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"8 Calming Activities to do with your Partner" | written piece by Lifestyle Blogger & model OLIVIA

Photography | by cvvisionsphotography

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Raise your hand if you find yourself to be way more stressed than the average person. Now, raise your hand if you are feeling more stressed than usual because of the state of 2020.

Lastly, raise your hand if you are stressed AND you are currently reading this right NOW! If your arm is up, take a BIG deep breath with me.

Give yourself a second to calm all your nerves in your body. Remind yourself that right now, you are enough. Feeling stressed is normal. I am someone who frequently allows stress to takeover my body and mind. With the activities I am about to share with you, I have slowly changed my way of thinking to create a more relaxed environment for my partner and I to live in. Just to clear things, I am in no way a therapist. I am merely sharing what helps me as an anxiety ridden person, and perhaps it may help you.

Read To Each Other

One day while I was reading a book before bed, my partner (Damien) asked if I would read aloud to him. Initially, I thought no way.... I will feel silly, but now it has become apart of our nightly routine. There is something special about reading with your significant other. Such a simple thing, yet it makes us feel so much more connected. Even if you are not use to reading aloud, I urge you to give it a whirl. It doesn’t matter what the material is, you can read a children’s book for all I care. This activity lulls us to sleep way better than scrolling endlessly through social media. My worst habit is stressing before bed. With reading I no longer think about my world and I become entranced in a whole other world, washing away my worries.

Go Outside and Move

Exercise in your daily life is always ideal and don’t forget some vitamin D! Why not make it a thing by talking to your favorite person (or even a friend)? Thirty minutes of our own personal day, is for stretching our legs and enjoying the sunshine. Our two favorite outside activities is quick game of Frisbee, or just a "plain old"walk. These walks create pleasant topics of conversation about our future together, or sharing valued parts about our day. Sometimes the best way to relax, is to vent out ALL your negative feelings. Let it be and move on. My favorite quality about Damien, is that he is unafraid to call me out when I am thinking negatively. It is easier for me to improve my way of thinking when I hear it from him.

Journals

Guided journals are likely my favorite thing ever invented. I prefer journaling on my own, but occasionally Damien and I will write together. We practice both methods. One method is to set a timer for ten minutes and began writing (no prompt) . After those ten minutes are up, the two of you express your thoughts and bond over the answers. The other way is to write everything on your mind (good and bad) and then LET IT GO. No sharing. No thinking about it. Just move on. This will free your mind to think about all the good in your life, and move on to the more enjoyable part of the day. NO DWELLING allowed. You might be asking: “Why do I need a partner for this?”

The answer is, you don’t.

It is all up to you!

Completing these activities with my partner for me, makes me feel less alone in my thoughts. Imagine you are walking down a long path on your own. This isn’t bad necessarily, but a little intimidating. Now imagine that same path, but with your significant other. Might be more fun, right? That is why I do it.

If you are currently not in a relationship, no worries! Keep in mind that all of these activities (so far) can be done with a close friend, family member, or trusted acquaintance.

XOXO

Affection: hugs, kisses, long looks into each other eyes. Who knew something completely free could be worth so much! At the end of a long stressful day, the best feeling is to come home to a soft warm hug from the love of my life. When I am feeling stressed or overly anxious, I tend to overlook the simple ways of calming my nerves. That is when Damien swoops in with a hot cup of tea and ultimate cuddles. All that serotonin comes flooding in and I finally can take a second to breathe. I take that breath and remember what I have…Family. No matter how bad life gets, you will always have family. You will always have love, and the love you have for others.

Rest

Our bodies are constantly sending us signals. Saying “Hey you need this! Do this! After give me this! Sometimes all those signals can be a little hard to understand and end up adding more confusion to the table. A great way I like to think about it is, what do you do when your laptop overheats? You shut it off for a while. Allow your body to do the same. It could be two in the afternoon and if my body says take a break, I try to listen. Often I will invite Damien to nap with me and most times, it turns out he needed that rest too. Our significant others need reminders to take breaks too. If you feel you could use a nap now, shut off your device and go listen to your body.This blog post isn’t going anyplace.

Clean House

Now I know cleaning isn’t everyone's favorite hobby, but often the one thing holding us back from a peaceful day, is a cluttered space. There are times I feel like I can’t even hear myself think. So I get to cleaning.This can be as simple as making the bed. You will notice after a little picking up how much calmer you become. If you have a partner to help, the cleaning will go a lot faster. We have set chores in my house, so we know exactly where to start when it is cleaning day. Find what you prefer doing most and try starting with that. This way you knock out two birds with one stone. A clean space with a clear mind.

Share A Laugh

Laughter is the best medicine. Anytime my partner or myself are feeling bad, our instinct is to make the other laugh. I take one look at Damien and I instantly start to giggle. He makes me that happy. That may seem a little weird, so try turning on your favorite comedian. Get a joke book. You will be surprised how easy it will be for the two of you to start laughing.

Eat Comfort Food

Treat yourself! Ice cream breaks are my favorite way to finish an awful day. "Sweet tooth" should be my middle name considering that it is my go-to thing for every occasion. Not everything in life is consistently going to move as planned, so learn to live for the great moments. If things aren’t great, make them noteworthy. Order sushi from your favorite restaurant, go out to that over priced brunch place. Eat your goodies and move on. A full belly is more divine than dwelling on the negative. Grab an extra fork so you guys can share that scrumptious dish together.

Here you have it! Eight activities you can explore with your partner to find your inner calm. Hopefully, these may help you as much as they helped me. Needless to say, there are so many ways to release negative energy. If these don’t work, something else out there will. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences with finding your own calm. Remember, take sometime to relax today. Until next time!

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ABOUT | Olivia Rose

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Olivia Rose is a lifestyle blogger and model in Northwest Arkansas. You can read more from Olivia on her blog or FOLLOW her on Instagram.

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