Anxious? ...Think Back To Your Younger Days...

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We all deal with anxiety every day in some shape or form.  Sometimes it is a minor stress or worry, and other times it can be a major distressing event that causes us to lose sleep and worry constantly... Being under constant stress is unhealthy for our minds AND bodies, therefore, we often try various techniques to relax, which are wonderful and effective.  HOWEVER, have you ever thought about grabbing a can of play-dough when stressed? 
Well, play-dough can actually be extremely useful!  Think about the use of a stress ball... just having something in your hand to squeeze when you are feeling tense can give some relief.  So the use of play-dough can be very similar.  
You could also go about this in a different way and even find that inner child, and use the play-dough to distract yourself for a few minutes, and build something out of the play-dough.  Anything that distracts your mind from the constant worries/stresses can be beneficial, even if it only lasts for a few minutes.
Another great thing about play-dough is that you can even make your own!  And we can take this a step further by incorporating aroma therapy.... You will see the recipe below for making your own play-dough and it includes adding an essential oil, Lavender, to the play-dough.  This produces even more of a calming effect through the use of aroma therapy at the same time!  Lavender is wonderful for relaxation and calming, however you can incorporate whatever scent you enjoy.  (Some other suggestions for essential oils that promote relaxation/calming would be: Chamomile, Citrus, Rose, Vanilla, etc.) You can research much more information online, that explains each oil and its uses.  
So there you have it, grab a can of play-dough, or make your own and incorporate soothing scents, and you have a quick and easy stress-reducing activity at your fingertips. 
Remember, there are no age limits on this activity, it is wonderful for anyone, from the young to young-at-heart.  
Home-Made Play-Dough Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of salt
2 tbs of cream of tartar
1 tbs of oil
Food coloring (optional)
1 cup of boiling water
1/2 teaspoon of Lavender Oil
(or whatever oil you prefer)
Directions
Mix all ingredients except the boiling water together into a large mixing bowl. Combine food coloring and the Lavender(or other) oil into the boiling water – Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the water, mix well and then pour onto baking paper to cool.

Enjoy! Let us know what scents you choose, and how this activity works for you!! 
Happy Monday, have a great week! 

-Lauren Dawood 

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