2021 – who would have thought we’d live in a world like we are right now?

It’s crazy times, people are scared, you never know what you’re going to wake up to and people’s freedoms are being taken away.

People’s mental health is suffering and it breaks our hearts to watch.  It’s mental health week so we thought it was the perfect time to release a blog on my personal top five things I do when I’m suffering crippling anxiety.

I have suffered depression many times over the years with crippling anxiety.  It’s not something I talk about much, but perhaps I should!

The more we normalise these conditions, the less alone people feel!!

1 in 5 Australians have a mental health condition.

According to The Australia’s Health 2020 report.   This shows that you aren’t alone even though I know how isolated you can feel.

Please always reach out to friends, family, or entities such as these:

📸  👆🏻  Courtesy of healthdirect

Tapping into support services during this time can be really beneficial, so if you feel this is right for you then there’s plenty of help out there.

My top 5 favourite things to do when I feel down, anxious and like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.

  1. EXERCISE

Even though it’s the very last thing I feel like doing, it is so good for my mental health.  I actually call my walks on my own my ‘therapy time’.

Get outside, get some fresh air and move your body.  It doesn’t need to be fast, even a stroll is all you need.  See if you can do this on your own, otherwise, get the kids on their bikes and head outdoors.

Exercise is the game-changing thing you can do to help mental health naturally.  Trust me, it helps!

  1. SLEEP

I try and head to bed early and get a good night’s sleep.  It’s hard sometimes when the mind is racing but getting a good night’s sleep is often one of the best ways to help reduce anxious feelings.  Often we wake up feeling so much better, with a clearer head and better frame of mind.

  1. NO ALCOHOL

Alcohol is a depressant.  You might feel ok while you’re drinking, but you’ll only wake up feeling more depressed the next day.  I always wake up with anxiety after a few wines!

  1. JOURNALING AND POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS

My whole world changes when I journal and write down what I’m grateful for.  I remember a time when I was in a super dark tunnel and I was told to do this.  I just stood there and thought “I have nothing to write” so I thought of simple things.

I wrote “I am grateful for…

✔️  my bed
✔️  my house
✔️  my breakfast
✔️  my car
✔️  my family

and then it got easier and easier.

I realised that even though I was super depressed and didn’t want to feel the way I felt, there were still good things around me!  Great things around me in fact!!

I urge you to give journaling a go and write down five things you are grateful for today.  Try and get into the habit of doing this every day.

We made our mum do this when she was battling leukemia and it helped to put a positive spin on her day even though there appeared to be not a lot of hope some days.

  1. ESSENTIAL OILS

I remember thinking these were just hippy woo woo smelly things.  When I first got my oils I only used them in food.  But I then replaced my cleaning products with DIY and lowered my toxic load.  THEN I saw the potential to use these oils for emotional benefits.

It might seem woo woo but there are a lot of published studies showing the benefits of essential oils for emotional well-being.  And hey, isn’t it worth giving a go?

Some of my favourite essential oils to use when my feelings are anxious are (the brand I love is doTERRA):

  • Siberian Fir
  • Frankincense
  • Douglas Fir
  • Wild Orange
  • Bergamot
  • Balance Blend

Depending on what smells good and what I’m drawn to that particular day, I’ll mix a few drops with some fractionated coconut oil and apply to my chest, spine, and back of neck.

I will pop a drop or two in my hands and cup them over my nose and mouth and breathe.  Deep long breaths until I calm down.  You can literally feel your heart calm down.

I’ll also put them in my diffuser so the smell and oils waft through the air, which ultimately, also helps the whole family.

I can’t use Lavender as it gives me a headache, however, lavender, Adativ Blend, Console Blend and Peace blend are all options you may like to try also.

But the main thing I want to stress is everything will be ok.

Many of the thoughts we have, never happen, and I now tell myself this when I have crazy thoughts that go through my head at 3am in the morning.

Stop, breathe, be grateful for the small (or big) things and reach out for help.

Sending you much love,
Jo xx