It is an understatement to say that this year has been hard. From a global pandemic to horrible injustice and inequality there are so many awful things happening in our country. It is so important to speak up during these times and do your part to help.

With everything going on there is one thing that you can not forget about, and that is to take care of your mental health. It is easy to lose focus on what your mind and body is telling you. In times of trouble it is important to take care of yourself as well as others. Here are just a few ways to take a small moment and clear your mind.

One of the easiest ways to relax your mind is to use meditation apps. There are many different apps out there so try them out and see what works best for you. I have tried Headspace and Calm in the past, and I currently use Simple Habit. What I love about Simple Habit is that it is easy to choose meditations based off of your personal needs. There is a meditation for everything and they range from 5 minutes to 20 minutes or more. I love the 5 minute coffee meditation in the morning and the 5 minute deep sleep meditation in the evening. Taking just five minutes for yourself to clear your mind will make a big difference when navigating the rest of your day.

Yoga goes hand in hand with meditation but it is another great way to clear your mind while working your body. Yoga by Adrienne is a great YouTube channel to follow for free yoga videos.

It is important to stay involved and stay up to date on what is going on, but it is very important to take some time to put down the phone and stay off social media. Whether it is committing your mornings to be social media free or giving yourself a deadline of 8pm each night it is important to give your mind a break from the influx of reposts on social media.

Take care your mind, and take care of others. Love, hope, and understanding will always overcome hate.