To clear your mind

Like I said, I've been going on walks a lot lately and I've found that it really helps to clear my mind. Some walks are short, just to the store or to get something to eat, but others are 9 or 10 miles. Yesterday I walked through Cambridge and into Boston and there and back it was about a 9.25 mile walk. It felt GOOD.

I put in my headphones, took in all the sights, and just walked. It was so lovely. I could stop and go in a store if one caught my eye, I could take pictures of pretty streets, I could help tourists figure out where they were. I loved it so much. I did it last year too, but for some reason these walks are just better this year. I think it's because I've been thinking more lately and a walk is the perfect place to think about life.

SO, that brings me to what this post is about. Self care and ways to clear your head. I talk about self care quite a bit. I think it's SO important and there are so many ways to partake in it that we don't even realize. Here are some ideas for you that I personally do and view as excellent ways to improve your mindset and make for a better day.

1. Exercise (i.e. walking)

I won't go on about this too much, as I just did for quite a while. Even during the Summer, I found going to the gym and running on the treadmill, sweating out all my stress, was wonderful. It works!

2. Art

So, I'm an art therapy major and this almost sounds like a bit of an advertisement, but it's not! Art is a great way to clear your head. I take a lot of art classes and all, but I find that the best thing ever is to just sit down, put on Gilmore Girls and paint with watercolors or draw with pastels. You'll find it so calming and so rewarding, trust me.

3. Cleaning

If cleaning doesn't clear your headspace, I don't know what will. I'm a pretty messy person, but I love to just take a night, usually once a week, and clean. Put all my clothes away, vacuum the floors, clear off my desk, and make my bed, all while watching a movie. Once it's all done, it's such a good feeling and you immediately think straighter with a clean room. It's science, I think.

4. Baking

I do this when I'm home ALL the time. I Pinterest recipes and bake them, trying something new every time. It's so fun! Most cakes and pies are fairly easy to make too, so it shouldn't be stressful or anything. Which sometimes it is! If there are a million steps, it can get frustrating. But take a day, find a recipe, put on some music or an old show, and take your time making the perfect dessert. It'll feel (and taste) so good!

5. Read

Reading is awesome because, unlike watching a movie, you can't be on your phone the whole time and it can't just be on in the background while you do something else (unless it's an audio book). If it's a good book, you;ll be so intrigued and you'll totally block out the world around you. I've been reading a lot more than I used to and it feels awesome. I love having a stack of books beside me that I've finished and spending hours in the bookstore is how I prefer to spend a lot of my time.

What do you do to clear your mind or practice self care? Let me know!