Category: Guest Blogger

posts written by various Guest Bloggers

9 Unique Methods for Enhancing Your Mental Wellbeing

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by Guest Blogger Julia Merrill

Human minds often become accustomed to patterns and routines, which can create a plateau and impede our progress as individuals. That’s why Swellness Vibes has taken the time to outline a few unique techniques that you can use to kick-start your mental well-being and get yourself out of a rut.

1. Start Birdwatching

Birdwatching (or ornitherapy) can reduce symptoms of depression and provide an energy boost. Focusing on something outside of yourself takes your mind off of your troubles. Plus, time in nature has repeatedly been demonstrated to be soothing.

2. Try Improv Classes

Improv teaches you adaptability and provides the benefits of childlike play. Since improvising actors must accept the expressions and situations put forth by others, the exercise expands your awareness of others. The routines also teach acceptance without judgment.

3. Seek Innovative Counseling Methods

Therapy doesn’t just involve sitting on a couch and pouring out a history of your past. As psychiatry and psychology advance, new methods of coping with mental anguish are created to assist modern people. For example, ACT, or acceptance and commitment therapy, uses a principle of diffused mindfulness to help you observe your emotions with dispassionate curiosity. The Gottman Method has proven successful in assisting couples to create deeper bonds. You can also visit Swellness Vibes for more contemporary wellness tips!

4. Adjust Your Work Schedule

If you can work a hybrid schedule, take full advantage of your work-from-home time and increase your remote hours. The flexibility created by eliminating your commute makes space for mood-boosting activities like family time, exercise, extra sleep, and healthy meal prep.

5. Change Careers

When your current career leaves you disappointed and stressed, make plans to move on. Reports confirm that people spend fewer years with a company on average, and career changes are no longer seen as a negative item on your resume. Returning to school to earn a degree can position you to advance. Once you decide on your preferred degree, find an accredited online school. Compare tuition fees for competitive rates. With virtual studies, you can balance working full-time and caring for family obligations.

6. Adopt an Unconventional Pet

Cats and dogs need love, but many other pets would enjoy a warm home. Descented skunks are surprisingly playful and may not cause allergies. A lizard can be low-maintenance and fascinating to observe. Chinchillas are easy to keep in tiny homes and can live up to 20 years for long-lasting bonds. States vary in their regulations for what animals can be a pet, so check the laws before you bring a unique fuzzy or scaly friend home.

7. Declutter Your Life

Your dwelling needs to be a pleasurable retreat away from the outside world. Disarray creates confusion and can make your space unsafe. Avoid getting overwhelmed at the prospect of cleaning the whole home by targeting one room at a time, starting this weekend. Touch each item and sense if it brings you joy. Discard unnecessary and uninspiring items. Then create an organization system with creative containers and give every item a purposeful home.

8. Write Under a Pseudonym

If you want to put your experience into the world but are afraid of what family and acquaintances may think, start a blog under an assumed name. Now you have an outlet for your feelings and experiences without worrying about judgment.

9. Dunk Your Head in Cold Water

A variety of grounding techniques can be used to recalibrate when you’re spiraling. Submerging your head in cold water can serve as a gentle shock treatment to help you refocus when you’re overwhelmed.

Use these techniques to get started; in fact, along the way, you might encounter even more outside-the-box ways to enhance your mental health. Whatever you use, prioritize your self-care so you can be your best self!

Swellness Vibes is a site of offerings to feed your mind, body and soul. If you have any questions, please feel free to email infoallisonkeli@gmail.com.

Julia Merrill created BefriendYourDoc.org to share tips she has developed to help patients be their own advocate in seeking medical care, dealing with insurance companies, and contributing to their own health and well-being.

Traveling Professionals Can Do These 4 Things to Stay Healthy on the Road

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By Guest Blogger Zack Spring

Pursuing a career that demands a lot of traveling can be both fulfilling and stressful. When your work gives you the opportunity to visit amazing places and meet a wide variety of people, you gain valuable life experience that most others might only dream about. However, it can also feel like your travels are taking a lot from you. It is easy to lose track of the hours while on the road, and before you know it, an entire day goes by without tending to many of your physical and mental needs. When planning your travel schedule, keep a few healthy ideas in mind so that your body and mind can stay in good shape wherever you go.

1. Practice Good Safety Habits

It goes without saying that safety is paramount when driving long distances or using other forms of transportation. However, many travelers tend to overlook critical safety practices when staying at a hotel. You should always make sure to keep your luggage locked when you leave the room, use your door’s deadbolt for added security, and avoid staying on the ground level if possible.

Organizing and guarding your travel documents is another form of exercising good personal safety. You might even consider saving your important documents as PDF files on your phone for quick and convenient access. Sharing PDF files is a simple matter, and you don’t even need Wi-Fi access to pull up documents that are saved directly to your device.

2. Maintain an Exercise and Meditation Routine

Daily exercise is vital for maintaining a healthy body, and meditation can help calm the mind during stressful business trips. Feel free to take advantage of a hotel’s gym or communal spaces for your wellness routine while traveling. There are even great workout routines that you can complete from the comfort of your own hotel room.

As an alternative to yoga for meditation, you might seek out reiki treatment as a form of stress relief. Nani Lotus Bodywork can walk you through the many benefits of various holistic therapies.

3. Find Time for Hobbies

Traveling for work can make it feel like you are “on the clock” every minute of the day. There is much to do and a lot of ground to cover, so you might think that you have to spend your free time being productive.

Hobbies boost your mood and contribute to your overall mental health. There are even some great hobbies that you can take with you on the road. Keep a collection of ebooks on your tablet for easy reading, start a journal, or start practicing photography.

4. Travel With an Animal Companion

Hitting the road with a dog can be a great boost to your mental health, and can encourage you to stay active while traveling as well. Solopreneurs and freelancers can especially benefit from the companionship on what might otherwise be a lonely journey. Keep in mind that smaller dogs may be easier to travel with.

Be sure to pack plenty of toys and comforting items for your dog, and consider investing in a GPS collar as well. The best collars come with real-time mapping features that allow you to track your dog from your smartphone in case of an escape.

Neglecting one’s own health is a common pitfall among traveling professionals. If you make sure to prioritize personal wellness and staying safe while traveling, though, you can enjoy great experiences to the fullest while plying your trade.

Zack Spring works as a tech consultant which requires him to travel frequently. He also enjoys running and cycling – staying active as possible. He created TravelFit.info to encourage his readers to stay active while traveling.