"It's the most wonderful time of the year" and yet three out of five say their mental health is strained during the holiday season, while 64% of those with mental illness say their condition is worsened during this time of year.
In my opinion, the mix of socialising, financial pressures, difficult family members, increased consumption of alcohol and sugar, work burnout and falling out of our usual routine are the culprits...
So if you're feeling more anxious, overwhelmed, on edge or under pressure than usual then please know that you're not alone!
I'm actually writing this blog post from Sydney, Australia (which is where I went to University) and it's been an incredible week of catching up with friends (+ seeing some of you!).
However, I don't drink much - I usually go months and months without alcohol - but I had a little too much fun last Saturday and it threw me into this insane anxious spiral for 3 whole days.
So in case you need extra support this holiday season...
Here are some of my favourite ways to regulate my nervous system, complete the stress cycle and move big emotions out of my body:
* Go for a walk in nature
* Somatic movements
* Self-hypnosis
* Box breathing (in, hold, out, hold, for a count of 4)
* Listen to my favourite 'feel good' podcasts to have a laugh
* Phone a friend or my boyfriend
* Grounding - put my feet in the earth
* Journal it out
* Bilateral (butterfly) tapping
* Cry!!! Let it out
* Stretching
* Lifting heavy things
* Drink a cup of oat straw tea
* Listen to music & dance it out
* Humming / singing to stimulate the vagus nerve
* Somatic shaking
* 10 minutes on my acupressure mat
I want all my clients to feel equipped to deal with burnout, stress and overwhelm so that they can show up as the best version of themselves and take action steps towards their goals...
Especially during the holiday season which is supposed to be a time filled with love, presence, reflection and dreaming big.
Which is exactly why I created The Restore Challenge - a 30-day guided somatic healing course that helps you regulate your nervous system, move through big feelings and find calm when you need it. Giving you a taste of my unique therapeutic method, ThetaSomatics
™.
I quit my corporate job while in a mental health rockbottom and built an online community of over 200k in just 10 months, so I know what it takes to move through the blues, fear and big feelings.
Everything you want is on the other side of a regulated nervous system and releasing unprocessed emotions - 2024 can be your year, and there's no better time to start than now.