The smell of lavender has long been thought to have a calming effect, and some studies show that it can offer some relief for mild anxiety or sleep disruptions. I decided to try three relatively inexpensive lavender-scented skin care items, to see if they are more calming than their non-lavender counterparts.
Read MoreWhile doing research for a project about human physiology, I came across a man named Wim Hof, who claimed that his breathing technique could aid people both physically and psychologically. He claimed that his method aided sleep, energy, and concentration and eased symptoms of depression and anxiety. He also said that it would make exercising easier - at one point he claims that doing these breathing exercises will increase the number of push-ups that one can do until exhaustion.
Read MoreWhen I started this week-long experiment, I wasn’t really sure how it would turn out. How could posing for a few minutes in the morning noticeably change my day? Despite my hesitations, I went into the week with an open mind, and boy am I glad I did.
Read MoreWhile my goal in trying Calm was to improve my sleep, I’ve also been wanting to improve my ability to relax throughout the day, specifically in a way that does not involve screen time. Meditation seemed like the perfect fit, and I enjoyed Calm’s meditation. I felt comfortable breathing, and I successfully allowed myself to be completely immersed in the meditation, temporarily removing myself from all of the extraneous stressors I’d experienced throughout the morning.
Read MoreHow often have we looked into the mirror and hated what we’ve seen? You’re in the bathroom, washing your hands at the sink, and you raise your head. You see your face and judgments pour out of you. Somehow your eyes manage to land on every little flaw–every imperfection that you hate. You try your best to fix them, but to no avail. How do you hide that acne, change the shape of your eyes, cover up that eczema? So instead you leave it there, and walk out the bathroom with a slightly more dejected aura than when you entered.
Read MoreWhen I first opened the journal and saw a question asking what I wanted to accomplish in the next thirteen weeks, I was instantly overwhelmed. In thirteen weeks I’ll have graduated college and will be moving to a new city and into an apartment I have yet to find. How am I supposed to make long term goals when I don’t even know the start date of my new job?
Read MoreI often occupy myself with my phone so that I don’t have to think about whatever’s making me nervous about waking up the next morning, whether that’s a presentation, or work, or just the fact of waking up. So I decided to ditch the phone for a week--before bed, anyway--in order to see how things go.
Read MoreI am no stranger to silence. I was raised Quaker, and in lieu of traditional church services, Quakers observe a silent worship. When I came to college, I found that this practice was something I missed but I never took the time to keep up silent worship on my own.
Read MoreDAMN. opens with a question proposed to its audience – “Is it wickedness? Is it weakness?” and Kenny provides us with an immediate answer – “you decide.” Is this referring to his own demons? Is this referring to American struggles? Maybe it’s both?
Read MoreDanny Brown’s Atrocity Exhibition is first and foremost one of the most unique albums I’ve ever listened to. Danny has always been an artist that a lot of people don’t actively listen to because of the shrill voice he uses when he raps and the heavily explicit subject matter of his music. I’ll readily admit that before Atrocity Exhibition, I thought most of his work felt annoying and excessive.
Read MoreTwo weeks ago, I took a week-long break from all of the social media sites I have accounts on: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Reddit. I’m not somebody who posts or interacts with social media a great deal, at least compared to a lot of my peers, but regardless, I was very curious if not using them at all would affect my mentality.
Read MoreEarly in my first semester, it was maybe two coffees a week when I was exhausted. Then I discovered my love of Mountain Dew. I started downing glasses several times a week during the day when it was too hot and too late for coffee. Next thing I knew, it was at least one cup of caffeine almost every day. So much for not getting addicted.
Read MoreI have a tendency to reject the trendy. I keep eating gluten no matter what they tell me. I scoff at the prices of green juices and acai bowls. When I was asked to try meditating using the iPhone application Headspace, I clenched my jaw and hesitantly agreed.
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