Nine Ways To Feel Better Today

Or, what I've been up to

Nov 15, 2024

Hello friends.

View of Catskill mountains, clouds, water and sand

I was lucky enough to spend the first half of this week in the woods on a mini writing retreat with a wonderful friend, working on my next book. I went running on a rail trail, slept well, ate delicious local vegetables.

I took this beautiful picture of the Ashokan reservoir, in drought conditions. I was productive, and I wanted to vomit with dread every time I read the news.

Then, my uncle died and I traveled to be with my extended family in Baltimore. He was a sweet, wonderful, funny man who loved children.

So, I don’t have a lot of astute, polished critical analysis for you right now.

I was invited to speak to some Greenpeace activists two days after the election, on behalf of Climate Mental Health Network, and I’m going to share a version of what they asked me to share.

These are some go-to ideas for managing emotions and taking care of your self.

We are animals and our bodies naturally turn toward the sun. So emotional regulation tools typically involve the body in some way.

This is a nonexhaustive reference list of strategies for coping with difficult emotions. Break the glass between you and yourself in case of ongoing emergency. Attend to your own oxygen first and then help the children around you or anyone who needs it.

1. Sighing or other breathing exercises

Since the pandemic, I use this box-breathing GIF in all of my presentations.

2. Movement

Any kind of movement can shift your mood. I jog a few miles almost every day. I love Five Rhythms, ecstatic dance, yoga, and I’m also a big fan of simply getting up on my toes, shaking and vibrating the body for 30 seconds to release tension.

I follow Jonathan Mead on Instagram. He teaches a somatic approach to healing. He shared this “movement feelings wheel” the other day and I am re-sharing it with permission. As you can see, there are suggested motions for expressing and processing various feelings. I find it really beautiful and inspiring, almost like a combination of dance and healing motion.

Movement Feelings Wheel from Jonathan Mead

3. Rest/sleep/progressive relaxation

4. Meditate or be mindful, bringing attentional effort to what your senses are informing you of right now

Tara Brach is my favorite provider of guided meditations. In February for the last couple of years I have done Sharon Salzberg’s Real Happiness meditation challenge, which is a great introduction to different mindfulness techniques from contexts like walking to eating to even doing the dishes.

5. Singing-laughter- humming

This is such an underrated way to shift your mood. Our whole family likes to do shared humming as depicted in this video.

If you’re curious, here’s an article about the vagus nerve. "It turns out that many of the activities that we associate with calmness—things like deep breathing, meditation, massage and even the experience of awe—effect changes in the brain, in part, through increasing vagus nerve activity."

6. Weep if you need to weep

I rely on playing certain songs for this. Movies can also be good.

7. Touch: get a massage or pedicure if that's available to you, pressure/weighted blanket, cuddle a pet

8. Time outside

Getting outdoor light during the day is really important for sleep, mood, and health. Some people claim there are special benefits to having your bare feet on the ground. The science is inconclusive, but it can’t hurt.