HEALTH

Let's face it: Life can be incredibly draining sometimes. And it's not *just* homework and studying—your sched can easily get clogged with practices, rehearsals, college apps, family obligations, social activities and more. While those are all fulfilling, the fact is they are also time-consuming. That can create stress and make you feel overwhelmingly busy.

Don't feel bad if you get exhausted by all of it! That's normal, bb. But it could be helpful to incorporate some dedicated time to unwinding and decompressing into your routine. You may have a long list of priorities and tasks during the school year, but taking care of yourself should definitely be on it.

One of the ways to do that? Meditation. If you're not completely sure where to start, we've compiled four quick + easy meditations for you. 

1. Deep breathing meditation

When you're anxious, you don't always take in deep breaths—which can actually make your anxiety worse. Deep breathing helps you calm down, especially if it's done for a few minutes at a time. This guided meditation will walk you through how to practice deep breathing so you can get back to feeling chill. 

2. Essential oil meditation

Scent can be suuuper relaxing (Lavender! Chamomile! Eucalyptus!). The cool thing about this meditation is that once you practice it a few times, it's easy to do on the go. Even if you roll some essential oil onto your wrist or keep an oil in your backpack, you can always take a few seconds to take some deep breaths with your fave relaxing scent.

3. 5-4-3-2-1 grounding meditation

This meditation focuses on using your senses to ground yourself. Grounding is the practice of becoming more present so that you're fully in the moment. When you get stressed, you tend to be focused on the future or worried about things in the past. Coming back to the present moment can help you feel more calm. 

4. Self-compassion meditation

When you're feeling stressed, it can be easy to be hard on yourself. Maybe you start feeling bad about how you did on an important HW assignment or regretting a decision you made. A self-compassion meditation can help you quiet your inner critic. It's basically a good way to send yourself some loving vibes. 

Need more wellness tips? Check these out:
🧖‍♀️ 10 ways to take care of your mind during Mental Health Awareness Month
🧖‍♀️ Everything you need to know about revenge bedtime procrastination
🧖‍♀️ It's Mindfulness Day! Here are 5 ways to live more intentionally

Follow @girlslifemag on Instagram for more back-to-school tips!

Top and slider images: @mel.amartinez

by Samantha Bothwell and Kayla Conroy | 9/2/2024