This summer is hitting maximum levels of stress for me. On top of a hot, humid Minnesota summer, I’m moving, going to several weddings, and doing a ton of travel.

I am pretty much the worst at stress. My usual stress-combatting maneuver is to cry a lot. Yeah, not the greatest. Anyway, my newest approach to stress is going outside. Hiking and taking long walks is something that I have done in the past to combat my stress, and it’s something I’ve turned to again recently. I feel really lucky that I live in a place that also does not have any shortage of natural wonders.

There are three stress-beating things that I need for a leisurely hike. They’re all currently living in my go-backpack, ready for whenever I head out.

Sunscreen

I’ve really been working on being smarter about my sun safety. I haven’t always been the best, but it’s been a goal of mine this summer. I like to bring my sunscreen along in case I feel like I’m starting to burn. I don’t have a sunscreen preference to recommend, but I do prefer mineral sunscreens to chemical ones. Take your time and read the labels for what you’re buying.

Good Sounds

When I’m going with Charles, I don’t think a whole lot about what I’m going to listen to. When I’m having a solo-walk, I need to have something to listen to or I get incredibly bored. I’ve been loving podcasts lately, and definitely download enough podcast for how long I’m planning on being gone. I feel like I go in and out of loving podcasts, and right now I’m definitely in love. My favorite right now is probably You Must Remember This. Check it out.

Hydration

The last thing that I need to have a really relaxing stress-free time is….hydration. We all know that hydration is important, right? Recently, I’ve added the Evian Facial Spray to my go-bag, and also to my purse. I like that even after I’ve drank a lot of water, I can use this to spritz my face to really feel the hydration. After a super long hike, it’s nice to just spray your face with a fine mist of water. I also like tossing this in my bag to touch-up or de-cake makeup after a hike. It’s easy to spray my face with this, and then tap a beauty blender or a brush over it. To be honest, when I first picked this up, I didn’t think I would really, really love it. It’s a luxury product…there’s no denying that…but I’ve gotten so much more use out of it than I thought I would. It has become a must have for me when I know I’m going to be getting sweaty, or when the humidity is super high. The mist is surprisingly fine, so it really does feel like just hydration without making your face wet. For my upcoming trips abroad, this one is coming along.

That’s what I’ve found makes for a good day out for me. Destressing is something that I’m taking very seriously this summer, and I hope that this has helped make your outdoor calm time a little better.

What are your tips for destressing?

Hey! Thanks for still reading. Just letting you know that Evian did send a can of their facial spray along as a press sample. They didn't tell me what to say, and this post was not sponsored! If you have any questions on press samples or sponsorships, it's totally okay to ask. I want this to be a transparent place. :)