enjoyable!

Learn to laugh and smile, what you share out in the world will come right back to you!

My hope for you is that you truly enjoy this Holiday Season to it's fullest!  May you have a lovely Christmas with your family and friends and may your New Year be Blessed with lots of Joy!

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Reviewing Twinings Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla Tea

I absolutely love my tea which is why I thought I would review another tea staple in my life - Twinings Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla.

Photo from Pixabay

I am a big fan of Twining's teas and have actually written about their peppermint tea previously.   As much as I enjoy a good coffee, tea is the staple drink of my life.

Every day starts with a mug (I don't really do tea cups unless I have a pot to top it up from!) of Arbonne tea and when I get home from a busy day at work nine times out of ten I'll have a mug of Twinings Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla tea.   I usually also drink this tea before going to bed, except for the odd nights I made myself a Milo.

Chamomile as a herb is known for it's relaxation properties and I do remember the first time I tried it, it was made from actual dried chamomile flower (like the photo above) and it had a back taste that I really didn't like at all.   I have tried various brands several times over the years both as a loose tea and in a tea bag form and I haven't been able to stomach the after taste of the Chamomile.

A couple of years ago I tried a Spiced Apple and Chamomile blend from Twinings which I didn't mind so when the Twinings teas were on special again I thought I would try the Chamomile, Honey and Vanilla - I haven't looked back!

I don't know if my taste buds have changed as I've gotten older or if it's the addition of the honey and vanilla flavours, but I thoroughly enjoyed this blend and, as I've said, it is now a staple in my life - in fact I think I have four boxes in my cupboard as I write this!

If you want a caffeine free tea (complete with relaxing properties) to drink before going to bed I can really recommend this one.

There are quite a few tea drinkers that write for Review This Reviews and you can check out their reviews right here - Tea Related Reviews.

Have you tried this tea blend before?

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The App Calm - A Personal Review

I Finally Downloaded the App 'Calm' onto My Cell Phone

Since our computers spit ads and suggestions based on what we might like or want, it figured out I could use a little 'Calm' in my life.

After ignoring the App for several years, it finally got me! I downloaded it a few days ago.

The App has a free version and a paid version. I'm using the free features at the moment.

Scenes - The Feature I'm Currently Into

I use Scenes for relaxation and as a sleep aid.  However, it's the sounds of the scenes, not the visuals that I'm focused on. The scenes are beautiful and you can also watch while listening.

Scenes is essentially the same as the radios from back-in-the-day that feature a choice of background sounds such as waves, thunderstorms, forests, and more.

Simply, choose the scene and calming background sound you prefer. Put the headphones on, listen and relax. 

What We Get with 'Calm' Premium

A full library of music, meditation, and stories.

• Guided meditations for stress, gratitude and more
• Sleep stories are pretty cool! Put in your earphones and listen to a relaxing story to help you fall asleep. I've listened to one story included with the free portion of the App. It was hauntingly relaxing.
• There's also music to help you focus, relax and of course, the obvious, to sleep.
• They have Masterclasses by world-renowned mindfulness experts designed to help you take control of your thinking and guide you towards living in the now. I haven't tried this yet. However, this feature absolutely appeals to me.

Why Use Calm

With the internet and YouTube you might be asking yourself why would you need to use an App. After-all, why not just listen to videos from YouTube on your phone, or read articles you find via search. That was my original thinking as well.

The answers:

• Convenience, no commercials
• No need to search YouTube or the Internet for Meditation or Relaxation tools
• Your calming tools are conveniently located in one place
• Quick access on your phone when you need a calming break
• Daily Calm inspirations added
• Body Calm programs included
• Masterclasses on Mindfulness
• They add new music weekly
• A full library of stories to fall asleep by, and new stories always being added

My gift to myself this Christmas, is to upgrade to premium. I do love the convenience of this App.

Here's to your peace of mind.

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Adult Coloring Books are all the Rage

It's amazing to me that a new fad has hit the market.  In a time when everyone wants everything done yesterday,  Adult Coloring Books beg for you to take your time!

It seems,  we have found out, that running the rat race is sometimes driving us to a place where we all need just a little bit of quiet and peace.

Adult coloring books are much like the ones we had as children, but the designs are a little more intricate and require a steady hand.

That and a little patience, along with a good supply of coloring pencils or markers will make you an artist of exceptional beauty, brought to life by your own hands.



The Secret Garden is one of these Coloring Books.  I have seen it entirely from cover to cover and they are beautiful in design!  You are free to use your own imagination, pick your favorite predominant colors and  complete them to your own tastes.

The author of these pictures was trying to sell 200,000 copies, so that she would have enough to start another project.  What she did not know is that she would sell over a million copies of her beautiful book.

So, book number two became a reality as well.....



The Enchanted Forest is as beautiful as the Secret Garden and will keep any adult occupied for hours. The best part of this whole coloring book craze is that when you need some peace and quiet, something that will soothe your overworked nerves, you just need to grab your book and turn to the page you last worked on (or start a different one), and within the hour, you will find yourself unwinding and relaxing like never before.

In our busy world, these easy, beautiful and inexpensive books, will save you from many hours of therapy.  We have forgotten how to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.  These Coloring Books are just that, a simple pleasure.

Add some wonderful markers, crayons or pencil crayons and you are all set to go.  I dare you to try it, and I bet you will love it.


Once you have finished one of the pictures, come on back and let us see.......share and let us admire your handiwork or send me the link and I'll post it.....

Just take a look at one of the beautiful designs in the Enchanted Forest...

The Magic Garden and Enchanted Forest are works of Johanna Basford, author and illustrator. I think she has a great future with her designs and I'm grateful that she has shared her talent with us.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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