It’s never too late to take personal inventory and check in with yourself. How is your mental health? When was the last time you drank some water or ate a fully balanced meal? Can you remember the last time you inhaled and exhaled with intention? Do you have a quiet place nearby where you can decompress? When was the last time you visited that place?

Self care can be as simple as getting up and brushing your teeth, washing your hair, or taking a long shower or bath. Let’s take it up a notch … when was the last time you exercised? Did you sweat? If you are not the type to lift weights, how would it feel to take a walk around the corner and take a deep breath in the outside air? Do you have a friend or online community that you feel safe with? When was the last time you checked in with them? What’s your personal time off (PTO) situation like at work? When was the last time you used it? Do you have a hobby that you’ve been ignoring? When was the last time you had a physical checkup with your doctor?

Actually, let’s take it back to basics … when was the last time you got a full night’s sleep?

All of these questions may seem arbitrary, but the lack of these things can increase the stress level in your life, sometimes without you realizing it. The last thing we want to do is find out we have a stress problem affecting our body before it’s too late.

I recently started painting again and quickly noticed how much it stops my mind from racing. For a long time, yoga was a major part of life until it wasn’t. Getting back into the groove of things has been challenging, but it feels satisfying just to try. I also just discovered the joy of singing bowls!  The point is, it’s imperative to make a conscious effort to take time for yourself and enjoy healthy pastimes. Stress is a natural part of life, but how we deal with it is what matters most. Below are some selections from our catalog that may help you or someone you love!

Himalayan Sound Revelations: The Complete Singing Bowl Book by Frank Perry

Second, expanded edition of the 'bible' of Himalayan Singing Bowls and their sounds. Particularly useful is the wide scope of the book, which includes not just Tibetan and other bowls and the techniques used to sound them but Chinese bells, drilbu and ding-sha, the planets, elements and chakras, cymatics, overtones and partials, nada yoga, mantras, symbolism and astrology of the bowls, their relation to western music, Pythagoras and Newton, and the psychic integrity and true awareness of the bowl user.

Aromatherapy for Self-Care: Your Complete Guide to Relax, Rebalance, and Restore With Essential Oils by Sarah Swanberg

Essential oils have been used for natural wellness for centuries, and Aromatherapy for Self-Care is bringing this ancient medicine into the modern world. Wherever you're at on your aromatherapy self-care journey, this book will help you harness these powerful plant extracts to start feeling better inside and out.

The Anxiety First Aid Kit: Quick Tools for Extreme, Uncertain Times by Rick Hanson and others

A quick-relief guide for calming anxiety and stress right now--during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you're feeling unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety right now, please know that you aren't alone. In these extreme and uncertain times, it's natural to be in a constant state of mental and physical strain.

The Way of Stretching: Flexibility for Body and Mind by Anne Kent Rush

Rush draws on principles and practices from yoga, massage, the Japanese martial art aikido and other traditions for her comprehensive program to create and sustain health through a balanced system of "safe stretching." According to the author, who has written many books on massage and yoga, the easiest low-impact movements offer the greatest benefits (in terms of longevity). Key to Rush's system is what she calls the Rush Reverse, an approach to exercise that trains the body to stretch "by relaxing rather than by straining."

Is Work Killing You?: A Doctor's Prescription for Treating Workplace Stress by David B. Posen

A timely, insightful, and essential guide to conquering workplace stress. Posen gives you the tools to stop harming your most valuable resource-- yourself.