The secrets to processing big emotions, fears and traumas – Self-Soothing Techniques #All the feels. (1)

Hey Baddies!

Imagine this:

You just got in a horrible fight with your significant other and are raging…what do you do?

You hear your co-workers whispering about you and feel disrespected…what’s your next move?

You have experienced a major loss …how do you handle this?


Life really has a way of throwing challenges our way at the most inopportune times.  It seems like when it rains it always pours and it is often easier said than done to make lemons out of lemonade. 

When you go through a tough time or a difficult moment, do you lose control? Do become hasty and say or do things you regret later? Do you take a moment and think?

Sometimes the only thing you can do in the moment is pause and make sure to care for yourself so that you can handle the situation ahead of you.  

Our mental states have a major effect on our physical states.

In our physical body we have a nervous system. “The nervous system is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates body activities”

Our nervous systems have a way of taking over and causing us to react in different ways. The nervous system is there to act as our protection and preservation mechanism. When we are stressed or experience trauma, we can begin to see the effects in our physical body through things like headaches, loss of feeling or tingling, weakness or loss of muscle strength, sometimes memory loss. 

How to do we help prevent this?

Let’s talk about mindfulness and self-soothing. 

Mindfulness is a mental state where we become aware the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique. We become in tune with our physical and mental states.

When we are aware we can then soothe and calm our nervous system. 

Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.

-Jon Kabat-Zinn

A lot of times this includes breathwork, or conscious breathing, moments of silence, or stillness.

I have listed a few ways to practice self-soothing and calming techniques that will help allow feelings to flow through you and out instead of trapping it inside.

  • Express: This could mean writing it out, shaking it out, singing it out, exercise it out, talk it out. Get the energy out of your body any way you know how. Circulate it the energy. When you are going through a tough time, it helps to express those feelings. Respectfully.
  • Give Grace: Do not spiral into negative feelings or self-doubt. Inopportune situations happen all the time to everybody. Period. Allow yourself to feel. It is ok. You have been through tough things before. Honor your feelings. Do not fight them and move them along.
  • Give yourself time: If it takes you an hour to process or 2 months. That is ok, as long as you process. Many circumstances will come and challenge us in ways we may not understand or see coming. Its ok not to rush through.
  • Don’t be rash: Try not to make any serious decisions when you are processing trauma or in an emotional state. You may make a rash decision out of fear. Breathe. Most things do not have to be fixed right in this moment.
  • Cover yourself with love: Reach out to friends, family and loved ones. Some may not know you are going through something. Don’t be afraid to ask for support during tough times. You may be surprised how some will show up for you.
  • Remember that this issue or problem is temporary: Life will constantly throw curveballs. They all have passed and will continue to pass. It will get better.
  • Empower yourself: Remember that you are a power and strong force to be reckoned with. You have gone through tough things before. Affirm yourself. Build yourself up. Do not forget that you can handle situations and setbacks.

When we are flooded with intense emotion (energy in motion) we want to help it flow out. Keeping that energy pent up is the opposite of what we want to do for our health and wellbeing.

The next time a situation arises, consider some of these tips and let me know how they help.

Latest from the Blog

The Secrets to processing big emotions, fears and traumas – Self-Soothing Techniques  + our nervous systems #What’s next? (2)

Hey Baddies More about our nervous system… Bet you didn’t know that the nervous system affects more than just the nerves in our body.  The Latin derivative for the word emotion, ’emotere’, literally means energy in motion. It is the feeling sensation and physiological reaction that makes a specific emotion positive or negative. When we…

30 ways to a better & brighter day + tips for releasing negative emotions and stress. Learn to self regulate today! (#calm down)

Hey Baddies, this next statement may surprise you… “The truth is that stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances.”―Andrew Bernstein Oof, that’s a tough quote. Essentially, its saying that we have more control over our lives and…

How to improve your most important relationship… 30 Questions to get to more in-tune with yourself – Do Thy Know Thyself?

Hey Baddies,

Do Thy Know Thyself?

Think about how exciting it is to get to know someone new. You probably ask loads of questions, want to spend a lot of time with them, lean into the awkward stages and pay close attention to their answers and responses. Have you ever considered doing that for yourself? Do you feel like you invest as much time getting to know others as you do getting to know yourself? Can you answer questions like…”what do you want out of life?” or “what lights you up inside?”

In case you didn’t realize, your relationship with yourself is the most important relationship you have.

“He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”

― Lao Tzu

s incredibly important. You are essentially with yourself and your thoughts 24-7.

Consider this…You are definitely not the same person you were a year ago or even 10 years ago. Your ideas may have changed, new experiences may have shaped you, and circumstances may have created new perspectives for you.

As we continue this journey of self-discovery and connecting with self, lets start asking ourselves question as a way to get to know our selves and re-connect with who we are in this space and time, with the understanding that we are beautifully evolving creatures. 

Write out your answers in a journal or a sacred space… and spend time listening, learning, and discovering. You’re worth it.

Connect with self- JOURNAL PROMPTS:

  • What do you like about yourself?
  • What are you grateful for?
  • What do your friendships mean to you?
  • What is a trigger for you?
  • When did you last cry – why?
  • Tell 3 great things about yourself?
  • How do you feel about your friendships and relationships?
  • How do you feel about love?
  • Do you believe in soulmates?
  • How do you feel about your life -meaning; purpose; where you’re at?
  • How do you feel about death?
  • How do you feel about your childhood?
  • Is there anything or anyone you want o to forgive and move past?
  • What in your childhood shaped the person you are today?
  • Describe a great day?
  • If you could have any ability- what would it be and why?
  • Who need s more love in your life?
  • What is your deepest secret?
  • What makes you angry
  • What is your deepest fear?
  • What is your greatest desire?
  • What makes you laugh; What brings you joy?
  • What makes you scared?
  • What makes you cry?
  • What do you want to accomplish?
  • What great things happened in your childhood?
  • 3 qualities you admire in someone close to you – why?
  • What is your greatest accomplishment?
  • What is your treasured memory?
  • What does your dream life look like?
  • What does happiness look like?
  • What limiting beliefs do you want to work on?
  • What are your lifetime goals?
  • If you couldn’t fail – what would you do?

 “Look around you. Everything changes. everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing, and changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant.”

-Dr. Steve Mataboli

Remember that we are beautifully evolving creatures. We weren’t made to remain the same. As you ask your the questions in your sacred space, try to pay close attention to your answers and the truth behind them. You may discover something truly amazing along the way.

Latest from the Blog

30 Actionable Ways to Achieve a Greater Connection with “self” TODAY + Practice Peace and Gain Confidence 

Hey Baddies, As we learn about self-regulating and self-soothing – we have discussed “feeling triggered.” But what exactly is feeling triggered and how can you learn more about your own triggers? “Feeling triggered isn’t just about something rubbing you the wrong way. For someone with a history of trauma, being around anything that reminds them…

How to Get The Most Out of a SELF CARE September + 20 Self-Date ideas

Hey Baddies,  Self-care is so essential but is often neglected. We often forget that taking care of our mind body and spirit are essential to a full, healthy, happy life. I, for one, have the habit of neglecting myself until my tank is essentially on empty.  “If you feel “burnout” setting in, if you feel…