THE ART OF SELF-SOOTHING
Emotions make us human. All of us are capable of feeling emotions that make us feel good — joy, trust, admiration, and anticipation. In the same way, we also feel negative emotions — sadness, anger, shame, and disgust. Dealing with positive feelings is not a problem, but we couldn’t say the same thing with negative feelings. Depression, anxiety, fear, and all sorts of negativities can be crippling and can cause chronic stress and damage our immune system. You may be wondering, how can we deal with negative emotions?
Self-soothing is one of the ways to calm or regulate our bodies when we are overwhelmed both physically and emotionally. You may already be doing self-soothing without you realizing it. Self-soothing is eating your favorite ice cream after a long day at work. But how different is self-soothing from self-care?
Self-soothing involves activities that provide distraction during difficult times. Having fancy beverages, bingeing TV series, and going for a walk are examples of this technique. In some cases though, these activities may not actually stabilize you or create opportunities for you to move forward with your life. That is where self-care comes in. Maintaining a healthy diet, staying active, setting boundaries, and accepting your emotions are some self-care techniques. But that is not to say that self-soothing activities are not helpful. They are just as important as self-care activities because they help us feel at ease when we are dealing with intense emotions. And it only takes a second to treat yourself!
Here are some self-soothing techniques that may come in handy:
Creating art. Mandala coloring books have recently become popular because they can induce relaxation. Writing poems, painting, and drawing are some therapeutic art forms known to help you de-stress.
Enjoying a good meal, complete with a fancy beverage. This technique is known to bring immediate comfort. Chamomile tea and home-baked cookies are feel-good food too! Breakfast for dinner is a nice way to treat yourself as well.
Listening to music and meditation guides. Playing your favorite songs undoubtedly makes you feel better instantaneously. Meditation guides also bring forth calm and peace.
Looking at happy photos. Browsing photos in your phone (or photo albums) that remind you of good times can bring you out of misery.
Cleaning the house (or even your room). Decluttering your space stamps out negative feelings — this is because when you clean a room, you exercise. And when you exercise, you release endorphins, which is one of the happy hormones.
Taking a bath. Having a nice bath and making it luxurious with ambient music, candlelight and fragrant bath essentials is a sure way to lift your mood.
Going for a nature walk. Enjoying the scent of fresh air, the warmth of the sun, and the beauty of plants and trees can alleviate you whenever you are feeling down. Plus, walking is a form of exercise, so happy hormones will be released when you go for a walk.
Now, go forth and care for each other — and yourself!
