If you’ve made it to my blog, you’re probably under some stress. You may be in the middle of a major life change, like a divorce or relocation or job change. You may simply be overwhelmed by the demands of day-to-day living. No matter what’s brought you here, I’m sure you want to be your best self and live your best life. Amen! But surrendering to huge change takes a lot of time, patience, and growth. And you still have to keep your sanity in the meantime.
So this is a list of quick (and mostly free!) stress busters to help you in the everyday moments of life. I suggest reading the list for your Sun and Moon. If you feel particularly close to another planet in your chart, read that one, too!
Stress buster #1: Do something that scares you (within reason)
You are a warrior.
Some people are meant for calm, peaceful existences with little turbulence or excitement. You are not one of them. As an Aries, you need to have exhilarating experiences. Aries people are the thrill seekers of the zodiac, the front-line soldiers, the athletes, and Spartans.
If you are not regularly testing yourself, you’re off track. This could mean engaging in thrilling physical activities, like skydiving or riding a motorcycle. It could mean having difficult conversations and speaking your truth boldly and unapologetically. Whatever it is that gets your blood pumping, do it. You are you here to LIVE life, not just watch it.
So do something that requires bravery and makes you a little nervous. Note: (Not reckless! Not insane! Not without any forethought!). You guys are good for doing crazy things, so try to remember to keep it sane.
Stress Buster #2: Get Some Exercise
Yeah, yeah, this is a recommendation for everyone, right? But for Aries, it’s essential. Aries takes after Mars, the God of War, and you have a lot of physical energy to expend. If you’re feeling stuck, you can jumpstart your energy by doing something active. And it doesn’t have to be at the gym. A walk around your neighborhood, yoga in your living room, and boxing in your garage are all activities you can do in and around the comfort of your home.
Stress Buster #3: Burn something
Not a person. Not a building. Don’t commit murder or arson. But you could burn a candle or old journals. Aries is a fire sign, and by my estimation, the fire sign. So doing some (safe!) fire magic could be therapeutic for you and help you release some old anger and hurts.
Stress buster #1: Connect to Nature
When was the last time you put your feet in the grass? Hugged a tree? Sat outside and looked at nature for no reason except to be present? It’s vital to your soul’s health that you regularly return to nature because you are, at heart, Mother Nature’s favorite child and protector. Perhaps you could get a plant or two. You can also reconnect to and honor Nature by using fresh ingredients to cook, having a glass of wine (or water, whatever floats your boat), and taking in the splendor around you. Making this a habit (daily, if possible), is a great first step in righting the ship of your life.
Stress Buster #2: Beautify your Surroundings
Your home and surroundings are important to your mental health and wellbeing. As a Venusian person, beauty and luxury are important to you. That doesn’t make you shallow! It’s just how you’re made, and how you’re made is exactly how you’re meant to be. You could splurge on some nice pillows and super soft blankets. You could buy (or make) some sweet-smelling candles. If you’re feeling stuck, one excellent to jumpstart your energy is to just change up your space. Switch up the arrangement of your furniture, paint a wall, or buy something new. Your home is your sanctuary. Make it peaceful.
Stress Buster #3: Treat Yoself
I know, the Taurus food memes have been done to death. But there is a reason they persist. As an Earth sign, you enjoy the pleasures of the Earth. That includes good food, good wine, and good sex. There’s no shame in it. Embody your Earth goddess spirit! (within reason, of course).
Stress Buster #1: Put that big brain to work.
When was the last time you got into a titillating debate with someone? Learned a new word? Read a really good book? You need mental stimulation every day, or you will probably be cranky and bored. You also need to talk about all the interesting thoughts and plans that form in your mind. If you have someone who’s willing to listen to your many trains of thought, great! Call them. Text them.
Empty your mind so you can make space for the new fabulous ideas that are surely to come. You could also invest in a journal and make it a daily habit to write down your feelings and thoughts. Start a podcast. Make a YouTube video. Any way you feel comfortable is fine; the key is to get your thoughts out of your head and into the world. Decluttering your mind is a great first step in righting the ship of your life.
Stress Buster #2: Multitask
Do a puzzle. Read a book. Write a book. Or even better, do them all at once! Is it chaotic? Yes. Will it please your soul? Also, yes. Like Mercury, the clever tricky messenger to the gods, you are capable of doing many things at once and you may even function better when you do that. If you find yourself bored and restless when you try to focus on one thing at a time, focus on two things at a time. Don’t fight your natural energy.
Stress Buster #3: Get some Air
Gemini is an Air sign, so putting yourself in the airy element is like recharging your batteries. Maybe you could try indoor skydiving, or just drive with the windows down and let the air hit your face and refresh you. When you’re feeling off or down, a quick hit of fresh air will help reset you.
Stress Buster #1: Take some alone time
Cancer is represented by the Crab. This means that while you have soft, caring interior, you likely also have an exterior that can be hard and difficult to penetrate. You are likely someone who goes inward when things upset you and you may have a tendency to shut down, retreat into your shell, and block out the world. Nurturing people and things around you is fulfilling but also can be draining, and it’s vital that you take time to be alone, decompress and regroup so your shell doesn’t become so hard that you end up isolating yourself from others. If you are feeling stuck right now, insisting upon and actually taking time to be alone is a great first step in righting the ship of your life.
Stress Buster #2: Nurture someone or something (within reason)
There’s no avoiding that you are a nurturer by nature. Cancer is associated with motherhood, children, and the home. So even if you don’t have kids and don’t want them, there is likely a part of you that yearns to care for something or someone other than yourself. You can find healthy ways to do this without overextending yourself. You could care for a pet, a plant, or a cause. Volunteer or get involved with a group that is especially dear to your heart. Whatever you do, don’t fight your nurturing instincts. But also remember to set and maintain healthy boundaries regarding your time and emotional bandwidth.
Stress Buster #3: Take a bath
I’m not suggesting that you’re smelly. Cancer is a water sign, so you need to regularly be around water. This could include going to a beach or a lake, standing in the rain, or going swimming. But in my experience, the best (and most readily available) water reset for Cancer is a bath. Added bonus points if you cry while you’re in there.
Stress Buster #1: Get Creative
When is the last time you unleashed the artist inside you? Painted a picture? Wrote a story? Took center stage at karaoke with your friends? You need to shine, and you shouldn’t let anyone shame you for it. Even if you are introverted or shy, there is something inside you that longs to be seen and applauded. And even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket or color inside the lines, who cares? If you are feeling stuck, doing something creative and fun is a great first step in righting the ship of your life.
Stress Buster #2: Play!
You have a childlike fascination with the world. As we get older, we tend to lose sight of the things that brought us joy as children. You, more than most, need to stay in touch with your inner child. Think back to the things you used to love to do. Go to a park and play outside. Watch cartoons. Eat your favorite candy (in moderation, of course).
Stress Buster #3: Blast Music
If you can sing, great. You go, Whitney Houston. If you can’t, sing anyway. Loudly! And badly! And dance while you’re at it. You’re a performer at heart and even if nobody is there to cheer you on, the imaginary crowd in your head can’t get enough. You are also a fire sign, so you have lots of energy to burn, especially when you’re feeling cooped up and frustrated. So bust out your headphones or speakers, play your favorite jams, and twerk!
Stress Buster #1: Serve in a healthy, satisfying way
Are you doing too much for too many people? Bogged down at work because you’re so competent that they keep giving you more work without stopping to recognize that you’re a human with limitations? Are you so dependable and reliable that other people are dumping their crap onto you? STOP. Breathe. Prioritize your sanity and health before anyone else’s. You can be helpful without burning yourself out. Figure out what must be done now, and what can wait. And take time for yourself. Remember, you have to put on your own oxygen mask before you can assist someone else.
Stress Buster #2: Stop beating yourself up
You are a perfectionist. Don’t deny it. I’ve never met a Virgo who wasn’t. Virgo is associated with Mercury, the quick-witted, intelligent, (sometimes) helpful messenger to the gods, and you carry this energy within you. There’s no denying that you are probably smart and can see better ways to do things, but you have to be careful not to be too hard on yourself or others in your pursuit of perfection. Perfection is an unattainable goal, and it’s important for Virgos to remember that perfection is the enemy of good enough. And good enough is good enough!
Stress Buster #3: Get some Plants
You’re an Earth sign, so you need to have a regular connection to the Earth and her elements. Get a plant (or 50) that don’t require a lot of maintenance, that you can take care of easily and perfectly, and that will bring a little bit of Mother Earth into your home. You could also get some fake plants that don’t require any work at all (since you probably already have 46 things on your to-do list), but that still have the same calming effect.
Since you’re here reading about sun signs, you might also be interested in this post: “Your Sun Sign, Your Purpose.”
Stress Buster #1: Rearrange your home, wardrobe, and furnishings
Your home and surroundings are important to your mental health and wellbeing. As a Venusian person, beauty and luxury are important to you. You could splurge on some nice pillows and super soft blankets. You could buy (or make) some sweet-smelling candles. If you’re feeling stuck, one excellent to jumpstart your energy is to just change up your space. Switch up the arrangement of your furniture, paint a wall, or buy something new. Your home is your sanctuary. Make it peaceful.
Stress Buster #2: Make Art
When is the last time you unleashed the artist inside you? Painted a picture? Wrote a song? You need to create, and you shouldn’t let anyone shame you for it. And even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket or color inside the lines, who cares? Creating is likely to bring you peace and scratch an itch you may not have previously been able to put your finger on. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and nobody else has to see it if you don’t want them to. This is for you. Have fun with it.
Stress Buster #3: Gossip
I know you’re probably like, wait what? Gossip as self-care? Yes, Queen. You are an air sign and air is the element of communication. As a beloved former co-worker of mine once said, “talky, talky, talky, so much talky.” (He was a Sagittarius). Anyway, talk! When you’re feeling glum or frustrated, call your bestie and spill the tea. Your little Libra heart will be full.
Stress Buster #1: Stop Watering yourself down to fit in with people who can’t handle you
You’re intense. There’s nothing wrong with that, or with you. You were made exactly as you were supposed to be made, and your intensity is a gift. One important way to get back to yourself is to honestly assess where and how you have made yourself smaller and watered yourself down to make other people more comfortable and less intimidated by you. If there are people around you that can’t handle you, then perhaps they are not worthy of your time and energy. You are a powerhouse. Be that, and be it unapologetically. Take stock of people that accept you and cherish you as you are, and keep those people around! If there’s someone in your life right now that always makes you feel bad or like you have to be less than, block them. Delete them. Unfollow them. Fuck them (but not literally).
Stress Buster #2: Laugh
Yeah, the Scorpio mission is not for the weak of heart. The flipside of doing shadow work is remembering to laugh and take it easy sometimes. Even you, with your depth and ability to handle difficult experiences, need a break from all that intensity. What makes you laugh? Stand-up comedy specials on Netflix? Mindless trashy TV? The shows you used to love when you were a kid? Whatever it is, make sure you’re balancing your intense introspection with some silly lightheartedness and people and situations that bring you joy.
Stress Buster #3: Watch true crime and walk in the rain
Watch true crime because we are a morbid bunch. And walk in the rain because we are water signs and we need a connection to water. For some, this could mean a visit to the beach or a long hot shower. But I personally never feel more energized than when it rains. I like to watch the rain, hear it, and even walk around in it. Nature’s bath, baby. Check the forecast and get drenched the next time it rains.
Stress Buster #1: Take a Trip
Some people are totally fine staying exactly where they are, doing the same things they’ve always done. You are not one of those people. You need change, excitement and exposure to worlds that are different from your own. Expanding your mind is essential for your happiness, and one of the best ways to do that is to travel. Travel ain’t cheap, I know. If you have the means to travel the world, do that. If not, take advantage of all the learning opportunities around you. Visit museums. Learn a new language. Read or listen to a book that fascinates you, even if you’ll never use that knowledge in real life. You’re an explorer, so explore!
Stress Buster #2: Develop a Spiritual Practice
Sagittarius energy is philosophical. You’re a thinker and a questioner, and you may be more spiritually inclined than you know. When life throws a curveball at you and you don’t know where to go, developing a spiritual practice can really help you make sense of the world around you. Despite what popular belief may be, there are no limits on spirituality. We are all connected and we are all capable of spiritual connection with something greater than ourselves. If you already have a spiritual or religious practice, evaluate whether it’s serving you and feeding your soul. If you don’t already have one, think about how you can create one and get in touch with your expansive inner knowing.
Stress Buster #3: Get Active
You are the last of the Fire signs, so you have a lot of fiery energy. If you’re not regularly expending this energy, you probably become irritable and depressed. So get moving in whatever way feels best for you. Play basketball. Go swimming. Hike a mountain. Do gymnastics. Just get up and go, and you’ll feel better.
Stress Buster #1: Do one small thing on your to-do list
Life is lifing. We’re all busy and have a million things to do. You, more than most, have a drive to stay on top of things, be productive, and work hard. All admirable traits. But your mental health is important, too, and Capricorns can drive themselves crazy trying to do all the things at all the times and forgetting to rest every now and then. So of all the things you want to do, what must be done and what can wait? Out of the things that must be done, pick something small and manageable that you can do without a ton of effort. That way, you get to check something off your list while preserving your sanity.
Stress Buster #2: Laugh
Like Scorpio, you can be very serious and quite intense. You’re probably a no-nonsense person at the core, and you take your job/life/friends/everything incredibly seriously. You’re here to work, after all, not play games. But. It’s important to take a break from all that winning and remember to laugh and lighten up. As serious as you are, you can also be pretty funny and surprisingly goofy. So lean in it that, especially when you’re overwhelmed and fretting over all the things you just must accomplish. Chill out sometimes.
Stress Buster #3: Add Earth Tones and White to your Color Scheme
Capricorn is an Earth sign, so colors like brown and green are good for you because they are grounding. Capricorn season is also the start of winter, so frosty white might help you tap into your inherent energy, especially when you’re in a rut. Why not paint a room (or wall, if you’re not that bold yet) earth tones or white? Add these colors to your wardrobe. You may have a classic sense of style, and wearing all white is quite Boss Bitch of you. Try earthy lipstick or nail polish. Yes, these are small things but sometimes it’s the small things that really get us going and help us make bigger steps later on.
Stress Buster #1: Hang with your friends
Aquarius has a reputation for being detached and hard to get close to romantically. But one group Aquarius has no trouble at all getting close to? Their friends. Few people ride harder for their friends than this sign, and if you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up, a friend hang could do the trick. Getting together in person will probably be the most fulfilling. But if that’s not possible, a phone call, Facetime, or even a marathon text session should perk you right up.
Stress Buster #2: Change up your Look
Whenever I am trying to explain Aquarius energy to someone, I always use the example “they’re the type to dye their hair purple.” One of my best friends is an Aquarius and she dyed her dog’s mohawk purple. Same thing! You are your own person in every way. The rhythm of your life is probably different from most people you know. Instead of fighting that, embrace it. Be weird. Dye your hair purple or red or platinum. Wear something outrageous. Let your freak flag fly!
Stress Buster #3: Dig into astrology!
I’m not just saying that because you’re here, on an astrology website. I’m saying it because Aquarius is naturally associated with astrology and other hippie dippie pursuits. You’re a weirdo, and you would fit right into the world of stars and planets and interpretations. Become familiar with your birth chart. Read up on it and learn. (Actually learn. Don’t just read one blog post and think you’re an expert. Sorry, friend). Keep a moon journal. Chart your feelings. Get into it!
Stress Buster #1: Schedule some healthy escapism
When’s the last time you saw a movie in the theaters? Attended a concert? Read a book that moved you? And how can you schedule more activities like this? You’re a sensitive soul, and you need regular breaks from everyday life. That’s nothing to be ashamed of. We’re all made exactly as we were meant to be made, and the world needs caring people like you. Take care of your mental health by prioritizing alone time and losing yourself in something you love. Beware: Pisces energy is prone to addiction. So please escape in a healthy way, not through abusing drugs and alcohol. 🙂
Stress Buster #2: Pray, Meditate, or Connect to the Other Side
You’re a psychic. Full stop. No ifs, ands, or buts. And if you’re not regularly tapping into the energy, your soul might be yearning for the connection to something deeper. If you like to pray, do that. If the thought of prayer is unappealing to you, try meditation. There’s no right or wrong way to connect. Sitting quietly with the intention of being present with yourself is all you have to do. Also, if you receive information through dreams, you could start a dream journal to write down all your thoughts and visions. You have gifts. Use them!
Stress Buster #3: Go to the beach (or pretend you’re there by taking a bath)
Not only are you the last of the water signs, but you’re a mythical descendant of Neptune, the god of the seas. You’re a mermaid, through and through. And you’re represented by the fish. So your connection to water cannot be overstated. Get it in any way you can. Go to the lake, take a bath, stand in the rain, etc. But when you have the time and resources, definitely go to the beach. Prepare your family and loved ones that you may not return.
There you have it!
Some quick, easy, and mostly free suggestions to bust your stress based on your sign. Because you are an amalgamation of so many energies, you might resonate with a lot of these even they’re not your Sun or Moon sign. If you would like to work with me and come up with a self-care plan that’s personalized for you, hit me up for a free 30-minute mini reading here.
Til next time,
Jam
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