Are your emotions getting the better of you? If so, there are many strategies that you can learn to regulate your emotions.
Tag Archives: emotions
Using Imagery to Diffuse Emotions
A few months ago, I spoke to you about the benefits of mindfulness. As the summer comes to a close, and we become busier with work, family, or school demands, it is important to carry inner calm into the fall. Continue reading →
Stepping Stones for Stress Reduction
With standardized testing season steadily approaching, it can be a stressful time for children and their parents. At times, it can be a demanding task to help your child remain calmer when studying or preparing to take exams. Here are some tips to help your child relax, increase productivity, and enhance concentration.
- Take a moment to pause. When your child is feeling overwhelmed, allow them a moment to walk away from their work and do a different activity, such as playing outside for 15 minutes, listening to music, or playing a game. This will help your child feel recharged and able to focus on the task at hand.
- Encourage your child to take part in different types of physical activity. Whether it is playing a sport or simply taking a break from work to stretch or take a walk, allowing your child to move around will help your to refocus on studying.
- Use affirmations and positive statements. Create a list of statements with your child such as, “I am smart” or “I am prepared for this exam.” Encourage your child to write these statements down or say them aloud.. This can help to increase your child’s confidence and ability to perform academically. This will also help your child to focus on the positive aspects of her or his studies..
- Learn simple breathing exercises. Simply having your child follow his or her natural breath for a few inhalations and exhalations can greatly reduce the physical and emotional experiences of stress..
- Practice good sleep hygiene. Enforcing a bedtime, as well as a bedtime routine, will help your child to de-stress from the day and prepare for a well-rested night’s sleep.
- Control your own stress. Make sure your own level of stress is under control when interacting with your child. This is a good opportunity to teach your child how to regulate their emotions and manage stressful circumstances through modeling your own reactions to certain situations.
It is important to acknowledge your child’s feelings, especially during stressful times. Practice open communication. This will help your child know, understand, and be able to convey his or her feelings and needs during times of increased anxiety or stress. Fostering this type of supportive environment is extremely beneficial to managing stress or anxiety for children. If you notice your child is unable to incorporate healthy strategies for coping or is unusually stressed or anxious, we are here to help.
Finding Calm During the Hectic Holidays
With the holiday season right around the corner, we sometimes find ourselves frantically searching for the perfect holiday gift or quickly putting together the finishing touches on our parties. Our seemingly endless family gatherings and obligations sometimes lead to feelings of pressure and stress. Not to mention, the drop in temperature and shorter days can influence our mood and cause us to experience a lack of motivation and overall dreariness. It is important to know yourself and be able to identify when something is feeling out of the norm for you. Here are some tips to combat feelings of stress and depression and to ensure that bright holiday cheer is present well into the New Year.
Tips
- Utilize your supports and b. Beat loneliness by reaching out to your friends and family. Surround yourself with people who improve your mood.
- Change your attitude by giving gratitude. The holidays can be viewed as a time when you give recognition to those in your life who are important. When you are doing for others, you won’t have time to think about anything else. Performing a selfless act has the transformative power to not only brighten someone else’s day but to also return a big smile to your face!
- Think outside the box. Many times we find ourselves stuck in the same old, perhaps unenjoyable holiday routines, leaving us dissatisfied. Break the cycle of monotony and create new traditions with your family and friends.
- Remember loved ones that have passed. Find a way to keep honor their memory and celebrate their life.
- Don’t fall out of your routine. If your daily activities consist of exercising and making healthy food choices, don’t let the holidays interfere with all of the hard work you’ve put in throughout the year. They key here is to remain consistent with your routine. Of course, you don’t want to deprive yourself of all the amazing holiday treats, just keep everything in moderation. Make time to take care of yourself.
- Take time to be present throughout your experiences. When you find your mind wandering too far into the future pay attention to those thoughts and bring them back to the present. Try to focus on your breath and what you are doing in the current moment.
- Don’t live outside of your means. Make a budget for yourself before you begin your holiday shopping. This will help you prevent any financial surprises later on.
- Get in touch with your feelings. Remember that you are a human being who experiences emotions… Don’t ignore them! Acknowledge and accept the feelings you are experiencing. Once you are aware of your feelings, you are better equipped to handle them.
- Don’t try to take on everything yourself. It is okay to ask for the help of your family and friends. Delegating tasks will lessen your load of responsibility and ease your level of stress.
- Stop comparing yourself to others. When we compare ourselves to others, we lose sight of the value our unique experiences, which is an imminent trap for feelings of sadness. All of that time and energy spent focusing on another person could be transformed to focusing on yourself.
If you find yourself struggling with an issue in your life or experiencing unpleasant feelings that you are having difficulty managing, I am here to help!