The Silliest, Yet BEST Stress Relief Tip

As a mother of 3 kids (although one still in the belly), stress can be my middle name, so I should know! :) Of course this tip isn't a magical solution if you're going through serious problems, but I can attest that for sure it helps you get through the day if you're just in a funk. 

This is where my blog is gonna sound like Polyanna lol...but I don't care because it's true! And I never hesitate to promote cheesiness when it works :).

So here we go! My number 1 tip for long, long days full of little stressful moments is...

Surround yourself with things that make you smile. 

What I mean is, leave little pick-me-ups here and there that will make life's tedious routines seem a little more interesting. A couple of examples of how I've been doing this:

I have "a cup of Johan" every morning.
Ever watched a commercial for Gevalia coffee? If not, here's one:


This would always make me laugh, while hubby rolled his eyes. Then when the sight of it made me smile again during a stressful grocery shopping trip, I decided I needed that chuckle every morning. Why not give it a try? Hubby's like, "I can't believe I'm allowing this in my house" lol. 

My new cheaper phone is WAY cuter - and sillier.  
So in order to save money (preparing for third kid and all that), we changed our phone plans and got ourselves less sophisticated ones. I know, this idea used to make me hurl, but 2 weeks in Brazil (where my cell didn't work) totally cured me! I discovered it's possible to live happy without checking email and facebook 24/7, imagine that. And besides, at home I'm already attached to my Mac Air, so really, how long did I have to stay online??

With this new revelation, my heart was open to the lovely T-Mobile Concord, and then I found this ADORABLE cover for it:

It's another little reminder for me not to take my day too seriously. I mean, how can you when you're talking on a phone that looks like Dorothy the Dinosaur? (which is NOT reason the why I bought it lol - I noticed the resemblance after the purchase). Another silly thing - my new alarm clock is the sound of a rooster :).

Again, these make ME smile. If what rocks your world is a much classier cover or whatever, go for it! The important thing is, surround yourself with things that cheer you up.

I don't mean for this post to become one big advertisement, but just wanted to make a point that as mothers, we can get so busy trying to make our children (and the rest of the world) happy that we forget to provide little treats for ourselves along the way. Like, I used to just roll out of bed and go tackle the children, but I noticed that spending a few minutes fixing myself up a bit (concealer and lipstick can do the trick) REALLY makes a difference. Turns out it's easier not to feel like a zombie when you don't look like one :).

What about you? What makes you tick throughout the day? Remember, especially if you're a stay-at-home mom - you matter too! Now go think of something silly and unnecessary for the sole purpose of adding a smile to your day.