Those of us who cannot afford the latest trendy product and excursion claiming to reinvigorate and de-stress need to still find ways to practice self-care without breaking the bank. Psychotherapist Kathleen Dahlen deVos told HuffPost, "Spending excessive money or funds we don't have in the name of 'self-care' can actually be distressing, destructive and work against our mental and emotional wellbeing." So, what should those of us without a ton of disposable income do to relax? Well, for starters, let's take a deep breath.
Alexandra Elle, author of "Growing in Gratitude," shared her best tip for cost-effective self-care that you can practice anywhere, at any time. "Take five minutes to decompress every day," she told Women's Health. "It's important to take time to breathe." Seems simple enough, right? We breathe every day, all the time, so what makes this practice any different? The trick is breath-control and mindfulness. Free yourself from distractions, find a nice, quiet place to breathe in through your nose, hold, and breathe out through your mouth. There are guided meditations all over YouTube and helpful breathing and meditation apps that make deep, focused breathing easy and purposeful. Or you can guide yourself whenever you need to pause and de-stress — after all, oxygen is free, right?
