Life can sometimes feel overwhelming, and we all experience moments when we're emotionally struggling. Whether it's stress, sadness, or just feeling out of balance, it's important to remember that you're not alone, and there are small but powerful ways to support yourself during these times. Today, I wanted to share with you 15 simple tips that can help you find relief, reconnect with yourself, and ease emotional discomfort. These are practices that I turn to personally and hope you find them just as helpful. Take what resonates, and know that even in the hardest moments, you have tools to navigate through.

 

15 tips to try when stressed and struggling emotionally:
⁣
1. Use Aromatherapy: Grab one of your favourite calming essential oils and take some deep breaths. Smell directly from bottle, get the diffuser going or put a drop in your hand, rub palms together and take some deep breaths while cupping over your nose. Through the beauty of our olfactory system, scent bypasses our thalamus and takes a shortcut directly to our amygdala which is known as our emotional command centre. Essential oils have been shown to induce relaxation and trigger the release of feel-good chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. I never regret grabbing an essential oil when I am struggling emotionally, but I ALWAYS regret not grabbing it sooner. It makes a huge difference to release, reset and restore balance again. 
⁣
2. Control your breathing. Taking deep breaths in through the nose breathes air into our lower lungs and belly which are rich in parasympathetic nerve receptors (think rest and digest). Exhale through the mouth releasing any tension the body is holding on to. Do this slowly and count if you find it helpful, breathing in for a count of 4, holding for count of 4 and exhaling for count of 6. 
⁣
3. Leave a situation: If you can, leave a situation and go into another room or even better, outside. This helped removes the trigger and helps quiet the neurotransmitters in order for you to think more clearly. Retreat to a calm setting, talk a walk in nature, intentionally reduce external stimuli.
⁣
4. Become conscious of your feelings. When I am emotionally struggling, I like to ask myself three things. 1. What exactly am I feeling right now? I try to identify the exact feeling I am experience. 2. What brought this on? This helps me identify the root cause of why I am feeling like this and 3. What do I need right now? By taking a few minutes to acknowledge that I am not feeling my best and further understand why I am feeling this way makes a huge difference is how I move forward from it. I often think about this quote by psychologist Ashleigh Warner:
⁣

5. Engage your senses. Actively reset the mind to bring you to the present by naming 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste.
⁣
6. Exercise: Moving my body is one of my favorite ways to channel my emotions and reset a busy mind. It also helps release endorphins which boost mood and calm nervous system.
⁣
7. Hug it out: When my friends friends are upset, I always ask them if they need a hug. There is something so therapeutic about a good hug. It also works well for me! A 20 second hug releases oxytocin which promotes feelings of compassion, connection and support.
⁣
8. Laugh it out: When you laugh, muscles contract which increase blood flow and oxygenation. This stimulates the release of endorphins to help us feel relaxed. When not feeling our best emotionally, take this as a cue to bust out your favorite funny movie or call your favorite friend that makes you laugh.
⁣
9. Do yoga/stretching: When was the last time you really stretched? Take 5-10 minutes and stretch your body. This helps release tension that is trapped in muscles.
⁣
10. Go outside: Just spending 20 minutes in nature can reduce stress levels by increasing serotonin and boost happiness. 
⁣
11. Take a shower/bath: Hydrotherapy is a powerful stress reliever. We tend to feel safe in the shower. It's a familiar place that is warm and comforting. It is one of the rare times in the day where we are completely free from distractions. Our prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain in charge of rational thinking, comprehension, and decision making) is relaxed because we are engaging in our shower routine, and the brain begins to operate on autopilot. A bath or shower not only cleanses the body, but also the mind.
⁣
12. Turn on some music: Music therapy has been proven to influence heart rate and mood. Our bodies release dopamine when listening to music which plays an important role in our cognitive, emotional and behavioural functioning.
⁣
13. Talk to a friend or family member. Sometimes just being able to talk it out is incredibly therapeutic. It makes us feel less alone and validated in our emotions.
⁣
14. Meditate: Meditation is an incredibly powerful way to clear the mind. Studies have shown that during and after meditation, the brain stops processing so much information. It is a great way to reset and bring us back to the present moment.
⁣
15. Give yourself a BREAK. Often times, we go too hard for too long. Not caring for ourselves and pushing past our limits, can influence how we respond to stressors around us. Take a mental health day regularly! Don't have a whole day? Carve out a few hours weekly so you can recharge.