Who likes to live a stress-free life? I know I do! But don't we all? The problem is that we don't prioritize our happiness. It's called the pursuit of happiness for a reason. We have to actively chase after creativity, freedom, and happiness.

1. Limit your time on social media!

Social media is guaranteed to make you feel bad about your life—even if you’re on the ball... there is always someone out there “appearing” to be doing better than you. There was a recent study released that indicates that not only can Facebook usage cause stress, but it can also create depression.

Makes sense, right?

Scrolling through social media constantly... It makes you so engrossed in the lives of others that you forget about your own self and life. It takes a lot of time away from being productive for your own self. It's addictive... anything that becomes too much needs time out.

There are some apps that I turned off notifications for, and others I deleted completely. Surprisenly, I find that I don't miss them much at all!

2. Put away your smartphone!

According to one study, we're checking our phones every 12 minutes throughout the day. That's an average of unlocking your lock screen 80 times throughout the day. How crazy is that?

I love to step away from technology as often as I can. Sure, a social media detox is a great start... but honestly, there are all sorts of activity going in with our phones that distract, manipulate, and consume our time.

2. Attach yourself to the things that sooth and brings tranquility to your life.

Each of us will have all sorts of unique hobbies and activities that bring us comfort. For you, it could be a great book that occupies your free time and allows you to get lost somewhere else other than the national news or gossip channels.

• Candles - They're magical. The flame helps to soothe the soul. It reduces stress and increases self-awareness.
• Food - This is a biggie. Try and experience different cuisines in your local area. Do you ever notice, when you’re eating, it temporarily takes your mind off of whatever was bothering or worrying you before?
• Meditation - Take the time out before you start your day to reflect over the things you want to manifest in your life. Sit and imagine what the perfect life looks like to you and place yourself into those thoughts. Law of attraction simply implies that energy is power. What you believe and think of yourself will materialize.

Here are some ways that I create a soothing experience and gain tranquility:

• As mentioned above, I'm a huge fan of candles, especially soy candles. I also enjoy reading a good book every now and then - so much so, that some of Gehati's candles scents were inspired by a few of my favorites.
• I take a hot, aromatic shower with my own "spa oasis" product- Shower Bombs! A shower bomb is similar to a bath bomb except it last's a few days longer. For now, the Gehati store has three different scents: Lemongrass, Eucalyptus Spearmint, and Lavender Peppermint.

3. Laughter is good for the soul.

Replace sadness, depression, and stress with laughter. Don’t take yourself too seriously. My grandma has always said, “Do you notice that the things you worry about most, never happen?"

This is so true!

We pre-stress over things to come and when it doesn’t happen the way we thought, then that was lost time of stressing for no reason. Laugh through your sadness and turn your struggles into jokes and before you know it you’re taking care of your problems—all while eliminating the migraines.

People are contagious to people who display strength. Who are able to creatively find ways to not succumb to the misfortunate acts of our society and their personal lives. It’s not that you’re ignoring the darkness. But, humor shines light that makes the darkness less dark.

4. Indulge in a hobby.

If you lead a busy lifestyle and it’s hard to make time for your hobby—MAKE TIME! Do it consistently too, or else it really won't amount to anything. Even if it’s just for a few hours, you need to put a hobby and balance it into the schedule. A hobby helps to take the intensity off things because it occupies your mind for the time being and gives you an outlet.

These are some hobbies that I know people enjoy:

• Painting
• Cooking or baking
• Reading a good book
• Putting a puzzle together
• Playing a musical instrument
• Making jewelry from scratch!

Comic books count as reading a book sometimes, right?

You'll probably notice that most of these require creativity or critical thinking. Hobbies are all about fueling the brain and establishing a relaxing environment!

I would love to get another perspective here! Will you tell me ways that you relieve stress in the comments below?