Relax Your Mind

Writing daily for thirty days can be a tough experience. The task may feel daunting, but don't wear yourself out over it. We don't want you to feel horribly stressed and burned  to a crisp! When it becomes a bit too much, take a step back to relax for a moment. These are some things I like to do when I'm stressed out.

Remember to breathe: Take those deep, slow breaths. When I feel tense, I have tendency to take shallow breaths. 

Listen to some music that puts you in a calm mood: When I'm feeling stressed, I tend to gravitate toward soft music that has no words. Sounds that are beautiful and calming. 

Take a walk or maybe a stroll: Walk around your block, feel the air on your face, and breathe deeply. Let nature remind you that this isn't the biggest thing in the world. It's just a tiny stepping stone in life. If you don't live around nature, go to where you find it relaxing in your neighborhood or at your home. Maybe you have a balcony you love, a back porch that is beginning to be sat on, or in a bubble bath. 

Seek quiet: I'm a library junkie, so I go to the one near me that has the least about of people and it's usually quiet every time I go there. It feels nice to be in a place where I'm not expected to talk. I can gather my thoughts and there's not a lot of outside distractions. Where's your quiet place?

No worries: Remember the goal is to write 30 poems in 30 days, however, if you miss a day, don't stress yourself out. Don't worry about it. Part of this experience is meeting new poets and supporting each other. If you miss a day, start the next one that you can. 

And don't forget to enjoy yourself. 

Tamara Woods was raised (fairly happily) in West Virginia where she began penning poems after a boy broke her heart. She shares poetry, short stories and writer interviews on her blog, PenPaperPad. Her writing has been featured in Mamalode, In the Powder Room, and many others. She is the editor for The Reverie Journal, which will be releasing it's first poetry collection early October. She also hosts #writestuff TweetChat where writers talk about writing every Tuesday at 9 pm EST. She is a hillbilly hermit living in Honolulu with her Mathmagician.