We all have days when sometimes we just feel emotionally stuck and can't snap out of it. Here are my five go-to strategies to help shift my mental state that actually work!
1. Movement and exercise - such a wonderful way to release the endorphins in your brain and feel good. Doing a quick workout, talking a walk in nature or even just putting on your favorite feel-good song and dancing around the kitchen will always shift your emotional state and help you feel better. And science has shown us that regular exercise (30 mins, three times a week) can be just as effective, if not more effective, than antidepressants.
2. Breathwork - probably the quickest way to get your body out of fight or flight and into a parasympathetic state. How we breathe intrinsically linked to how we feel in our mind and body. Taking deep belly breaths with longer exhalations can instantly decrease anxiety and get you thinking straight again.
3. Tapping AKA Emotional Freedom Technique - a scientifically proven technique that works to rewire the brain and get you out of an anxious state and in minutes. An incredibly powerful stress-relieving practice that works in the same way as acupuncture but without the needles. Instead, you used your fingers to tap on specific acupressure points around the face and body to send calming signals to the brain. Tap on this link to try some tapping for yourself.
4. Essential oils - so underrated when it comes to managing your emotional state! Extracted from plants, essential oils can be diffused, applied topically on the skin with a carrier oil or even inhaled to shift your mood very quickly. Personally, I love the citrus oils such as lemon, lime and orange which are known for their mood boosting properties. I keep a diffuser on in my office while I'm working. I also like putting a couple of drops on my wrist and taking 4-5 deep breaths which is SO relaxing. Always makes sure you are using a good quality, therapeutic grade essential oil that is pure and doesn't include any additional synthetic ingredients.
5. Connection and Community - Recent research has shown that loneliness has the same impact on our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. As humans, we crave connection with others. Even though sometimes we may not always feel that way, talking with a friend, hugging a loved one or even just connecting with someone at work on a personal level, can really boost our mood and flood your brain with oxytocin, our love hormone.
So there you have it. Five quick and easy ways to help get you 'out of the funk' and back to feeling like you again. Personally, I use at least one of these techniques daily to help manage my myriad of emotions and anxiety levels.
Sending you peace, love and joy x
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