Whatever's happening in your life this month, there will likely be moments where you just need a moment of peace. There's nothing better for you (and honestly, for the people around you too--when was the last time you enjoyed being around someone who was stressed out?!) than to take some time to be.

Here are a few tips to help you find your inner calm.

Stretch & Relax

These are two things that might not seem to go hand in hand but definitely do! Stretching your muscles will help your overall health and comfort, and once you've stretched, taking a moment to relax can be extremely restorative and calming.Try doing simple stretches: toe touches, arm stretches, side stretches, lunges. Do a couple repetitions of each in a peaceful environment. Don't stretch to the point of pain!

Once you've stretched, sit down, close your eyes, and focus on relaxing each part of your body. A soothing neck warmer or a sleeping mask over your eyes can help. 

Meditate & Breathe

You've heard it before but it's worth repeating: meditation and taking a moment to breathe is an amazing way to relieve stress. Okay, so you might feel a little silly, and it's okay to go in your office and lock your door first. However, the reward will be a much calmer outlook!

Try this simple exercise:

1. Sit or lie down comfortably.

2. Close your eyes and breathe naturally.

3. Whatever thoughts come into your mind, think about them as if you were a third party observer taking a peek. No judgement allowed!

Doing this once or twice a day, even if it's only for 5 or 10 minutes, can vastly improve your mood and your ability to remain calm.

Laughter & Music

There's a reason "laughter is the best medicine" is such a long-running cliché: it's been repeatedly found that laughter releases "feel-good" hormones that can be beneficial to your health and definitely to your mood!

Music has a similar effect, and the fact that different types of music affect you differently can be used to your advantage.

If you need to relieve stress, try finding a comedian to listen to while you're doing other tasks like exercising, tidying the house, or driving in the car. Allow yourself to laugh! 

For an overall calm, try making a playlist of soothing music or sounds, or find one someone else has made and listen to it in the background as you work or when you're meditating.

It's a stressful world out there. It's okay to take a few minutes for yourself and recenter. Treat yourself!