Rituals for Unwinding
How do you unwind? Relaxation is becoming increasingly important to me as I consider stress’ impact on my health. I struggle with high blood pressure and take medication to control it. That does keep it in check but I also use holistic practices to help reprogram my type AA personality.
Here are a few things I do to unwind.
- I stopped watching the news at the suggestion of Dr. Andrew Weil in this book and I have never regretted the decision. If something enormous happens, someone will tell me, but otherwise, I don’t need to know. Most local news is simply crime reporting which I find depressing and sad. If I need to know world events I can get a quick update from the internet.
- I listen to classical or spa music at home. This is my favorite soothing CD which plays on a loop in my car.
- I buy fresh flowers for myself each week because having beauty around me is relaxing.
- I’ve just rediscovered the joy of immersing myself in a fun novel. My latest are by Fiona Davis. I just finished The Address and loved it! It’s historical fiction about the famous Dakota in New York City. I dreaded coming to the end so quickly ordered The Dollhouse which is about the glamorous Barbizon Hotel for women, set in the 1950’s and present day. I like her writing so much I just bought her latest book, The Masterpiece, which is about Grand Central Station in the 1920’s and 1070’s. Sadly, those are the only 3 books she’s written so I am open for suggestions:)
- I am writing in a gratitude journal each morning, taking time to meditate and diffusing essential oils.
camping - My newest ritual has been to get up before the sun, light a candle and sit quietly enjoying my tea. There’s something very soothing about watching the world wake up. I like how it sets the mood for my day and find it helps me be more productive.
- I burn candles. Most evenings you’ll find candles burning on my mantle, coffee table, and end table. I find them soothing plus everything looks better by candlelight.
I recently found what may be the healthiest candles around. The owner reached out to me and after I read her story and tried her candles, I wanted to share them with you. This is not a sponsored post.
Rebecca is a breast cancer survivor who stopped burning candles because of their toxins. She missed enjoying the ritual of burning a candle so in 2014 created a safer alternative and started Sanari Candles.
These special candles are made from organic coconut wax and non-GMO soy wax which is sourced from organic farmers who use sustainable sources. It turns out that good old coconut wax is one of the safest waxes to burn, plus its renewable and environmentally friendly.
She mixes in pure essential oils for the full aromatherapy effect. The wick is a wide unbleached cotton which burns cleanly and evenly, creating a triangular glow. The candles are hand-poured into a recycled stemless wine glasses. How’s that for environmentally friendly?
Rebecca has generously offered to give my readers a 25% discount with the code LIFE25 at checkout, which is good until 9/30/18.
She has also generously offered to give away a 16 oz candle to one of my readers. My favorite fragrance so far is this Pompelo which is a blend of Douglas Fir, Chamomile, and Lavender. So soothing!
To win the candle, simply pop over here and see which blend sounds yummiest to you, Then come back and leave it in the comments. I will pick a winner at random.
How do you unwind?
This giveaway is now closed.
Thanks for reading ladies and have a great day!
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Fresco, Granita and Bosco sound wonderful to me!! Thanks for sharing this, Jennifer!
Granita sounds wonderful. I love the scent of rosemary!
“GRANITA” sounds like my aroma profile…
The pine, Douglas fir and mint sounds yummy!
I do many of the same things to “unwind” and recommend a CD of “ocean sounds”…just the tide going in and out…I make believe I’m on the coast somewhere.
Thanks for the book suggestions! I would like to suggest Ruth Reichel’s trilogy of memoirs “Tender at the Bone”, “Comfort Me with Apples” and “Garlic and Sapphires”…they read like novels. Thanks, Jennifer for your lovely blog.
Bosco although they all sound delightful.
As one who needs all the help I can get unwinding, I just ordered a Sanari candle.
I did read The Dollhouse and loved it. I will check out the other titles. Thanks!
The Address was wonderful!
Loved Paula McLain’s (and anything she has written) Love and Ruin about Hemingway’s third wife. Kristan Hannah’s The Nightengale and The Great Alone are fabulous too. All novels about strong women. I hook onto authors too: Jody Picoult, Beatriz Williams, Jojo Moyer. I’m looking for interesting nonfiction reads like The Founding Gardeners.
Thank you Cassandra. These sound wonderful. Bookmarking this!!xo
For me, it would be a toss-up between the Sanam and the Aria. I love floral scents! If I had to choose only one, I would go with Aria, as it has both lavender and some citrus as well. I love that the candles are made of coconut and soy waxes and that they have been poured into recycled wine glasses!
I’m a huge fan of lavender and citrus too!
Hi Jennifer,
Up here in Alberta Canada, getting up before the sun is the norm for half the year! I do like early summer mornings – the crisp, cool air. I sit on my deck, drink tea and knit. Knitting is my stress relief – doing something creative and repetitive is very soothing. I’ve recently taken up yoga, and I find the deep breathing to be very good for re-focussing my mind.
Avoiding the news is a great idea – I try to tune it out as much as possible, however I’m married to a new/sports junkie. So I read while he watches the news – not the perfect solution, but it helps.
Lighting a candle and having a nice cup of mint tea sounds so lovely. I think that I would like to try the Sorbetto; in the depths of winter, the aroma of orange and coconut would be a wonderful reminder of the summer to come.
My husband is too! It drives me batty so I go into another room because the noise is so distracting.
Rosemary, Pink Grapefruit and Oak sounds wonderful. I really enjoyed your post and plan to adopt some of your tips. I’ve added Dr. Weil and Fiona Davis to my future reads as well. Thanks.
Those do sound wonderful! I love his books. He’s brilliant.
Thanks for a great post! The Aria scent sounds yummy to me.
Sounds like you have figured out a great way to start your day! Those candles sound wonderful – I think the Granita from the Citrus-Herbal Collection sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
It’s a lovely way to get going in the morning. Unless it’s too early like 2:30, then it’s a bit exhausting.
This is a wonderful post today, Jennifer. We all need to take time to unwind and refresh. Thank you for the reminder. I think the Granita (Rosemary, Pink Grapefruit, Dry Oak) candle sounds divine!
I have taken time this summer to read. I step away from technology and immerse myself in a good book. Nothing more relaxing than a summer afternoon spent reading outdoors! Right now I’m reading Emily Giffens’ “All We Ever Wanted.”
That does sound yummy. They’re all amazing ingredients. Thanks for the suggestion
Granita sounds wonderful!!!
I love burning candles as well……it sets the mood ????????????????. I really like the reason behind making these candles! My favorite is; Basco-Pine, Douglas Fir, Mint !! My Birthday is in December and this has always been my favorite time of year!
Have a Blessed Day,
Holly
That does sound good! I love the scent of trees so that would be great
The Trentino candle sounds fabulous! I too have been looking for ways to de stress. I know that I wake up exhausted every morning. I started wearing a Fitbit and found that I am not getting hardly any deep sleep, mostly light sleep. I have began using candles, reading before bed and no electronics late in the evening.
The electronics at night are so stimulating it keeps me up too. Hard habit to break, but so much better for us. Have you had a sleep study? My husband found he had sleep apnea and has been helped so much by using a little machine.
For the upcoming fall/winter, the pine, douglas fir, and mint sounds wonderful!
I agree. Cozy cool weather scents
I enjoy the rituals of my morning, especially now that I am retired! Opening the blinds, pouring my coffee, sitting out on the porch with my pets and watching the day wake up. We live in the country and have our own private lake…so I see Great Blue herons, ducks, geese and right now lots of hummingbirds at the feeders. I call it the Magic Hour because it is so calm and peaceful as the sun comes up. It sets the tone for the day.
My hubby is not fond of scented candles, but the citrus herb collection sounds divine, especially the Persian lime.
Your place sounds divine!! Can I move in?
I was just wondering what book to read next and now I have three to devour, thanks Jennifer! mmm, I bet Bosco smells like Christmas trees. Lovely, natural candles!
I’m going to order Bosco myself. It sounds amazing!