Take a breath. Deeper. Keep going. . . Release.

You probably feel much lighter, maybe even calmer. We get caught up in our daily lives, struggling with the stress life comes attached with, and breathing becomes something mechanical and secondary. We leave something so trivial to just simply allow us to keep living with this stress. Sometimes, it is so important for your life to focus on the thing maintaining it. So, do this every so often. Try it next time you're freaked about that final you might not have passed, or about something super personal in your life.

Do this especially now since the holiday season is upon us. Lights are up everywhere, you're back home from college and must interact with family members (which, let's admit, can be frustrating), and you now might have to worry about presents! Luckily, there are plenty of resources around you to help you decompress every so often. No matter where you live, music is accessible (especially since you're reading this article and can open a new tab and go to YouTube) and its curative powers should not be underestimated. You're first instinct might be to pull up your favorite songs, the ones you listen to on a daily or weekly basis. The "safety blanket" songs, because you already know you'll enjoy them.

I suggest something completely different. Whether or not you would immediately jump to listen to "indie" music has no impact on what I am about to say. One of these days, jump on some music platform and search for an acoustic or lo-fi "chill" indie mix. They aren't supposed to be in-your-face hippie songs with recognizably less production than Drake or Post Malone songs. They aren't even supposed to be songs you would listen to independently as jam-sesh songs (though they could be of course). The whole vibe of these playlists is to put you in a relaxed state of mind, to encourage you and permit yourself to fall silently and peacefully into the palms of these artists. Focus on the sound and the feelings evoked rather than the lyrics at first. Allow yourself to take the time to decompress and focus on the thing maintaining your life.

Let yourself breathe, just a bit deeper.