4 Unconventional Ways To Relieve Anxiety
Phone a friend or Google for help and you'll see that the most popular recommendations for soothing anxiety revolve around expensive and inexpensive self-care tips, exercise, and diet habit changes. Of course, those are all great suggestions but those options can be costly and take more energy than you have at the moment.
While you're working toward becoming that soul-cycling vegan queen with the 7-step skincare routine, an instant low-effort pick-me-up is possible in the meantime. If the thought of yoga and breathing exercises gives you the anxiety it's supposed to eradicate, try some of the ideas below:
Get Into A Good Horror Flick
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This may seem counterintuitive, but hear me out. Watching a quality horror or thriller movie will keep your mind away from your issues and make them seem minuscule in comparison.
In one of my favorite films, Insidious Chapter 3, a character is followed around by a frail corpse-like demon in a hospital gown who's trying to possess her. It may seem silly but once the credits flashed and I came out of the trance-like state good films put you in, I let out a sigh of relief that my day to day life isn't even half as stressful.
Trying A Little Stress Relief With Kinetic Sand
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Kinetic sand is an enhanced version of a stress ball. It's regular sand mixed with silicone oil which makes it feel incredibly soft and silky. Molding or squeezing the sand has a similar effect to watching "Oddly Satisfying" videos on YouTube. Even therapists recommend it because of its proven ability to soothe and calm. At under $10, it's affordable and almost impossible to make a mess, so it's worth a try.
Hit The Road For A Day Trip
Getty ImagesTraveling cross-country or out of the country isn't necessary to clear your mind. If you find yourself yearning for a change of scenery, sometimes what you need is right next door. Hundreds of people have explored even the most seemingly mundane locations. There are definitely parts of your city and state that you haven't explored that will leave you pleasantly surprised.
Journal Your Deepest, Darkest Thoughts
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No matter how close you are to your family, friends, or spouse there are still some things you're probably keeping to yourself. But problems can arise when you become consumed by unresolved issues you're too afraid to share with others. Instead of suppressing your emotions or dealing with incessant inner dialogue, you can try your hand at self-therapy. Getting your thoughts down on paper can help you see things clearly and ultimately resolve your dilemma.
Journaling can also help you figure out other things about yourself that you weren't aware of. The daily practice of free-writing and looking over what you've written will reveal areas of your life that need improvement. You might also find hidden interests and ways to self-soothe that you can add to your own list.
Featured Photo by Shutterstock
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Chantel Turner is a Los Angeles based writer who's passionate about mental health, philosophy, and pop culture. You can reach me by email at CTTWrites[at]gmail.com or https://chantelturner.contently.com.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
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Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images