Month: April 2021

Feeling Hostile: A Guide to Your Emotions

When we’re feeling hostile, we just don’t want to talk to people, be around them, or even have them near us. That’s totally fine and completely normal. We can’t be a glorious welcome basket of a person all the time! Sometimes we’re put into situations where our social battery is at 0% and our politeness has gone out the window!

Maybe you’ve been burned one too many times by one person and do NOT have any more time, or fucks, left to give. You feel jaded and mad for a number of reasons, and to be honest, we don’t blame you! Sometimes your shitty experiences pile up one after the other and it’s hard to not to feel like you want to protect yourself by keeping others at arm’s length. 

It can feel like you have a protective layer up around you, and that layer just happens to be one made of a lot of angry emotions. It’s ok! We all feel this way from time to time, so don’t be too hard on yourself. We’re here to help you try and understand what’s going on in your mind just a little bit more! We’ll be the guide to help you process this feeling of hostility. 

A Deeper Look at Hostility

Hostility is often described as being stubborn, hot-headed, and angry. It can also be seen as having a bit of an attitude too (does that sound like something your parents ever said to you? It’s sounding horrifically familiar to us!), but sometimes this “attitude” is totally warranted! It’s often associated with anger, but it is also accompanied by feelings of skepticism, hurt, and mistrust. This cynicism might be because you believe that other people have selfish motivations, and that they WILL work to hurt you in order to get what they want. We’ve all met people like this, so we get it! You absolutely shouldn’t welcome them into your life with open arms. Other times, hostility can run a bit deeper than just these feelings. It can potentially be caused by deep seeded anger issues, PTSD, mental and physical trauma, or substance abuse. Heavy stuff, right? 

Hostility can also present in a number of ways too. It’s kind of a spectrum of explosiveness, you know? Sometimes being hostile can simply mean being cold and aloof towards someone, and other times it can mean blatantly shouting at someone to stay the fuck awayyyy. It’s basically a full body feeling of ill will and being ready to fight! Like any small thing can tip you over the edge at any moment. You might not want to be giving off this vibe of hostility, but it can radiate outward no matter how hard you try to keep it contained. 

How Hostility Shows Up Mentally 

Our emotions can run rampant in our minds! They can run around and around, without ever really giving us an opportunity to process them before they get to be too much. We can get overwhelmed, angry, frustrated, scared, and allow these feelings to fester in our minds. This turns into a nasty little spiral that we can’t seem to stop:

  • Anger 
  • Cyniscim 
  • Frustration 
  • Being hot-headed
  • Impatience
  • Stubbornness

Feelings of hostility can also cause a lot of stress and anxiety in your mind! You might have angry outbursts, think or behave irrationally, and have a hard time communicating your feelings calmly with other people. If you notice that controlling your anger has become difficult and it starts to affect your daily life, it’s a good idea to speak with a mental health professional in therapy to learn better stress management.

How Hostility Shows Up Physically

Hostility doesn’t always just live as a form of anger in our minds. Sometimes, we just get to a point where we have to let it out! If someone or something is pushing our buttons too much, we might feel like we need a physical release of our emotions, and those can show up in some not-so-nice ways: 

  • Violence 
  • Shouting 
  • Unkind words
  • Isolating from others
  • Fatigue

Since our minds treat hostility similarly to stress and anxiety, it signals our bodies to do the same! You might also experience an elevated heart rate, higher blood pressure, muscle tension, chest pain, headaches and hot flashes. Anger puts you through A LOT.

5 Ways to Cope with Hostility 

Ok, enough of us talking about how much you don’t want to talk to people! Let’s get to the real reason why you’re reading this — how to cope with this feeling: 

1. Journal

Why do you feel this way? What is making you feel this way? Write it all down and get it out of your head and into your journal. Maybe seeing your emotions down on the paper of your journal will help you process this sense of hostility and anger. 

2. Reach Out to a Support Person 

Sometimes you just need to fucking VENT! Get your emotions out of your body and off your chest. It can be a lot to take on just by yourself so call up your bestie, your mom, your dog walker – WHOEVER and just talk it out!

3. Practice Deep Breathing

Our body can get overwhelmed with the emotions that we feel sometimes. We run through scenarios in our head to prepare ourselves for certain situations, but what we end up doing is having our body actually experience the situations that we’re imagining. Our bodies don’t really know the difference between emotions and real-life situations, so you’re forcing yourself to experience the worst case scenario over and over again. Calm your nervous system down by practicing deep breathing techniques and sloooooow dowwwwn your racing mind. 

4. Run Your Hands Under Water, Splash Your Face, Hold an Ice Cube

Ok, hear us out! This is actually a really helpful technique. Why? Well, when you shock your body by introducing a different sensation like coldness, it actually takes your mind away from your emotions, and forces you to focus on the cold that you’re feeling in that moment. 

5. Find a Positive Distraction 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by this emotion and want to try and just get it out of your head, find something positive to take your mind off of it. It seems simple, but it totally works! Watch your favourite reality TV show, knit, listen to a podcast, cook, anything that brings you joy! 

 

We hope that this helped. We know that working through hostile feelings can be soooo hard to overcome, especially if you’ve been hurt before. But we believe in you! Feel allllllllllllll the feelings and be kind to yourself. We know you’re doing the best with what you’ve got!

12 Ways a Toxic Workplace Can Impact Your Mental Health

Beeeeep. Beeeep. Beeeep. 

The obnoxious screaming of your alarm each and every morning is your least favourite sound in the ENTIRE world! It sends a shiver up your spine, you’re filled with dread, and any motivation you might’ve had before it rang has completely disappeared. By the time you have to head out the door, you’re basically forcing your feet to take you to where you need to go. 

What’s got you so distressed? Well, going to work. No, it’s not a particularly bad day. Actually…every day is a bad day at your workplace. It’s sooooo toxic. There are cliques, there’s gossip, and people in high-up positions abuse their power and talk down to you. You feel trapped, completely helpless and totally unsupported! 

A toxic workplace, or a toxic boss, can impact your mental health in many different ways. It can take you from a person following their passion to basically a soulless zombie. But we promise you’re a lot cuter than an actual zombie! Like, MUCH cuter. 

So, let’s find out how to deal with a toxic work environment and how it can impact your mental wellbeing! Consider this your toxic workplace checklist:

1. Anxiety

Work shouldn’t cause you to feel anxious. Yes, stress is naturally part of most jobs, deadlines exist, and there is the pressure to perform well — that’s all pretty natural! But stress and anxiety shouldn’t be caused BY the people you work with. If you’re worrying about cliques, how you’ll be treated by coworkers, and an emotionally draining environment, it might be time for a job change! 

2. Depression

The dysfunction! The drama! The depression! It all goes hand in hand. Working in a negative work environment, or a toxic work culture, can wear on your mental health so much that you become depressed. The constant negativity doesn’t allow you to create any good feelings to associate with your work and the people around you. 

If you’re spending 40+ hours a week at an office with toxic coworkers, you’re naturally going to be sad AF! You should walk away from your work feeling energized, positive and happy! You shouldn’t feel like you want to cry 24/7.

3. Negative Rumination 

When something negative happens in our day, we tend to hang onto it. It’s hard to let that kind of stuff go! So when you’re trapped in a negative environment all day every day, it’s hard to NOT play the day over and over in your head! This is called negative rumination. 

Negative rumination ends up reinforcing any bad feelings you have about yourself, your work, your workplace and your colleagues. Even if you have a positive experience at work, the bad ones seem to take over and end up making you forget alllll about that one sliver of good vibes. 

4. Your Inner Critic Comes Out 

A toxic workplace can often make you forget how awesome you are! The negative work environment makes it hard to do your job and do it well! It’s also difficult when there’s not a lot of positive feedback from your managers or bosses about your performance. Understandably, this is an environment where your inner critic would THRIVE! It’s not easy to let go of the negative self-talk when there’s no positive talk to even begin with!

5. Burnout 

Burnout is the feeling of complete mental and physical exhaustion. The thought of even opening your computer feels like an impossible task! A toxic workplace can drain the life out of you! There’s no opportunity to recharge, and there’s nothing to recharge with! It’s like trying to fill an empty cup with air. It just doesn’t work! 

6. You Feel Like You Lack Purpose 

Wanting to make a difference with your work is part of the human experience! We all want to make an impact in some way, big or small, and feel like we matter. But if you’re trapped in a workplace that sucks out any enjoyment you might’ve derived from your job, it can feel like you don’t have that purpose you’re searching for. 

The negativity can become soooo loud that you lose sight of the reasons why you took this position in the first place. It starts to feel so pointless and you begin to lose your drive and sense of direction in your life. We don’t want that for you! We want you to always feel like you know exactly which direction you’re going. North, South, East, West, wherever!  

7. You Become Irritated Easily 

When you’re under stress, it’s normal for you to become more irritable, easily annoyed, or even a bit angry. Your body and mind are trying to process a lot of environmental and emotional factors all at once, and it can be overwhelming. So, if you’re wondering why you have a shorter fuse when you’re on the clock, that might be why! 

8. Your Sleep Is Affected

Did you know that sleep can be impacted by anxiety and stress? Yep! So if you noticed a difference in your sleep pattern after you started working at this toxic workplace, that might be why! You might’ve even been so desperate to get a good night’s sleep that you’ve now tried just about every sleeping product out there. But, a new mattress, melatonin drops, and all the lavender scented products in the world can’t seem to help! That’s because your body is holding onto stress. 

So, when bedtime eventually rolls around, this panic, anxiety and stress you experience during the day (plus the negative rumination) causes you to lose out on some MUCH needed shut-eye. 

9. Sunday Scaries 

Ever since you started feeling the bad vibes at this job, you’ve started living your life by the good vibes of Loverboy. You’re just workin’ for the weekend!

You relish your time away from your job, so when Sunday night rolls around, you are DREADING the next day’s return to work. If you were wearing any boots, you’d be shaking in them. Before you know it, the Sunday Scaries are in FULL FORCE! 

10. You Devalue Yourself and Your Work 

When you’re constantly being undervalued at work by colleagues and managers, it can make you feel like you aren’t good — or smart — enough to do your job. 

You’re stuck feeling so anxious that you lose confidence in yourself and your abilities! It can start to feel like what you do isn’t worth anything, isn’t impactful in any way, and won’t make a difference at all. It makes you feel soooo insignificant and like you can never measure up no matter how hard you try. 

11. Increased Substance Abuse

To cope with the stress and anxiety of your day to day life, you might be compelled to turn to alcohol and other substances to help yourself manage. We get it! Sometimes you feel like you just have to relax and the only way you can do that is with the help of some wine at the end of the day. 

But we want you to be careful if you’re noticing this trend with yourself. It can be easier than we think to become reliant on an external substance to release stress. We want you to incorporate healthy coping mechanisms and stress releases if that’s the case. Maybe that means going kickboxing once or twice a week, or even screaming into your pillow! (Have you ever waited until you’re the only car on the highway and then just SCREAMED? It’s SO cathartic!) Whatever works! Just be careful that you don’t become dependent on a substance to help manage your stress when it feels unmanageable. 

12. Self Sabotage 

Sometimes we absent-mindedly sabotage ourselves out of sheer frustration (or apathy after YEARS of crap). And, sometimes we self sabotage on purpose so that we don’t have to make the difficult decision to quit and can let our employer take the heat for letting us go.

Purposeful or not, self-sabotage can risk the good reputation you may have built with other people or departments. You don’t want all that hard work you’ve put in up until this point to be forgotten because you became the office gossip, trashed colleagues, were indiscriminate with confidential or sensitive info, procrastinated, or became ruthlessly disengaged.

 

We hope none of these examples sound familiar to you…but if they do, you might be working in a toxic workplace. We hope that this helps you identify what kind of environment you’re working in and direct you along the path to improving your situation. You deserve to THRIVE, not just survive.

 

Feeling Powerful: A Guide to Your Emotions

There’s no feeling quite like feeling powerful. It makes you feel bold, confident and motivated. It feels like YOU are in control of your life, and no one else. You stand a little taller and carry yourself like the strong, capable person you believe you are (and we love to see it!). Being powerful doesn’t have to mean being a CEO in charge of a multi-million dollar company, or ruler over an entire freakin’ country. There’s a difference between being in a position of power, and FEELING powerful. When you experience power as an emotion, you are totally in charge of your feelings, strengths and opportunities. Not to mention you’re ready for whatever bullshit comes your way because you have total faith that you can manage the outcome, no matter what. You believe in yourself and you don’t care who knows it!! Pretty powerful stuff, right?

It’s safe to say that feeling powerful seems great. At least, it’s a huge step up from feeling like we have zero control over our lives or emotions! Let’s dive thru what it means to feel powerful, how it improves our mental wellbeing and how we can embrace this feeling.

A Deeper Look at Feeling Powerful

What does it mean to feel powerful, exactly? Merriam-Webster defines powerful as: “adj. having great power, prestige, or influence.” Again, this probably brings an image to mind of someone in a position of power, like a famous tech billionaire or the Queen of England. But to be fair, who wouldn’t feel powerful in a crown?!

Actually though, feeling powerful has more to do with self-confidence and knowing who you are as a person. Think of a time when you felt powerful and in control. Maybe your boss asked you to lead a project, and you gave it your all. Your team listened to what you had to say not just because you were in charge, but because you knew exactly what direction to go in. You felt strongly about your ideas, you showed confidence and chances are, it got the results you wanted! Since you believed in your abilities, you didn’t doubt for a second that you would fail. Or maybe you did doubt yourself a lil’ bit, but you shook it off and kicked ass anyway. That probably made you feel powerful AF! As it should, friend.

Maybe self-expression is what makes you feel powerful. Not just in how you dress or do your hair (although that can also be super empowering!) but in how you speak up for what you believe is right and share your opinions freely. Being an activist for causes that you’re passionate about and working towards a greater good can make you feel liberated, and yep, powerful. Being a part of positive change is a powerful thing!

When it comes down to it, feeling powerful is about knowing your worth and being secure in who you are. Is it easy? Nope, not always. But learning about yourself and having the willingness to grow can be a really powerful experience!

How Feeling Powerful Shows Up Mentally

The benefits that feeling powerful provides for your mental health are ones you don’t wanna miss! Here are a few mental signs of feeling powerful:

  • High self-esteem
  • Increased confidence
  • Reduced anxiety
  • Lowered stress
  • Higher energy levels
  • Improved relationships
  • Striving for success 

Feeling more powerful and confident can also reduce social anxiety because you care less what others think and worry less about being judged. You might act more assertive and unafraid to ask for what you want. Better communications skills, as well as sharing openly how you feel is another plus to feeling powerful! Overall, your mental wellbeing and quality of life can be improved by this shift in mindset.

How Feeling Powerful Shows Up Physically

Having high self-esteem and confidence can improve your physical health just as much as your mental health. Think about it! When we feel great about ourselves, we tend to take better care of ourselves. We make sure we’re drinking enough water, eating and getting some fresh air. We’re less susceptible to conditions like eating disorders, substance abuse or addictions. And because we feel good and can manage our stress and anxiety, our cardiac health also improves. We don’t get sick as often, or deal with headaches and body aches. We get enough rest. There are so many ways feeling powerful improves our health!

The mind and body work together, so treat both with love and care! You deserve to feel happiness from the inside out. 

5 Ways to Embrace Feeling Powerful

So now that we’re feeling all of this power, how do we channel this emotion?! We’ve got your back. Here are some strategies to embrace feeling powerful that are great for your mental wellbeing!

1. Journal

We’re big journaling fans here at DiveThru. This is one of the best practices for exploring your feelings, both positive and negative! Put pen to paper and describe how you’re feeling at this moment. What makes you feel powerful, and what gives you confidence? What are you most proud of? This journal entry can also serve as a great reminder when you could use a lil’ pick-me-up. So write, write, write away!

2. Practice Meditation

Having power over your emotions and knowing your self-worth feels amazing, doesn’t it? And meditation is a great practice for slowing down, resetting and improving our mental clarity. It also helps us recognize and connect with our inner thoughts and feelings. If you’re not sure how to meditate, start out with a guided practice!

3. Practice Gratitude

Noticing the positives in life is great, and showing gratitude for them is even better! That might include writing a list of things that bring you joy, volunteering in your community, or showing acts of kindness to the people who make your life better. It honestly feels great for everyone involved, so why not try it out for yourself!

4. Engage in Something Creative

Ya wanna know what’s empowering? Channeling your creativity! Get artsy by drawing, sketching, doing calligraphy or painting. Write poems or try blog writing. Practice an instrument, sing, dance! Feeling powerful can really put you in the right headspace to get creative, and the possibilities are endless. Give it a go!

5. Move Your Body

A huge benefit to exercise? Those endorphins, baby! Getting physical not only improves your mood, it also releases stress and improves your focus. So try doing something active that you personally enjoy! It could be dancing around your room to your upbeat playlist, or following along to a yoga video on YouTube. Maybe you like to run. Or swim. Whatever works, really. Your heart AND mind will thank you!

 

So, there you have it. We think it’s pretty amazing that you feel powerful, and so should you! Put those positive vibes to good use and keep on shining, friend.

 

Building Healthy Relationships: 5 Tips for Queer Folks

Communication, respect, and trust are important in every relationship. But, for those under the LGBTQIA2S+ umbrella, there is a bit more to take into account! Building healthy relationships isn’t always straight-forward and it doesn’t always come easy but it’s SO worth it to try and get it right.

Queer folks experience the same amount of love, intimacy, and disagreements in relationships as heterosexual couples. But their unique identities need a little extra pinch of care to make sure a relationship is healthy and supportive of their needs. So, let’s look into what boxes need to be checked on our relationship checklists! 

5 Qualities of a Healthy Queer Relationship

The groundwork of building healthy relationships starts with viewing each other as equals! And that goes for ANY relationship! You can openly discuss things that are important to you, you make compromises, and you can trust each other when you’re apart. You’re also not afraid to share those things you’re suuuuper embarrassed about — whether you wear a nightguard or still sometimes pee the bed — because you know they will love you no matter what! A true David and Patrick combo! 

Speaking of David and Patrick, as wonderful and accepting as their relationship is, they def had some extra hurdles to overcome. When Patrick decided it was time to come out to his parents (even though they kinda sorta already knew, oops), David didn’t rush anything and instead just made sure his man knew he was there for him! Their relationship reached a whole other level with that “we’ll get through it together” attitude.

So, if you’re also navigating an LGBTQIA2S+ relationship, remember that there are some specific things both you and your partner can do to keep things healthy and safe! 

1. You Learn About Your Partner’s Identity & Sexuality

It’s important to be informed on how you and your partner(s) can best support each other, which means learning all about each other’s gender identities and sexual orientations. Being able to help each other with coming out, transitioning, or anything in between starts with knowing as much as you can about what the other is going through. 

Even if one of you doesn’t 100% relate or understand at first, that’s okay! It’ll come with time and, for now, you can just listen and be supportive. Using inclusive language and validating each others’ experiences are huuuuge steps in the right direction — because this is a hella vulnerable place to be.

2. You Respect Each Other’s Pronouns 

You and your partner(s) calling each other by the right pronouns will make you feel respected and validated — especially if you’ve been struggling with gender dysphoria. It’s a conversation you and your partner are comfortable having, because you support each other in following your instincts. You and your partner(s) introduce each other with these pronouns, use them on social media, and make sure you never feel judged for wanting to be called by what feels right! 

3. You Support Identity & Self-Expression 

Let’s take pronouns one step further into gender identity and expression. In a healthy relationship, you can adopt the mannerisms, interests, and appearances that you feel best represent who you are — without having to worry about what your partner(s) will think! That is your individual experience with gender. A supportive partner will be there for you on every step of your journey. They’ll just be happy that you’re living your truth. 

4. You Support Sexual Orientation

You and your partner(s) recognize that your sexualities make you unique. And, you help each other to spread the love in your own personal way! If you’re monogamous, you also don’t question the trust between you for it. Because all orientations can be monogamous if that’s what you want! 

For example, pansexuals are emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to persons of any gender identity. However, that doesn’t change the dedication between you and your partner. If you and/or your partner are bisexual or pansexual, it does NOT mean you are attracted to everyone all the time and will lose sight of your relationship. You just have a few more fish in your sea!

5. You Respect Each Other’s Boundaries 

When you’re thinking about building healthy relationships, it’s crucial to remember boundaries. It’s sooo important to have boundaries. It’s — say it with us — FUN-DA-MENTAL. A partner can never predict what might trigger you, or vice versa! So, it’s important to have convos about boundaries before getting busy — not after something’s gone wrong. And these boundaries don’t just fall in the realm of sex! For example, things like PDA or just being touched the wrong way can be seriously difficult for some people, including those who identify as asexual or aromantic. 

You and your partner(s) being able to support and accept every bit of each other’s identity — gender AND sexual — will bring you closer together and make your relationship more fulfilling! So, the next time someone asks if your relationship is healthy, you can answer with “abso-fricken-lutely!”

Did you know there is an LGBTQ+ social network AND dating app? It’s called Taimi and it already has over 10 million users! Taimi offers a safe and secure experience, with no judgement, discrimination, or hate. Download the free Taimi app if you’re looking for a long-term romance, to make new friends, to network, or to just talk to someone for fun. And Taimi is open to everyone regardless of where they identify on the gender and sexuality spectrum. We love to see it!

*This article is sponsored by Taimi.

 

How to Create a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ Youth in Your Classroom

There has been increasing acceptance of the LGBTQIA2S+ community in recent years. All of us at DiveThru are Millenials and Gen Z, and even we don’t even remember having a totally inclusive curriculum, or classroom space, for LGBTQ+ youth when we were in school. Thankfully there is more societal acceptance and recognition of people in the Queer Community now. (FINALLY!)

If you’re a teacher, you’re probably trying to keep up with all the changes in the world to make sure that your students feel safe and accepted in your classroom, but it can be hard to know where to start with that.

Here are some tips on how to make your classroom more inclusive! 

1. Ask Your Students Their Preferred Pronouns

This might seem like a really small action, but it can be huuuge. Maybe some of the LGBTQ+ youth in your class aren’t out to their families yet, and the only place they can be themselves is at school. 

Asking students to use their pronouns when introducing themselves allows you to help them be more confident in how they identify.

2. Teach an Inclusive Curriculum

Kids are never too young to understand gender diversity and sexual orientation. There are always age-appropriate ways to approach this subject. Some people might not think that the kids will understand, but they will!

You probably already know that kids are capable of understanding soooo much more than many of us give them credit for. They are also extremely open-minded and accept people of different sexualities and gender identities without question. It’s really amazing to see. 

3. Use Gender-Neutral Language and Don’t Assume Someone’s Gender

Practice using they/them pronouns. And, keep these things in mind when interacting with your students:

  • Gender expression isn’t the same thing as gender identity.
  • There is no one way to be trans. Trans people look and present in alllll different ways!
  • Trans people don’t have to look cis or “pass” to be respected.

If you follow and respect these things, your students (no matter what their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression might be) will be extremely grateful for it!

4. Don’t Rely on Queer Students to Explain Queer Characters

This should go without saying, but we’re going to say it juuuuuust in case.

If you’re teaching students about Queer characters in a book, don’t look to the LGBTQ+ youth in the classroom and single them out. They might just be discovering who they are. They might not even be totally comfortable in their own skin yet. And, singling them out puts undue pressure on them to perform a certain way and know about things they might not have even heard of before. 

Singling them out might make them feel like the token Queer kid and not a 3-dimensional human being. This child has other interests and hobbies, but if you boil down their identity to this one thing, they’ll learn that their queerness is the only aspect of their identity that people are interested in. 

5. Don’t Choose Learning Material That Has Stereotypical Queer Characters and Promotes Stereotypes

Queer representation isn’t just about watching an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race and calling it a day. Reallyyyy do your research and find books and materials that show a varied and nuanced representation of characters.

Try and find age-appropriate materials that talk about a variety of things from gay marriage to being trans. This can come in the form of educational books or YA graphic novels. And, don’t be afraid to reach out to notable and educated Queer people in your community if you aren’t sure where to start.  

6. Follow Inclusive Educators

@kepaterson is a PhD candidate who focuses on creating inclusive education materials for teachers and shows that it’s possible to educate kids on queer issues. Give them a follow because the work that she does is so valuable!

She has even contributed to a new resource for teachers that includes some example lesson plans! We highly recommend following them or even contacting them to advise you on how to make your classroom inclusive to everyone! 

7. Teach Queer History

Who was Marsha P. Johnson? Silvia Rivera? These important figures were trans women of colour who changed the course of history. They were outcast by their own community because they were trans, yet still fought for the rights of everyone in the LGBTQIA2S+. This is important history that deserves to be explored. 

What were the Stonewall Riots? This was the start of a revolution for Queer people all over the world to gain the right to love who they want to love.

You already know the importance of teaching history. Learning about what others have done before us is a great way to avoid the same mistakes, find role models, and develop our own decision making skills. 

8. Do the Work Yourself

This is probably the most important point that we can make. Doing all the things we mentioned above is all well and good, but the only way that you can make a space TRULY inclusive is to remove yourself from gender bias.

Asking pronouns and giving trans kids a bathroom is all well and good, but if you still see a trans boy as a girl, or a nonbinary person as a boy or a girl, then your space isn’t inclusive and you’ll actually harm your students.

 

So do the hard, internal work in order to make your students feel as welcome and as safe as possible! 

To make your classroom truly inclusive for LGBTQ+ youth, you have to go above and beyond just posting rainbows around your classroom and celebrating pride month. It takes a lot of work, but we know that you’re up for the task!

 

Feeling Selfish: A Guide to Your Emotions

Nobody wants to be seen as a selfish person, right? Selfishness has a lot of negative connotations, after all! People who are viewed as selfish put their needs before the needs of others and don’t seem to care much for anyone’s feelings but their own. Maybe they want all the glory and recognition for themselves on a group project. They might make plans without considering their responsibilities at work or at home, forcing other people to pick up their slack. Or maybe they take the last piece of cake, without even offering to at least split it (almost unforgivable, tbh)! On the other hand though, feeling selfish isn’t always a bad thing. You might be thinking: ummm, are you sure about that? Stick with us, it’s gonna make more sense soon!

We’re all guilty of being selfish from time to time! Nobody is perfect. But prioritizing your needs and mental wellness doesn’t automatically make you a selfish person. Maybe putting your needs first still makes you feel selfish and kinda guilty, though. It’s okay, we can work through that! Let’s dive thru feeling selfish, what it really means and how to cope with this emotion.

A Deeper Look at Feeling Selfish

What does it mean to feel selfish? Great question. Why not take a look at a good, reliable definition for some clarification? APA Dictionary defines selfishness as: “n. the tendency to act excessively or solely in a manner that benefits oneself, even if others are disadvantaged.”

Sooo yeah, being selfish CAN be really harmful. When we want something, or even someone, all to ourselves, that can be selfish…not to mention super toxic and unhealthy! If we will stop at no end to get what we want, even if it hurts the people around us – you guessed it! That is also selfish behaviour. And to no surprise, it can affect our relationships in negative ways. The people in our lives can become distant or distrusting of our actions if they have been burned by our selfishness before. Our reputation for being selfish can proceed us, making us feel isolated from others. It can hold us back from new opportunities. Nobody wants to deal with a selfish person who will throw them under the bus if it means they’ll get ahead. Who can blame them, really?

Buuut there is a difference between being selfish and looking after your wellbeing. It’s not selfish to practice self care, ask for help or take some personal time to be alone. It isn’t selfish to celebrate your achievements or want recognition for your hard work. It’s not selfish to set boundaries and ask that people respect them. It’s not selfish to feel proud of yourself, ask for help, or say “no.” And it’s not selfish to be honest and open about your thoughts and feelings. You might worry that any of these needs will make other people think you’re selfish, but ask yourself  — if someone was in your shoes, would you write them off as selfish? Chances are, you would understand where they’re coming from and show empathy. And no, not everyone will take your needs seriously or be as understanding as they should. But keep in mind: you are your #1 priority. So take care of yourself. There’s nothing selfish about that!

How Feeling Selfish Shows Up Metally

When we don’t prioritize our needs out of the fear of seeming selfish, it can be really hard on our mental wellbeing. Here are a few ways our mental health can be affected:

  • Burnout
  • Fatigue
  • Stress
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Frustration

In extreme cases, selfishness is a symptom of diagnosable mental disorders such as antisocial personality disorder, bipolar disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. Someone dealing with a mental illness such as depression may come off as selfish to other people because they have “checked out” of other areas of their life and are wrapped up in their own feelings and struggles.

How Feeling Selfish Shows Up Physically

Again, putting your own needs and self care on the back burner to avoid being seen as selfish can eventually impact your physical health, too. The built-up stress, resentment and anxiety can harm your cardiac health, cause digestive problems, and make sleeping difficult. Headaches, low energy, chest pain and a weakened immune system are also indicators of stress.

In case you didn’t hear us the first time — self-care. is. not. selfish. Listen to what your body is telling you! Your physical health and mental health work hand in hand.

5 Ways to Cope with Feeling Selfish

Okay so, you wanna work through your selfish feelings. First of all, we’re proud of you for taking this step! Anddd we’ve got some coping strategies for you. Try ‘em out, ‘cause they’re pretty great.

1. Journal

This method right here? We love it…swear by it…10/10 recommend it! Writing down your thoughts and feelings can give you a ton of clarity. Plus, it’s helpful for reframing negative thoughts into positive ones. It also feels very therapeutic and will help release all of those bad feelings you’ve been harbouring!

2. Practice Meditation

Meditation is a method that’s been used to relieve stress and improve mental clarity since, like… forever. This practice allows us to slowww down and shift our mindset. If you’re not sure how to meditate, start out with a guided practice.

3. Engage in Something Soothing and Comforting

Spend time with your pet by cuddling them or taking them on a walk. Touch something comforting like your fave cozy blanket. Brew some tea or your drink of choice. Find whichever method or activity is right for you in the moment!

4. Move Your Body

A huge benefit to exercise? Those endorphins, baby! Getting physical not only improves your mood, it also releases stress and improves your focus. So try doing something active that you personally enjoy! It could be dancing around your room to your upbeat playlist, or following along to a yoga video on YouTube. Maybe you like to run. Or swim. There’s endless activities that get you up and moving! Not only will your heart thank you for it, but so will your mind.

5. Reach Out for Support

Try reaching out to a friend, family member or loved one when you need to have a good ol’ vent session. They can be there to listen and support you, and maybe even offer up some advice if that’s what you need. Either way, just having them be there for you can make all the difference in the world!

 

Well. That’s all we’ve got for now! We hope this has helped you navigate this feeling and recognize that making yourself a priority is NOT selfish. Your feelings and needs are valid, always!

 

Feeling Excited: A Guide to Your Emotions

I’m so excited! And I just can’t hide it! The 80s jam from The Pointer Sisters gets this feeling sooo right. ‘Cause when we’re feeling excited, we’re upbeat! We’re a ball of energy! We can’t! Stop using! Exclamation points! Excitement usually comes from anticipating something that we are really looking forward to and makes us super happy. It could be scoring tickets to see your favourite band, or planning a weekend getaway with your friends. Maybe you’re super excited about scoring your dream job at an amazing company. Huge events or milestones in your life can also be exciting, like an award ceremony, graduation, or wedding. Clearly, there’s endless things to be excited about! Isn’t that so exciting?!

It’s no surprise that excitement is great for your mental wellbeing. Buuut we like to dive thru any and all emotions around here, including the positive ones. So let’s talk more about how great it is to feel so excited that ya just can’t hide it!

A Deeper Look at Feeling Excited

What does it mean to feel excited? We all know the feeling, but let’s pull up a definition just for funsies. Merriam-Webster defines excited as: “adj. having, showing, or characterized by a heightened state of energy, enthusiasm, eagerness, etc.” No lies detected. That sums it up pretty well, doesn’t it?

Excitement is a temporary but powerful emotion. It’s like a flash of lightning – you blink, and it passes. But when you’re caught up in the moment, it feels ahhh-mazing! You might find excitement from trying new things. Excitement to you could mean travelling and learning about other cultures or ways of life. Or you might find physical activities that bring on an adrenaline rush the most exciting, like skydiving or white water rafting. Starting your own business, performing on stage, and chasing your dreams can bring us a ton of excitement. It makes us feel positive, energetic and boosts our mood. It disrupts our normal routines, breaks up the boredom and makes us appreciate our lives! And that’s the most exciting thing about it, if you ask us.

How Feeling Excited Shows Up Mentally

It turns out, feeling excited and feeling anxious can be very similar. Both provide a rush of cortisol in the brain, triggering your fight or flight response. The difference? How we perceive the situation and how we feel about ourselves! Think about public speaking, for example. Some people think of speaking to an audience as their worst nightmare. They don’t feel confident or sure of themselves, so the idea of potentially making a mistake or looking ridiculous in front of a crowd is the WORST thing ever. On the other hand, some people thrive with an audience, like singers, actors and motivational speakers. It excites them to perform for a crowd and feed off their energy! Sure, they might feel a bit nervous sometimes about messing up. But they perceive the situation as ultimately positive, so that’s how their brains respond! Reframing a negative situation in our minds into a positive one makes all the difference. It takes practice of course, but it’s life changing once you get the hang of it!

How Feeling Excited Shows Up Physically

Excitement has a lot of physical signs, most of which you have definitely experienced before. These symptoms happen when our nervous system becomes aroused and we get a rush of chemicals. Again, the physical symptoms of anxiety and excitement are closely linked. 

For one, there’s that whole rollercoaster sensation or butterflies in your stomach feeling that we all love so much. Plus, our heart rate goes up. Feeling excited can also cause trembling, like in your hands or shaking your legs and feet. And like having nerves, your palms might also get sweaty (sorta embarrassing but totally justified). You might experience weakness in the body when you’re excited, too. Ever dropped something or feel weak in the knees because you were just too damn excited? … No? Just us?

5 Ways to Appreciate Feeling Excited

When excitement comes around, it can be nice to take the time to soak in and enjoy this feeling! ‘Cause it really is awesome, right? Here are some ways you can appreciate this feeling while it lasts (we hope it lasts foreverrr):

1. Move Your Body

Put all of that energy to good use and get a lil’ physical! Go for a walk, stretch, ride a bike, dance, you name it. Exercise releases endorphins, boosts your energy and improves your mood. Even though you’re happy AF and feeling all of those things already, it still doesn’t hurt to engage in something positive! Sounds like a win/win.

2. Engage in Compassionate Self Talk

We can be really hard on ourselves most days and fall into the negative self-talk trap. If you ever feel nervous, try to reframe those negative thoughts into positive ones. It might feel silly, but try saying them out loud. I’m gonna use this excitement to give this my all. I’m strong and deserve to be here. I have support. I can do this!

3. Connect with a Friend

When you’re excited about something, it feels great to share it with someone else! Call a friend, send them a text, or go on a coffee date in the park. Talk to them about how you’re feeling and enjoy the moment. We all just wanna feel heard and connected with others, especially when it’s time to share good news!

4. Journal

Journaling is a practice that works for alllll the emotions. It’s a great way to put your thoughts down into words and reflect on your feelings. Plus, who doesn’t wanna look back on past entries when you were feeling super excited and happy?! All of those good feelings and memories will come rushing back in the best way!

5. Practice Gratitude

Showing gratitude for the things that bring us happiness and makes us feel excited?! That’s the best! Gratitude can look like simply taking notice of the good things in life and showing them appreciation. That might involve writing a list of things that bring you joy, volunteering in your community, or showing acts of kindness to the people who make your life better. It feels great for everyone!

 

That’s all for now, friend! Thanks for diving thru this positive emotion with us. We hope these practices help your excitement stay a while. Spread some of that good feeling around, promise?!

 

What Is the Feelings Wheel + How to Use It

You might have read the title and thought, “What the heck is a feelings wheel?” Sadly, it’s not part of a game where you spin an arrow and then act out the feeling that it lands on. That does sound like a fun version of charades, though.

The feelings wheel is a wheel used to help people describe what emotions they’re experiencing in greater detail. This can be used by writers to help them express a character’s emotions more elegantly, or more commonly, it is used by therapists and teachers to help children learn how to label and understand their emotions.

It doesn’t just have to be used by kids, though! Some adults could use some help labelling and understanding their emotional experience too.

A person can feel soooo many different kinds of emotions, sometimes all at once. It can be hard to navigate because these feelings can become extremely overwhelming and they can get lost in the turbulent sea.

 This feelings wheel becomes a really powerful tool in moments like these because it helps you identify your emotions and then understand what you need to do in order to process them.

But how does the feelings wheel work?

How to Use It

It’s really intuitive once you take a closer look at it! Start at the centre of the circle, where you will find six primary emotions. These are the feelings that serve as a jumping-off point:

  • Peaceful
  • Sad
  • Mad
  • Scared
  • Joyful
  • Powerful

Each one of the core emotions has even more feelings attached to each of them. For example, rejected, confused, helpless and anxious all stem from the core emotion of scared. 

Then, from each of those secondary emotions, there are even MORE emotions! It’s awesome! We won’t break down every category because that would just be a headache for you to read. We’ll just include a picture of it!

Colourful week divided into sections and tiers to show all 78 emotions.

This wheel was created by Dr. Gloria Wilcox to help people recognize what is going on under the surface of an emotion. This can help you solve a problem that you’re facing and develop deeper self-awareness.

When to Use It

This is often used in therapy to help people understand what they’re feeling. It helps get to the true reason and cause behind their emotions.

For example, a kid might seem to be mad as they run to their room and slam their door! But mad is that core emotion. What is underneath it? The initial reaction of slamming the door might be because they’re feeling angry but it could also be because they’re feeling hurt. It’s that initial anger that parents & children may respond to but anger just happens to be the way that other feelings are being expressed. 

If the parent understands that there is another emotion “underneath” the anger, they can guide the child to that emotion. They can both cope and address the situation appropriately. This also helps the parent respond most empathetically to the deeper emotion(s).

When people identify more specific emotions, they can then understand how to deal with that emotion more effectively. The term psychologists use to talk about this is emotional granularity. Fancy, we know!

The feelings wheel is also awesome in classrooms to help teach kids how to become more emotionally aware and understanding. It helps kids grow their emotional intelligence for both themselves and others. They can be more empathetic, kind, and understanding of what they or someone else is working through. 

You can also just send it to your friends and family if you think that they can use it too! They might find it surprisingly useful. Or you will. Someone will!

The feelings wheel is an awesome way to help you sort out… well, your feelings! That shit is complicated, so we hope that it helps you break down what you’re feeling into smaller parts. That way you can dive thru what you’re going thru a little bit easier.

 

Feeling Unappreciated at Work? 10 Ways to Cope When Undervalued

Feeling unappreciated can be a real blow to the ol’ self-esteem and make you feel totally invisible. And when we feel undervalued at our job, that shit can be especially frustrating. You’re constantly pushing to do your best! Crush those goals! Make your team proud! But when it comes to receiving praise from your boss…all you hear is crickets. Maybe you’re starting to wonder, wtf am I doing here? Just a lil’ crumb, or a crumb-let, of appreciation would be nice! Is that too much to ask??

Hell no, it’s not too much to ask! Your feelings are always valid, friend. So if you don’t feel appreciated at your workplace, here are some ways to dive thru it. ‘Cause you’re a rockstar and deserve to feel like one!

1. Recognize Your Value

Hey, if no one else will, hype yourself up! You know how amazing you are deep down, but maybe you could use the extra reminders on days where you don’t feel valued at all.

Leave yourself little notes on your desk with personal affirmations. I’m doing my best. I’m a hard worker. My skill set is valuable. I’m valuable. I’m amazing at my job. You deserve to feel proud of your accomplishments! Or, start a gratitude journaling practice and take notice of all the things you love about your life and yourself. Alllll of these positive lil’ thoughts add up!

You still 100% deserve to feel appreciated by your workplace, but there’s no shame in showing yourself some love for kicking ass at your job. So, flatter yourself!

2. Learn How to Set Boundaries

We’re lookin’ at all of you people-pleasers out there! Boundaries are a MUST when it comes to your mental wellbeing. They keep you from burning out and becoming resentful (which you’re maybe experiencing right about now). If you constantly feel resentful of being asked to do more more more, like you always have to say YES to avoid letting people down, or like you give sooo much but get little in return — it’s time. Set those boundaries.

Next time you’re asked to stay late (AGAIN) or asked to put out a fire for someone else, remember that you’re allowed to say no (no, it doesn’t make you a bad employee). The boundaries you place around your time and energy deserve to be respected.

3. Reframe Negative Thoughts

My boss hates me. My coworkers are always so ahead of me. I suck, majorly.

Sound familiar? Yaaa, these negative thoughts can really run rampant in your mind. It’s easy to get down on yourself and get caught up in negative self-talk when you feel undervalued at your job. The thing is, you might be listening to your inner critic a lil’ too much. Just because you aren’t getting the praise you deserve, doesn’t mean you’re undeserving. So instead, reframe those negative thoughts you’re having about yourself using those affirmations we talked about. I’m doing my best. I’m a hard worker. My skill set is valuable. I’m valuable. I’m amazing at my job.

4. Look for Underlying Signs Of Appreciation

Okay, realistically, our bosses aren’t gonna praise us 24/7 even when they really do appreciate our kick-assery. Ask yourself if there are other ways you receive appreciation at work aside from words. You might be chosen for certain projects because of your wicked skills. Or your team might come to you with questions because they trust your judgement.

There’s a good chance your team is super grateful for you, just in ways that aren’t always so obvious! 

5. Show Appreciation for Others

Tell your work bestie how much you appreciate their help on a project. Bring your coworker their fave drink from Starbs when they’re having a hectic day. Plan a group lunch with your team in the park.

Showing how much you appreciate the people you work with will help increase morale (bets are everyone is feeling underappreciated in some way), and might make others be more intentional with showing their appreciation too. Maybe your workplace just needs that lil’ push to be a more supportive culture. 

6. Ask for What You Need

Harsh truth…you’re probs gonna have to talk to your boss about how you’re feeling. You might be thinking: Haaa, as if! I’ll just hold this inside and suppress it until it goes away, like an ADULT. We get it. Confrontation can be super awkward. But there’s no shame in sharing how you truly feel, especially when it’s starting to affect your wellbeing outside of work too.

Ask your boss if you can have a talk one-on-one and let them know how you’re feeling. Share if you feel like your efforts are going unnoticed, or you feel undervalued in your position. Some people dread public acknowledgement, while others crave it. Maybe, for you, success looks like receiving praise and recognition for your hard work (totally valid, btw). And there’s a chance your boss has no idea you’re feeling this way! Hopefully, they are the kind of boss that loves feedback, and you two can work on making things better together.

7. Lean on Your Support Team

Before you have a major breakdown in the break room, turn to the people in your life who you can count on. Ask to go for a walk, a drive, or to FaceTime after work just to vent.

Your loved ones will be there to support you and remind you just how ahhh-mazing you are. When you’re feeling unappreciated, it can be so nice to hear some of that validation from someone else! They can also talk you through any scenarios that happened at work, like your boss not acknowledging the joke you made in the team meeting. Maybe they didn’t catch what you said, or just didn’t get it! Maybe they were thinking about their next meeting, and stressed out? Sometimes we just need a little help to rationalize so that we don’t lay awake at night, picking those interactions apart.

8. Take Time for Yourself

Here’s your friendly reminder to incorporate self-care in your life! Work can be draining af, so make sure that you’re taking some time for yourself. Like, as much as possible. Mark it in your planner, or set a reminder in your phone, you lil’ go-getter! Scheduling some me-time is just as important as your working hours (even more important, tbh).

Order dinner from your fave restaurant after completing a super time-consuming project. Finally check out that big purchase that’s been sitting in your online shopping cart for months. Celebrate those little wins. They matter!

9. Talk to a Therapist

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again…THERAPY. Talking through your problems in therapy can be sooo helpful when you’re second-guessing yourself, dealing with low self-esteem or just need to vent about your feels. Your therapist will walk you through all of those thoughts you’re having and give you some new perspective.

They can also give you some much-needed advice about your work life. Is this job really serving your wellbeing, aside from earning a living? Is it doing more harm than good?

10. Consider Moving On

Obviously, feeling unappreciated at work can look like a lot more than not getting enough pats on the back from your boss. Being undervalued at work can also look like: being underpaid, not getting raises, not receiving credit for your work, a lack of promotion or growth opportunities. 

If you’re dealing with a toxic workplace and not getting the respect you deserve, it’s okay to look at other options. Or maybe you’ve outgrown where you’re at right now, and that’s okay too. Truly, if you’re unhappy and things don’t improve…you don’t owe anyone more of yourself.

 

We’re sorry if you’ve been struggling with feeling undervalued at work, friend. Hopefully these tips help better your situation, or at least know that you’re ready to move on to bigger and better things! Always know your worth.

 

Feeling Calm: A Guide to Your Emotions

tThere’s nothing quite like feeling calm, huh? We know how stressful life can be! It could be work, school, relationships or any sort of commitments we have to make time for, and it can be really hard to balance all of those things. But when we’re feeling calm, it’s like all of the noise faaades away. We’re in a state of bliss. We feel relaxed, at ease and carefree. 

Typically when we think of ultimate calm, a vacation to a tropical place or a day at the spa comes to mind. But we don’t always need to escape in order to feel calm! Sometimes we’re content right where we are, and that’s pretty awesome.

Feeling calm isn’t the easiest emotion to come by, we know. So when we do feel calm, it’s nice to take the time to fully enjoy this feeling. So let’s dive thru how it feels to be calm and the wonders it does for our mental wellbeing!

A Deeper Look at Feeling Calm

We all know what it feels like to be calm (at least, we hope that’s the case!) but let’s throw a definition in there for good measure. Dictionary.com defines relaxed as: “adj. free from excitement or passion; tranquil.” Ahhh, that sounds nice, doesn’t it?

Think of the last time you felt truly calm. Maybe it was the holidays and you had some time off from work or school. You were surrounded by friends and family, and there was no need to set an alarm in the morning. Lounging around the house in your pajamas was totally acceptable. Binging shows on Netflix, eating delicious home-cooked meals and curling up on the couch were the only things on your agenda.

Why do we always look forward to the weekend, our next vacation or a holiday? It’s pretty simple: these periods of time are the epitome of calm. They break up our regular routine. There’s no expectation to get anything done. We just get to EXIST. No added stressors or responsibilities, just chillaxing. Yes, that’s a word.

When we work hard, it’s easy to get caught up in everyday stress. But taking the time to find moments of calm is sooo important. And no, it doesn’t have to wait until the next holiday! Try to incorporate calmness into everyday life. It doesn’t make you less of a hard worker, or hinder you from your goals. In fact, the benefits of calmness will give you the boost you need to perform your best! We don’t wanna burnout now do we? So let’s make the conscious effort to relaxxx now and then!

How Feeling Calm Shows Up Mentally

Stating the obvious here, but feeling calm does wonders for our mental wellbeing. You’re probably thinking ok, duh but we need to talk about this. ‘Cause the benefits are just too good not to recognize them in all their relaxed, soothing glory! Here are a few ways calmness improves our mental health:

  • Improved focus, thinking clearly
  • Ability to make better decisions
  • Boosted mood
  • More positive outlook on life
  • Increased self-esteem, boosted confidence

All in all, feeling calm has the opposite effect of stress on our mental health. When our stress is reduced and we feel more at ease, we tend to take better care of ourselves and enjoy life more. It’s not always easy since so many stressors can come up at any given time, lots of which aren’t in our control. But this is why it’s so important to find ways to combat stress with calmness. Our mind and bodies need it!

How Feeling Calm Shows Up Physically

Our mental health and physical health are linked so it’s no surprise that there are some great physical benefits to calmness, too! Let’s take a look, shall we? Why not.

  • Lowered heart rate
  • Reduced blood pressure
  • Decreased feelings of anger, frustration
  • Improved sleep, reduced fatigue
  • Reduced muscle tension and chronic pain

Again, feeling calm is the opposite of stressed so our bodies will experience a total shift when we go from a period of stress to one of calm. Another great thing about combating stress with calmness is that you’re less likely to get sick, plus you’ll live longer! Yeppp, it’s true. So take care of yourself, friend! Your life literally depends on it (no pressure!). 

How to Embrace Feeling Calm

So you’re feeling calm (or you’re trying reallyyy hard to get there). Great, now what? Good news: we’ve got some helpful practices for you so that you can become super calm and alleviate any stress. Try ‘em out for yourself!

1. Engage in Something Soothing And Comforting

When we feel calm, this is a great time to participate in our fave comfort activities. Spend time with your pet by cuddling them or taking them on a walk. Touch something comforting like your fave cozy blanket. Brew some tea or your drink of choice. Find whichever method or activity is right for you in the moment!

2. Practice Meditation

This might be THE most calm practices of all time. Or at least, it’s probably been around the longest! This practice allows us to slowww down and shift our mindset, which is great when you’re stressed and wanna feel relaxed AF. If you’re not sure how to meditate, follow a guided practice to get you started. It’s a game-changer, trust us!

3. Journal

We’re big fans of journaling here at DiveThru. It’s a great practice for exploring your feelings and reframing any negative thoughts you might be experiencing. Also, the process can just be sooo very calming. You get to put pen to paper and let the words just flow! Does it get any more calming than that?! We think not.

4. Practice Gratitude

Practicing gratitude allows us to show appreciation for all of the good things in life. That might include writing a list of things that bring you joy, volunteering in your community, or showing acts of kindness to the people who make your life better. It honestly feels great for everyone involved, so why not try it out for yourself!

5. Engage in Something Creative

Getting creative can be suuuper calming. And the best thing about it is that there are endless ways to be creative! There’s sketching, colouring, sculpting and painting. Playing an instrument, singing and dancing. Writing poetry, stories or blog posts. Knit yourself a sweater, if that’s what you’re into! When you’re creating something and lovin’ every minute of it, you’re gonna feel 1000x more at ease.

 

That’s all for now, friend! We hope these practices help you feel calmer whenever you need it. ‘Cause this feeling is simply the bessst!