Friday

"I have the power to live the life of my dreams."

Happy Friday! As we head into the weekend:

• What to know about “soft living”

• The health benefits of ballet

• A stress-free dinner option

• How anxiety can impact us at work

What to Know About “Soft Living”

Over recent years, many people have come to move away from a “grind” mentality and embrace a more relaxed lifestyle.

In a push to take on a calmer way of life, some have embraced the idea of “soft living.”

This concept was first popularized in the Nigerian influencer community and has since become globally widespread.

Also known as “slow living,” this lifestyle embraces self-care, and giving yourself time to explore the things you love. Rather than focusing on working overtime and trying to climb the corporate ladder, this way of life is about living in line with your values and doing what fills your cup.

Slow living is the antithesis of hustle culture.

A few ways you can embrace soft living include:

Do what fills your cup: Consider what you’d like to incorporate into your life, and seek more of that in each day. Move away from doing things that you simply feel like you “have” to, and instead focus on what you want to do.

Romanticize your day — and your life: Take time to appreciate the world around you, practice mindfulness, and soak in each moment.

Set boundaries: Say “no” to things that bring you stress, and “yes” to those that make you feel your best.

The Incredible Benefits of Ballet

If you didn’t take dance lessons as a child, you may assume that it’s too late to start. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth! An increasing number of people are sharing their love for beginning ballet as an adult.

In addition to learning a new skill, ballet has some awesome benefits!

• Engage your entire body: Ballet is an entire-body practice, which is great for moving all your different muscles and building strength!

• Improve coordination: With precise movements, this type of dance is great for helping boost coordination.

• Help posture: Ballet focuses on good posture, which can be great to focus on, especially if you work a desk job where you frequently feel slumped over.

• Pour into yourself: Whether it’s a way to get in touch with your body, enjoy others’ company, or learn a skill you’ve always wanted to try, taking up ballet is a great way to give back to yourself!

• Movement perks: From boosting endorphins to helping us rest easier, ballet gives you all those incredible benefits that come from moving your body!

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Is Anxiety Impacting You at Work? How to Manage

We all experience anxiety from time to time. However, for some of us, it may be more frequent than others.

When we’re at work, we may experience that lingering worry. Whether it’s caused by something work-related or external, those thoughts and feelings may impact our ability to do our best.

Anxiety at work may cause difficulty focusing, make us afraid of failure, and cause us to be less engaged with our tasks. These can all contribute to a performance that is less than we’d like to give.

So — how do you manage?

Here are a few tips to help:

• Try healthy compartmentalization: Compartmentalization is often given a bad reputation, but when done in an appropriate manner, can help you stay focused. Try to put those less-than-helpful, anxious thoughts, into a box, and give yourself time later to go back and address them.

• Take some deep breaths: Deep breathing can be incredibly calming and help soothe some of those feelings of anxiety.

• Care for your physical health: Not getting adequate sleep, not keeping your body fueled, and more can all worsen our anxiety. Prioritize your physical health so you have the energy to focus on your mental well-being, too.

• Go easy on yourself: Especially if your anxiety is work-related, it may stem from a fear that you’re not doing enough. Remind yourself of the facts, and celebrate your successes.

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: Research shows that 30 minutes of walking can improve our well-being, both physically and mentally!

• 🙋🏼‍♀️ Snapshot Of The Day: We'd love to see moments from our readers lives that they are proud of! If you recently accomplished an achievement, experienced a joyful moment, or are proud of a picture you have taken, be sure to capture it on camera and send it to us for a chance to be featured next week! 

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: Consider how your lifestyle impacts your mental health, and make small changes that help you feel your best!

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!