Stress is a normal — and expected — party of life. Particularly over the last 1.5 years, many of us have experienced higher than normal levels of anxiety and fret. With so much uncertainty surrounding public health and safety, as well as the economy, you may feel more on edge than ever. And hey, that’s okay! But it also means some of your tried and true stress relief methods are no longer working for you. In the past, you may have been able to turn to meditation, a nap, your fave group workout class, journaling, or other tactics to feel better. If those aren’t effective anymore, you may need new, exciting and unique ways to lower your levels.

We all know that children should play as much as possible — according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play is “essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth” and parents who participate in play gain a better understanding of their kids.

Jealousy is something everyone experiences at some point or another. It’s important to remember that jealousy is not always the devil so many make it out to be, as jealousy can inspire you to change and grow. And on the flip side, it can also make you feel small and inadequate.

Alex* a 23-year-old Boston-based esthetician, was standing in the living room at a friend’s party when she saw her ex of about a year. He held a drink in one hand, and her inhibition in the other. “I’d lose all thought processes around him,” she tells Bustle. They’d dated for about 11 months, but continued hooking up after calling it quits in early 2020. “He was a classic narcissist. Just a really selfish person. And as terrible as this sounds, I still went for it knowing that I didn’t even like him.”

The mental load of parenting can weigh anyone down. That’s why whenever possible married couples must ask themselves: Am I doing enough? Is my partner taking on too much? What can I help with to share the mental load? Because when one partner takes on too much, it’s easy to buckle under the weight.

After over a year of working from home, many companies are starting to talk about returning to the office. But while your co-workers might be excited to go back to some sense of normalcy, you might have a nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach. What if you're put on the spot during a big meeting? How will you manage going back to being "on" all day after months of being remote? And how will you navigate coworker small talk in the office kitchen? The very idea of these episodes may prompt feelings of dread.

Before the pandemic, tension in Jacqueline’s 10-year relationship was already brewing. Jacqueline, who is based in Ontario, Canada, and is the founder of a finance blog, was pregnant at the time with their second kid and wanted her husband to help out more with child and household responsibilities, and he hated being reminded of it. Once the lockdown began and they were under the same roof, the conflict in their marriage only intensified.

Dealing with anxiety can be overwhelming, and sometimes it may seem like you’re the only one going through it. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety is actually one of the most common mental disorders in the country, affecting 40 million adults — including the very people we turn to for guidance.

Let’s face it: Most moms try their best each and every day. And yet, there’s still that perpetual mom guilt—that we did not do enough, that we did things incorrectly, that we don’t compare to other moms. You probably know you’re being unfair to yourself when you have these feelings, but that doesn’t make them go away.

That’s why we talked to the experts on ways to change our thought process and actions in order to put an end to mom guilt once and for all.

As we strive to get back to normal, we're presented with an unusual opportunity to reset our patterns. Here are 60 ideas from health experts. Just remember: Your brain requires up to three months of daily repetition to develop the neural pathway that automates a behavior. “But the biggest gain comes during that first month,” Wood says. “So it's important to stick with it initially.” Be persistent: The habits you set now may be the habits you stick with for life.

Whether they told a little white lie or deeply betrayed you, forgiving your partner isn’t an easy task. However, it is a necessary one if we want to strengthen the foundation of our relationship now and in the future. As tough as it may sometimes be, it’s important to remember that no one is perfect; we all make mistakes, and unfortunately, we often hurt the people we love the most, says Andrea Dindinger, a licensed marriage and family therapist.

Rise and Shine. First thing in the morning, before you reach for your phone, ask yourself what you are grateful for today. It might be the cozy bed, the quietness of the house, the sound of children giggling, that you’re alive for another day or for a simple drink of water. Anything that you come up with is great. This starts your day with a full bucket, instead of starting it by focusing on something like you didn’t get enough sleep last night.

Alot goes into a healthy marriage. But one thing it very much requires is a willingness of both partners to take an honest assessment of what they may be doing too much or too little of in the relationship. One area that’s especially important to look at is household labor. An unfair division of labor needs to be kept in check.

According to science, friends can have a positive impact on your health, wellbeing, and life satisfaction. A good friend may encourage you when you’re at a career crossroads. They may offer hands-on help when you’re facing a personal challenge. They may offer critical, kind feedback when you’re in need of their opinion.