By: Maria Climent Huguet
Maria Climent is a 26-year-old Catalan lady. After studying translation, she decided her life was odd enough to became a humor scriptwriter and by default, a blogger. This is how she’s now a mother of no one and a better person. She also likes to cook!

Before I begin, I would like to say that this post is a kind of homage to Hogga after reading her last post, which has also served me as inspiration to write about something I wouldn’t have thought otherwise, ahem… Hogga is right, life is not just about parties, nightlife and dealing with hangovers. Eventually you start to think of alternative activities that make you grow spiritually, make you feel like a more interesting person, of simply help you get up not hungover in the morning. One last thing: it is focussed in Barcelona but these activities can be found in any other city, so Hogga, pay attention.

Sushi workshops: Japanese food and specially sushi and all its varieties are lately a growing trend in Barcelona. Thus, there are many options if you want to learn how to prepare it and impress someone with your culinary abilities. Moreover, cooking relaxes, it helps you evade from other problems and concentrate on what you’re doing. Among all the options of taking sushi lessons, I recommend Maguroya sushi, in the neighbourhood of Gracia, where for just 48€ you can have personal lessons with a real professional.

Flotarium: It consists of soaking yourself with treated water that makes you float. I’ve never tried it -yet- but they say it’s like going back to our mother’s womb or staying in a 0 gravity area. Isn’t that amazing?? –Except if you suffer from claustrophobia. And it is supposed to provide a profound mental and physical relaxation that isolates you from external stimuli.

Painting workshops: You may be an atrist inside and never know it until you try. Stimulating your artistic side is always interesting, you get to know yourself better, even if it’s to find out that you have no artistic charms… There are some great studios near apartments in Barcelona, as there are a lot of schools of art.

Get a massage, or even better, learn to massage! Oh wait, did I say better? Anyways, stress caused by giving up a habit can be removed with a good, relaxing massage. And there are many variants, from hot stones, to chocolate and aromatherapy…

Tantric sex: Why not? Sex can help you relieve stress even when it’s not the spiritual kind!

We all know that changing habits is very traumatic and probably one of the most complicated things a person can do. Thus, starting doing “abnormal things“ like going to spend a time in one of the Barcelona apartments or to another part of the world will do nothing but help you in the changing habits process. Good luck!