As we approach the beginning of our holiday season I wanted to share with you some simple natural stress management tips. Of course I'll share my top essential oils picks that you can add to these too. By the way, nothing I'm saying is rocket science, but sometimes we even over complicate things when it comes to reducing and managing our stress.
1. Change your scenery, literally. Physically walk away from the current situation, if possible. Or try doing something else to get your mind focusing on something else for a bit. If you like to read - go for it! Audio books, watch a movie or show you like, listen to music, go for a walk, etc. You get the point, you just need to take the focus of your brain off what's got your pants in a bunch.
Oils to support: I could literally list out dozens of oils here, but for the sake of your time (and mine) I'll condense this to the ADAPTIV™ System. This is my new ultimate favorite for mental wellness and I'll do another blog post on it another day. One of my OG's is doTERRA Balance® or doTERRA Serenity®. Balance is grounding and Serenity is calming to the mind, combine these two oil blends together and you have some magic.
2. Breathe or laugh! Often times the mere act of consciously thinking about our breathing or laughing can help reduce our cortisol levels and reduce tension and stress. Pro tip: even fake laughing works. Struggling to laugh?
Oils to support: When I think of breathing and essential oils, I think about doTERRA Breathe as it opens up the airways. It does have more of a menthol aroma, so if you're triggered by this (makes you think of being sick) then I suggest Peppermint. My favorite and super inexpensive essential oil for bringing a smile to my face is doTERRA's Wild Orange. So heavenly. It should bring a smile to your face for sure - then tack on a fake laugh and you've got yourself well on your way to a stress-free zone.
3. Be mindful of what you eat. I know this one can be tough, as many of us turn to food as a source of comfort to help us through a tough situation, but if we over indulge and/or drink caffeine or alcohol it can actually cause us adverse effects. I'm not suggesting that you don't live, have a cheat meal or enjoy yourself, I'm simply suggesting that you pay attention to what you're putting in your body as it could play a factor in how your body reacts.
Oils to support: doTERRA has a line called Slim & Sassy - it's great for curbing your appetite and boosting your metabolism. It comes in various forms, but a super simple one would be the Slim & Sassy gum or the easy-peasy essential oil.
Short and sweet. If you want a plethora of more info you'll have to check out www.relaxlikeaboss.com. They have all sorts of blog posts on relaxation, mindfulness and meditation. I'd like to share one that gives a ton of tips it's called The Ultimate Guide to Stress Management. If you're in college or have a kiddo in college then check out this sweet infographic by IvyPanda - all about student stress and some tips to reduce it.
Hope you have a great start to your holidays - Thanksgiving is right around the corner! As always, never hesitate to reach out - I'm here to help, that's what I do.
xoDanette