20 Questions With Jessica Jean: Discussing Wrestling, Video Games, Funko Pops, Music & Movies

 

20 Questions With Jessica Jean: Discussing Wrestling, Video Games, Funko Pops, Music & Movies

Interviewed by: Justin Ciampa

Date Of Interview: 5/19/2021

Justin: First off, Jessica, thank you for taking the time to do this interview.

Jessica Jean: You’re welcome.

Justin: First question. How long have you been wrestling/managing?

Jessica Jean: I have been in the business since 2014. I started off as a timekeeper, then became a ring girl and valet and then worked my way up to manager and wrestler.

Justin: Second question. What promotions do you work for and what promotions would you love to work in the near future?

Jessica Jean: Since starting my career in July 2014, I have worked for several promotions including Tuff Pro Wrestling, International Wrestling Alliance, Maniac Championship Wrestling, Christian Wrestling Entertainment and more. As for promotions I would love to work with in the future, I am open to working any legitimate promotion so long as it works out with my schedule.

Justin: Third question. What got you into wrestling?

Jessica Jean: I have been a fan of wrestling since childhood. My brother was watching wrestling and that’s what got me interested in it.

Justin: Fourth question. What is your favorite wrestling promotion?

Jessica Jean: I have always been a big fan of WWE growing up. I started watching them during the Attitude Era. I really enjoy AEW too.

Justin: Me too. I love the Attitude Era. I grew up in the 90’s so I know the Attitude Era and AEW is good. Fifth question. Do you play video games?

Jessica Jean: I don’t play video games as much as I used to when I was younger as I don’t really have the time for them anymore but I have always enjoyed playing wrestling video games. I also love the Kingdom Hearts, Bioshock and Tomb Raider franchises.

Justin: Kingdom Hearts is amazing and Lara Croft is hot. Love her. I love Dark Souls and the hard games like Bloodborne and when I was young, Goldeneye 64 was my favorite as a kid. Sixth question. What was your reaction when Dominik Mysterio and Rey Mysterio won the Tag Titles last week?

Jessica Jean: I think Dominik has a lot of potential. His career is just starting out so he will definitely grow into his own with time especially with his father guiding him and teaching him along the way. It’s interesting to have the first father-son duo as Tag Team Champions. I’m interested to see where WWE takes this in the future.

Justin: It’s an amazing moment for the father and son. Loved it. Seventh question. What is your all-time favorite WWE moment?

Jessica Jean: Honestly, there are so many. I loved Trish Stratus betraying Chris Jericho to join up with Christian. I loved when Mickie James won her first WWE Women’s Championship. Lacey Evans and Natalya competing in Saudi Arabia for the first time was amazing also. Miss Elizabeth and Macho Man reuniting as well as him proposing to her was great too. There have just been so many wonderful moments in WWE that it’s hard to choose only one.

Justin: Oh, I love that. That was WrestleMania. Mickie James was amazing. Lacey and Nattie was historic. Loved Miss Elizabeth and Macho Man. My favorite is when Mankind aka Mick Foley won his first WWE Title, thanks to Stone Cold. Eighth question. What do you think is the most controversial WWE moment? My most controversial moment is the Montreal Screwjob.

Jessica Jean: Looking back, it would probably be some of the things they made the women do way back in the day, like making Trish Stratus get on her knees and bark like a dog, for example.

Justin: Oh, I remember that Trish moment. Ninth question. What was your reaction to the passing of New Jack last week?

Jessica Jean: I actually was at a friend’s home when I found out about it. I happened to be browsing the Internet on my phone when the news of his passing popped up on social media. My friend and I were both shocked as New Jack was not that old. It’s always very sad to hear about a passing in the wrestling industry.

Justin: Yes, it was. I remember a lot of New Jack moments. Tenth question. Who’s your favorite WWE wrestler?

Jessica Jean: I have had many favorites throughout the years as I have been watching since childhood. To name some, I like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Trish Stratus, Mickie James, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, The Rock and Lita.

Justin: I love Stone Cold and Trish. Eleventh question. Since you’re a fan of AEW, who’s your favorite AEW star?

Jessica Jean: Currently, I like Big Swole, Chris Jericho and Ricky Starks.

Justin: Jericho is my favorite. I love Tay Conti and am a big fan of Jon Moxley. Twelfth question. What do you think is the most controversial AEW moment?

Jessica Jean: Probably everything involving AEW’s connection with the Speaking Out movement specifically Sammy Guevara’s comments about Sasha Banks.

Justin: Thirteenth question. What is your favorite type of music?

Jessica Jean: I love all types of music but I listen mostly to big band, classical, jazz, indie, oldies, pop and rock music.

Justin: Awesome. I love heavy metal. Kreator, Slayer, Metallica, Sepultura. Evile’s new album is amazing. Fourteenth question. What’s your favorite movie?

Jessica Jean: I love movies so I have a lot of favorites. To name just a few, I love Aquamarine, The Brothers Grimm, Wonder Woman, The Dark Knight, Suicide Squad, Venom, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, Clueless, The Princess Bride, Breakfast At Tiffany’s and Some Like It Hot.

Justin: Awesome. Love some of them. Fifteenth question. What is your favorite wrestling theme song from any wrestler?

Jessica Jean: I love the theme song that I use currently which is “Heaven Knows” by The Pretty Reckless. I love the theme songs that I have used when working with Nicholas Davidson, which have been “Shepherd Of Fire” by Avenged Sevenfold and “Thunder Kiss 65’” by White Zombie. In regards to wrestlers who have worked with mainstream promotions, I always loved the theme music of Paige, Eve Torres, AJ Lee, Torrie Wilson, Lita, Ricky Starks and Bray Wyatt, to name a few.

Justin: My favorites are Roman’s new theme, The Fiend, Kenny Omega, CM Punk’s “Cult Of Personality”, Jericho’s “Judas”, Jay White, Asuka, Seth Rollins “Burn It Down”, Triple H’s “King Of Kings”, Cody and Gargano’s “Rebel Heart”. Sixteenth question. Who’s your favorite tag team?

Jessica Jean: I always liked the Hardy Boys growing up.

Justin: I loved them back then. Now, for me it’s The Young Bucks and The Bullet Club. Seventeenth question. Do you ever collect Funko Pops?

Jessica Jean: I do have some Funko Pops. My collection is small at the moment but it’s because I am trying to find some older Funko Pops that are a bit harder to find. Some of the Funko Pops currently in my collection include The Golden Girls and Harley Quinn.

Justin: Awesome. I have collected over 200 pops and have been collecting for 5 years. Eighteenth question. Who is your favorite women’s wrestler?

Jessica Jean: I really looked up to Trish Stratus, Lita and Mickie James growing up so those are definitely my all-time favorites.

Justin: Me too. I love Asuka, Trish, Deonna and more. Nineteenth question. What was your reaction to the poor WWE booking now and the horrible Damian Priest vs Miz Lumberjack match with zombies?

Jessica Jean: I am not sure exactly what is going on behind the scenes in WWE that is causing booking to not be as intriguing as it used to be in the past in regards to storylines, gimmicks and feuds. I know wrestlers are always trying to put creative input into what they have going on and sometimes their ideas get rejected and sometimes their ideas get accepted and can either go very well or very wrong. I am not sure if the zombie spot was an idea that came from WWE’s Creative Team itself, one of the wrestlers involved or another backstage personnel. Coming from personal experience, I know how frustrating it can be to have ideas for gimmicks, storylines and feuds rejected or for other people’s ideas that are great end up turning out badly due to unforeseen circumstances. Still, I have hope that things will get better especially with fans slowly returning to live events.

Justin: Ok, twentieth and final question. Who’s your favorite interviewer and why?

Jessica Jean: Honestly, I don’t think Kayla Braxton gets as much credit as she should. I always thought she’s been very hardworking, dedicated and professional. I think in the past, Terri Runnels transitioned from a manager to a backstage interviewer very nicely. I also think Renee Young and Cathy Kelley were always great.

Justin: Awesome. I love Renee and Cathy. Well, any last words before we wrap up this amazing interview?

Jessica Jean: Yes, first, it was an honor doing this interview with you. Thank you so much! Secondly, I do have some upcoming shows coming up so please be on the lookout for photos, videos and other content promoting these events on my Jessica Jean fan page at www.facebook.com/JessicaJeanWrestler and my other social media accounts. Thirdly, to my fans all around the world, thank you so much for all of your love and support. I am so grateful and blessed to have the opportunity to entertain you and get to know you all. You are all so amazing and I wish you all the absolute best in life!

Justin: Once again, this interview was amazing. Thank you so much, Jessica, for taking your time.

Jessica Jean: You’re welcome!

The Importance of Maintaining Good Vision & Eye Health

The Importance of Maintaining Good Vision & Eye Health

Maintaining proper vision and eye health is so important in our day to day activities. Without healthy vision, activities like reading and driving would be much more difficult. Additionally, maintaining healthy vision is vital for completing important tasks at home, at school and in the workplace safely.

Here are some tips on how to maintain good eye health in our daily lives:

·       Wear protective eyewear: If you work in an atmosphere where hazardous or airborne material is possible, wearing safety glasses is very important in protecting you from obtaining materials like dust or dirt in your eyes that could potentially impair your vision. If working in an outdoor environment, UV protection sunglasses are also important. Taking routine eye safety classes can also help in preventing an accident from happening in the workplace that could potentially be caused by impaired vision.

·       Eating healthy food that promotes good eye health: Green, leafy vegetables like spinach, collards and kale contain nutrients and vitamins that are essential in maintaining proper eye health. Salmon, tuna and other oily fish also help promote good eye health. Other foods that provide nutritional benefits for good eye health include citrus fruits, eggs, nuts and beans.

·       Eye exams: Getting a routine eye exam annually is important in determining the status of your eye health. Additionally, it may assist in determining other potential health issues. Many people first learn of serious health conditions such as cataracts, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, glaucoma and high cholesterol through taking a routine eye exam.

·       Eye breaks: Taking breaks from staring at a computer are important so you do not strain your eyes. Mayo Clinic suggests the “20-20-20” technique where every 20 minutes you avert your eyes away from the computer and stare at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This eye exercise will help to prevent tired eyes by allowing them to refocus. Additionally, the American Optometric Association suggests taking a 15-minute break after 2 hours of continuous computer use. They also suggest blinking frequently when using a computer to prevent dry eyes.

Review: Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Shampoo

Review: Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Shampoo

I had tried this shampoo because I unfortunately was having trouble finding the brand of purple shampoo I have been normally using for years as a toner for my blonde hair. I had heard nothing but positive reviews about Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights so I thought it would work as well as the brand of purple shampoo I generally use, if not better. However, it unfortunately caused nothing but problems for my blonde hair. 

Upon using this shampoo, I thought it would tone my hair like the product is said to do. I did not put too much of it in my hair and I did not leave it on any longer than what they suggest. Despite using this product as the way it was recommended to be used, all it ended up doing was turn parts of my hair to a blue/purple-like color, which I almost got in trouble at my place of employment for when a supervisor confronted me regarding it. I explained to them the situation so thankfully, I did not get wrote up for something out of my control as I did not expect this shampoo to do this to my hair, having heard nothing but good reviews regarding it. Unfortunately, it took weeks for the blue/purple color to come out of the strands of my hair after I ceased using the shampoo.

Ultimately, I threw this shampoo away after further researching this product and finally coming across reviews that other people wrote online, stating that the shampoo also caused their hair color to change blue/ purple, among causing other problems for them such as causing their hair to feel dry or the liquid from the product causing their bathtub to stain. Therefore, while this product generally has positive reviews, it just did not work well for my hair for some reason so if you do choose to try this product out, I would advise having a different purple shampoo that you know works well for you as a backup to tone your blonde hair, just in case this product causes issues for you like it unfortunately did for me. The lesson I learned from this is just to stick with a product I know works for me, even if it means having no option but to purchase it online due to not being able to find it in beauty supply stores or due to the beauty supply store I had originally purchased it from being closed.

Stalkers: When Admiration For Wrestlers Turns Into A Dangerous Obsession

Stalkers: When Admiration For Wrestlers Turns Into A Dangerous Obsession

We all are fans of certain things such as a movie franchise, book series, television show or sports team. Often, people will show their support for these things by buying merchandise, attending public events promoting these things or showing our appreciation online to those who work hard to make these things we love possible. However, sometimes admiration can turn into something more dangerous when showing support for an athlete, author, supermodel, actor, musician etc. and that is when someone chooses to overstep personal boundaries and begin to stalk the public figure they admire, causing thar notable figure to begin fearing for their safety. Sadly, this type of behavior has affected the world of professional wrestling in the past and continues to do so in the present. Listed below are just a few of the countless examples of why this is a frightening matter to be concerned over.

While Former WWE NXT Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks and 2014 WWE Money In The Bank winner, Seth Rollins have been vocal about feeling uncomfortable with fans showing up to airports, gyms, restaurants and hotels to ask for pictures and autographs, one of the most scariest occurrences where a wrestler has been stalked involves former WWE Divas Champion, Maryse. The star of “Miz and Mrs” was a victim of stalking back in 2011 when a 61-year-old man by the name of Lee Sibler was sending Maryse numerous letters and voicemails on her personal phone. The letters and phone messages were said to be highly disturbing and that Sibler even discussed traveling to Los Angeles, California so that he could take Maryse “to Heaven with him.” Fearing for her life, Sibler’s actions prompted Maryse to file a restraining order against the obsessed man. Due to the situation, WWE also took action by increasing security measures at their events.

Another terrifying incident that occurred to a female wrestler happened in 2007 to Former WWE Divas Champion, Eve Torres. Shortly after signing a contract with WWE, she stopped at a gas station to fill up her vehicle with fuel and to purchase some water and snacks. She had no travel buddies with her at that stage in her career so she was traveling alone. Three men at the gas station noticed her and immediately began harassing her and trying to convince her to leave with them. Feeling worried, she put down the snacks she planned to purchase and immediately began to leave the gas station.

The three men followed her out of the gas station and continued to aggressively threaten her, call her inappropriate names and shout obscenities at her. She hurried to her vehicle, locked the car door and drove off. At one point, when she was in a safer area, she pulled over, so distraught by the incident that her body was shaking. This was the incident that prompted Eve Torres to learn self-defense. As a way of giving back and helping other women that have experienced similar situations, she now teaches Women’s Self-Defense at the Gracie Academy with her husband, Rener Gracie.

Former TNA Knockouts Champion, Angelina Love has also been a victim of stalking. Her incident occurred with a man from the United Kingdom who flew all the way from London, England to Las Vegas, Nevada to watch one of her fitness competitions. He found out what hotel she was staying at and where she would be at every moment. Some of the many encounters she had with this man involved him sitting at her table at breakfast, him recording her while she was on stage in a bikini, following her around the city, buying her diamond earrings that he left for her at the front desk of the hotel, getting on her Facebook page to ask her private details about her family and waiting by a slot machine at 4 a.m. when she was leaving the hotel to attempt to hug her multiple times.

Additionally, WWE Hall Of Famer, Lita and Former WWE Divas Champion, AJ Lee were victimized by the same stalker, Armando Montalvo, who has shown up at the WWE Performance Center in Florida several times, causing disturbances and making threats. He even was shot at by police in 2015 when trespassing at the WWE Performance Center. Despite a previous incarceration, a restraining order from WWE and banning from all WWE events, Montalvo recently showed up again at the WWE Performance Center, confronting WWE Superstars, Lacey Evans and Dana Brooke while they were there to film for WWE Programming.

While women in the wrestling business are probably more likely to deal with stalkers, that certainly does not exclude male wrestlers, who have also been victimized by stalking within the professional wrestling industry. One example includes a woman named Deeann Siden who stalked WWE Hall Of Famer, Ric Flair back in 1990. She followed him around for 8 years, getting kicked out of multiple venues throughout that time. At one point, she even threatened to kill him. In 1992, she gave birth to a daughter, claiming Flair as the biological father.

In 2001, Siden once again threatened to murder Flair as well as her own child if he did not agree to meet up with her. Siden also threatened Elizabeth, Flair’s wife at the time. Afterwards, Flair finally pressed criminal charges on Siden.

However, this did not stop Siden from stalking wrestlers as she also began stalking Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle in 2003. Siden would constantly follow Kurt Angle around while he was touring the country, would cancel his airline reservations and even called Kurt’s current wife at the time, Karen Angle, leaving her alarming voicemails where Siden threatened to harm Karen Angle as well as Kurt and Karen’s children. Siden was eventually arrested on stalking charges.  

AEW Superstar, Jon Moxley and his wife, WWE Superstar, Renee Young have also been victims of stalking. Moxley and Young have often received death threats due to their relationship with each other. While the couple has tried to keep their relationship as private as they can, they have received harassment from obsessed fans through phone calls as well as at their private residence and at hotels while touring for wrestling events. “Anti-Renee Young” pages were also made online, solely to bully and harass Renee Young for her relationship with Moxley. Additionally, WWE Superstars, Dana Brooke and Dolph Ziggler also faced similar treatment from obsessive fans during the time in which they dated each other.

Additionally, many professional wrestlers, both male and female, have been vocal on social media sites using the hashtag, #SpeakingOut, where they have discussed incidents of abuse, bullying and harassment in the professional wrestling industry. Some have even spoken out how they were stalked by other wrestlers in the industry that they have trained with or worked matches with inside the squared circle. Each of these personal stories that these strong, courageous individuals have opened up about should definitely be taken seriously and each of these wrestlers that chose to speak out about the abuse, harassment and bullying they have received in the industry deserve respect and much better treatment in the profession than they have received in the past.

This does not even begin to include the ones who still have stories to tell but are not ready to do so just yet. Stalking is a serious and dangerous matter and should not be taken lightly. It is not something to laugh or joke about as so many have been victims of this terrible offense. If you know someone who has been a victim of stalking, please be kind to them. It is not an easy thing to ordeal and the last thing they need is someone bullying them, blaming them or ridiculing them for it. Please respect their boundaries. They deserve their privacy just like everyone else.

Fans, it is ok to appreciate a wrestler for the hard work they have done and the accomplishments they have had in their career but it is never ok to invade their privacy by asking personal details about where they live or work at, asking them for their personal email or private phone number or somehow obtaining their personal phone number without their permission in order to excessively and inappropriately call or text them. It is also not ok to ask for personal and private information about their family, friends or significant other. It is never ok to follow them around wherever they go, whether that’s their place of employment outside of the squared circle, their home, their high school or university that they go to etc.

It is also never ok to harass a wrestler online whether that’s by sending them nudes or other unsolicited photos, touching them inappropriately at a wrestling event especially while they are working a match, asking or demanding them for nudes, sending them risqué text messages, demanding that they dump their significant other and date you instead, demanding them to chat with you constantly at all hours of the day or night regardless if they are busy or not, asking them to film a sex tape or other sort of pornography with you etc. If a wrestler blocked you because of any of these things, it is definitely not ok to show up at their autograph signings or wrestling events they are working to continue to obsessively stalk, bully and harass them all because they blocked you because you decided to behave irresponsibly and immaturely. A wrestler is at events to entertain the fans and should never be made to feel unsafe or uncomfortable doing something they love and also should never have to feel like they cannot promote any events they are a part of just because another person cannot accept or respect their personal boundaries. To conclude, please just be respectful, polite and kind.

The Importance Of Living A More Stress-Free Lifestyle

The Importance Of Living A More Stress-Free Lifestyle

Stress is an issue everyone faces in their lives and can come from a variety of sources including pressures at school or work, dealing with a divorce,  the loss of a loved one, struggling with financial debt, being the victim of a crime, experiencing a traumatic event such as a car accident etc. However, according to Heathline, not handling and managing stress levels properly can lead to larger issues that take a toll on our mental and physical health such as illnesses, fatigue and loss of appetite due to frequent stress decreasing the strength of our immune systems. However, learning to handle stress in a positive way can provide positive benefits as people who manage stress tend to live longer and healthier lives, according to Mayo Clinic. Listed below are some tips on how to help handle stress in positive ways.

·         Exercise: According to Healthline, those who exercise regularly are more likely to maintain a healthier outlook on stress, as exercise helps produce serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that can ward off depression and anxiety and help create a more positive mood. Some simple ways to exercise daily include walking, jogging, zumba, swimming or riding a bicycle. 

·         Create a more calming environment at work and home: Creating a more relaxing environment can help to reduce stress. Ways to do so include cleaning out and reorganizing your work area or home and getting rid of unnecessary clutter. Creating more space in your home or work area can help to detox an environment and produce a simpler living or working environment.

·         Engaging in a relaxing activity: Every day, you should try to engage in a relaxing activity you enjoy. Partaking in an activity that you enjoy can help lower stress levels significantly and increase happiness. Some suggestions of simple activities you can do to take time for yourself include gardening, reading a favorite novel or magazine, playing chess, taking a warm bath, watching a favorite film or television series, fishing, writing a story etc.

·         Planning: When you begin to feel overwhelmed about all of the tasks and errands you need to complete, it can often increase your stress levels. Writing down a list of everything you need to accomplish for the day can help you organize everything by priority, putting your more important needs first. When you check off each task from your list, you will feel less stressed and more accomplished. However, if you cannot complete everything on your list in one day, don’t stress or feel guilty about it. Just do what you can every day and be proud of what you did accomplish, even if it was something as simple as getting your grocery shopping done, washing the dishes or getting gas for your car.

The Importance of Maintaining Good Mental Health During Difficult Times

The Importance of Maintaining Good Mental Health During Difficult Times

Throughout our lives, many people struggle with anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, depression or other mental health concerns, especially during times of difficulty and distress. Unfortunately, mental health issues are not always taken as seriously as they should be and often are stereotyped due to misconceptions regarding mental health conditions. However, according to Mental Health America, 46 percent of Americans will meet the standards for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime within their life, and half of those Americans will develop conditions by the age of 14.

Additionally, Mental Health America notes that nearly 1 in 5 American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year.  Knowing these facts, we can establish that mental health awareness is something that should be prioritized, and that mental health is important to manage in order to live our everyday lives more productively. Listed below are some tips on how to help manage mental health, particularly during times of stress and hardship.

Meditation & Breathing Exercises:  Meditation and deep breathing exercises are a great way to help stay calm and focused when dealing with anxiety and stress. Make sure to be in a comfortable position when doing breathing exercises. According to Healthline, it is also important to take slow, gentle and lengthy exhales out. Avoid breathing in and out too quickly as it could cause hyperventilation. Listening to guided meditation practices with relaxing sounds is also helpful with releasing anxiety, stress and tension from the body.

Aromatherapy: According to The Cleveland Clinic, aromatherapy is great for helping to reduce stress, lessen anxiety, improve your mood and create a calming environment. Aromatherapy can also help improve mindfulness, improve sleep and ease depression, according to WebMD. Aromatherapy can be used through scented lotions and bubble baths or by using scented oils and candles in your home. According to Healthline, some scents known to have a soothing effect include lavender, jasmine, chamomile, bergamot, rose and clary sage.

 Physical Exercise: Physical exercise is excellent for staying in good shape along with improving one’s mood. According to Mayo Clinic, exercising for 30 minutes or longer for three to five days a week helps to relive symptoms of depression and anxiety. Great examples of physical exercise you can do at home include tai chi, aerobics, yoga, dance or pilates.

Take Time For Yourself: Taking time to do something you enjoy is very important to maintaining a good mood. According to Healthline, taking ten minutes doing an enjoyable activity can help lift your spirits and leave you feeling more relaxed and happier. Make sure to take some time for you each day partaking in an activity you enjoy whether that’s spending time with a pet, reading a favorite book, listening to music, writing poetry etc.

Maintain Adequate Rest & Proper Nutrition: Proper rest and a nutritious diet is essential to maintaining good health, both physical and mental. Healthline suggests avoiding sugary foods and also notes that 7-9 hours of sleep is recommended for those whose ages range between 18-64 years old. The National Alliance On Mental Illness suggests maintaining a good sleep schedule by going to sleep at the same time every night. WebMD suggests eating meals regularly around the same time every day, limiting caffeine intake by avoiding caffeinated drinks that can make you jittery and avoiding spicy foods that may cause heartburn which could keep you awake at night. Mayo Clinic advises eating fresh fruit and vegetables that are packed with vitamins and nutrients and to drink more water to help boost your mood and stay hydrated.

Laugh Therapy: According to Mayo Clinic, laughing can reduce stress, lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression, ease muscle tension, relieve pain and boost the immune system. According to Health Central, laughter can also lower blood pressure. Take time to watch a funny television show or movie that makes you laugh. You can also try a technique known as laughter yoga, which combines yoga techniques and chants to help promote laughing.

The Importance of Self-Love

The Importance of Self-Love

                February is known as the month of love, especially with Valentine’s Day being such a special holiday for many. However, whether you have a significant other to show love to or not, it is also important to show yourself love by taking care of your mind and body properly. Here are a few ways you can show yourself some self-love, which enables you to be at your best and most productive health-wise, a factor that is extremely important for your everyday life.

                First, it’s important to take time for yourself doing something you enjoy or something to help you relax. This allows your body and mind to get the proper rest and relaxation it needs to function productively. Yoga, taking naps, getting massages, enjoying healthy comfort food and soaking in a bubble bath are good ways to help your body whereas reading an interesting book, listening to calming music, writing poetry, spending time with your pet or watching a funny movie or sitcom that makes you laugh can have positive effects on your mental health.

                It’s also important to keep your mindset positive. Ways to accomplish this include practicing daily affirmations to help boost your confidence, wearing an outfit you feel comfortable and attractive in and creating positive environments in both your workspace and home that include inspirational quotes and motivational pictures. According to the University of Southern Indiana, surrounding yourself with positive people is also important to maintaining healthy relationships and keeping yourself in an optimistic and encouraging environment.

                Using scented candles is another way to help relax yourself as certain scents can create mood-boosting and calming effects. It is known that various scents can trigger happy memories for people that remind them of their childhood or a positive life experience whether that’s the scent of chocolate, vanilla, coffee etc. Additionally, some scents are known to be very therapeutic and calming. Lavender, jasmine and peppermint are very popular candle scents as they help create a relaxing atmosphere. According to an article from Gardening Soul, the scent of rain is also said to refresh the mind and help reduce stress so feel free to open the window slightly for a bit of fresh air on a rainy day.

                Lastly, treating yourself to something nice is also a great way to add some positivity to your life whether that’s something as simple as your favorite dessert, a spa day, a night out at the movie theatre or a quiet walk in the park. Additionally, buying fresh flowers for your home or office is another special treat that helps reduce stress. According to an article from Harper’s Bazaar, researchers have discovered that being exposed to flowers helps reduce blood pressure and feelings of anxiety. The report also states that being exposed to flowers helps produce a more positive environment.