Sneaky Self Care Tip 4: Discharge Tension

A common misconception about self-care is that when we feel stressed, we need to just calm down. I truly believe that before we can calm down, we must first discharge the tension. 
The principle I follow is that we must first meet the tension to release the tension and then we are able to calm or decrease the stress/threat response. To tell ourselves (or someone else) just to calm down can not only be invalidating, it can also be harmful. 

Some common ways to discharge tension are: 

• Practice an Energy Bath (click here for video)
• Shake the hands and feet like you are shaking off water
• Bounce and sway the body
• Go on a vigorous walk or run
• Dance to your favorite song
• Gently tap your hands up and down your legs or arms
• Sigh or exaggerate your exhales
•  

Once you have released some of the tension, then you can begin to calm or ground the nervous system. What is calming can look different for every person so it's important to explore different practices to find what works for you. 

Some common ways to calm the nervous system are:

• Legs Up The Wall pose (click here for video)
• Compassion Meditation (click here for video)
• Ocean Breathing (click here for video)
• Warm water - drink herbal tea, take a long shower or bath
• Weighted items - lay down with Palm Pillows, a weighted blanket, etc. and practice deep breathing. 
  • Click here to learn more about my weighted Palm Pillows.  

If you found these tools helpful, feel free to check out my online course with lots of tips and tricks for increasing self-care and building resilience. To learn more, please visit: https://www.beccaodomwellness.com/self-care-for-social-workers.html

May we all love the life we live…
Warmly, 
Becca