tips for when you're feeling...

whether it’s a good or bad thing, there’s always something going on. and while we love having things to look forward to, we need to remember to take care of ourselves in the present first. it’s important to recognize that we need to be able to fulfill our own purpose on Earth before we begin to successfully take care of others. 

when the days get busy and we feel ourselves starting to get overwhelmed, it’s helpful to practice grounding activities to stay calm and learn how to move forward with this feeling. here’s what we do when we’re…

overthinking—write. when we’re overthinking, we like to write. what better way to understand where our mind is at than to put pen to paper? it forces us to slow down, reflect on our feelings, and interpret them in order to better articulate them to others. as we often hear, communication is key in all your relationships, so if you struggle with overthinking, try journaling. 

anxious—move. move your body. whether that’s going on a walk (long or short!), stretching, yoga (at-home or in a class), lifting weights—whatever makes you feel your best and allows you to clear your mind. The intention is that you will put your focus on the movement instead of the anxious feelings intruding you. next time you’re feeling anxious, try moving your body and see how you’re feeling after.

tired—read. pick up a book, your kindle, a magazine, whatever you’re feeling in the moment, and read for as long as you’d like. Reading helps you slow down and whether you want to stay awake (pick a book that’ll hook you!) or fall asleep (lay down with the lights off!), reading tends to help and block any overthinking from happening. There are times when I wake up at 3am and simply cannot fall back asleep (usually from overthinking) but get so frustrated because I know I’m still tired and/or don’t want to start my day yet. I bought a kindle last year (this one!) and it has changed my life—i mean it! I used to take so long to fall asleep, but now I read before bed and tend to fall asleep while reading (even if I love the book!). The bonus? There’s no overhead light to turn off as I do not need one to see the pages and the kindle will turn off on its own if I fall asleep reading. If you’re looking for more tips to help you sleep at night, check out our article “4 Tips for a Better Night's Rest” here.

sad—exercise. I’m sure you’ve heard that endorphins are released when we exercise (hello, Elle Woods!) and it’s true! There are two chemicals in your body that make you happy—endorphins and dopamine, but they function in different ways. Endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. They are released when we exercise, laugh, get a massage, eat, and have sex, too! So the next time you’re feeling sad, make an effort to get a good sweat in and see how you feel after. Getting there will likely be the hardest part, but once you’re there and begin moving your body with intention, it’s likely you’ll start to feel better. 

Here’s a cheat sheet when you’re too flustered to read through again!

overthinking? write.

anxious? move.

tired? read.

sad? exercise.