don't stress out!!

It's mid-terms session and everyone around me is a bit stressed with test, assignments and everything else that happens with mid-terms. The last few weeks for me have been a bit stressful.. Thats school for you i guess. Over the years, I have formed different habits to help reduce my stress. Interesting enough a majority of my habits to destress are centered around media. This class has made me aware just how much I use media and every week I become a bit more shocked how often i use media everyday.

So here are a few of my habits,

First,  Netflix.. this can be both a curse and a blessing. Netflix gives me away to escape for a few minutes from my stresses and focus on something else. Giving my brain a rest and allowing it to recharge. On the other hand, I find myself wasting a lot of time and staying up way to late.

Second, Music. I've already written on blog about this but I am a firm believer of having at least one dance party a day... this can make place, in the car, shower, on your walk to school/class. When I feel the stress come, music is usually the first thing I will turn to. 

Lastly, phone a friend.. After those long hours of studying in the library sometimes all I need is a good conversation with a dear friend. Just the other day as I was walking home feeling a bit overwhelmed with a test I was going to be taking in a few hours, I decided to call my cousin. This cousin and I talked my entire conversation home. By the time I got home, I was feel more calm and was able to study focused and relaxed. 

Media is great and its everywhere.. got to love it! I hope you are enjoying this wonderful time of year and have formed your own habits to help reduce your stress. 

Go to LDS.org

Saturday night, I got asked to teach Sunday School for the next day. It was a bit last minutes but what I love is that the Church has so many great tools to making planning a lesson so easy. The Church of Jesus Christ website is filled with ideas to make a lesson interactive and spiritual. I started preparing for my lesson by searching a few key words from the lesson and within minutes I had a handful of quotes and ideas of what directions I wanted my lesson to take.

It made a stressful moment of trying to prepare a lesson minutes lesson enjoyable and rewarding. One of my favorite think on LDS.org are the mormon messages. These wonderful videos are filled with the spirit and words of wisdom that seem to always speak to the heart.

Share goodness in the world by sharing one of your favorite mormon messages and if you have never watched any, I promise that if you take the time to watch a few you will feel a wonderful calming feeling that will bring you great happiness.


Here is one video to get you started.

Read a book

To quote one of my favorite childhood shows, Arthur, " Have fun isn't hard, when you've got a library card." Books are a gateway to hundreds  of different worlds where people can escape from their presents world and explore a whole new one.

One of my all time favorite book serious is Harry Potter. I am proud to be a part of the Harry Potter generations! I was one of those fans who would waiting in line for the midnight release of the next book and the movies then not sleeping or doing anything else for the next few days. For weeks my friends and I would talk endlessly about the new Harry Potter book. We would discuss our favorite parts, characters and what we felt might happen next. To me Harry Potter was more then just a book but a way to escape from the stresses of life. This may sound cheesy but the characters of Harry Potter play a huge part of my adolescent years.

I love to read and I agree that it truly is fun to have a library card where thousands of books are waiting for you to explore and join in on their adventures. During the school year I have a bit of a love hate relationship with the library but this week I am going to work on remembering the joys of the library.

Guilty Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures.. We all have them.. Most of the time we are a bit embarrassed by them. When i googled guilty pleasure it said,  "something, such as a movie, television program, or piece of music, that one enjoys despite feeling that it is not generally held in high regard." 

This got me thinking, What are some of my guilty pleasures? How did these become my guilty pleasures? One of my guilty pleasures is Sesame Street pop songs. I love them and think they are hilarious. Here is my favorite. 

This guilty pleasure of mine started when one of my nephews fell in LOVE with Elmo. This adorable little man and I bonded over Sesame street songs and a guilty pleasure of mine was created.

As I thought about other guilty pleasures I thought about how often some of my guilt pleasures have helped me to connect with other people who like the same thing I do. 

Guilty Pleasures are a wonderful way to connect with people who also like the media that may not be generally held in high regards. Don't be shamed of your guilty pleasures, share them and you may be surprised to find someone who has the same guilty pleasure.

Friendships can be brought together by guilty pleasures.. Media is such a wonderful tool to bring people together. 

What are some of your guilty pleasures?

Oh and just for fun.. here is another sesame street song just for fun! :)