I went on a lovely walk yesterday across the Forth Road Bridge. It was a lovely day and surprisingly calm – it can be very blustery at times. The bridge has been there since 1964 and connects Edinburgh with Fife. It’s a lovely walk with fantastic views of the Forth, north and south Queensferry, and the Forth Rail Bridge and Queensferry crossing.
As we walked over we noticed a huge black cloud behind us. It was not what we wanted to see as we had just started walking on the bridge and were no where close to any shelter should the rain come down upon us.
Thankfully the cloud eventually moved towards Edinburgh and we avoided any effects it was bringing. We continued on our walk breathing a sigh of relief knowing we had escaped the rain.
This cloud made me think about the thoughts or burdens we carry around with us. We may feel ‘under a cloud’ at times. So what can we do to help disperse the cloud and take away the heavy feeling? Here are four ideas for you to try.
1. Journal – write, write, write! Or you may prefer to type, type, type. Journaling is a fantastic way to get your feelings out and down on paper or screen. It can help you to process your feelings. You don’t need to write in a certain way. Just get out all of your thoughts and feelings. There is no right way to journal. In fact you can draw pictures if you prefer or just write down a list. Record how you are feeling when you start and notice how you feel after you have finished. Do you feel lighter? Perhaps you feel a sense of relief wash over you? If you are still unsure, start by writing down single words or phrases as to how you are feeling. There is no need for complete sentences. Or you might find it better to just go with the flow and write the stream of thoughts you are having. Don’t be afraid to give it a go.
2. Talk to someone – this can be your best friend, your family, work colleague or even a therapist. Who in your sphere is a good listener? If all you are looking for is someone to just let you talk and say how you are feeling with no judgement then choose the person who will work best for you, being the support you need. Often all we need, is to talk it out for clarity or to help bring us forward to the next step or indeed to give us closure. It can be a real challenge to open up to someone, particularly if you are used to keeping your feelings in and working through things yourself. Share what you are comfortable sharing, you have to feel at ease, don’t feel any pressure to say more than you want.
3. Exercise – one of the best ways to help you feel better and lighten your mood. You can be walking or swimming but any form of exercise will help you feel good. You may not feel like it but give it a go and start. You don’t even need to do much. Put your trainers on and take yourself outside for a 10 minute walk around the block, you may find you go further as you get into the flow. But if you do, notice how you feel before and after exercising. You might love to go to the gym, so when you are feeling low or upset, would a gym session help? What about cycling? Take yourself on a lovely journey out and about, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying nature as you pedal it out.
4. Let your emotion out – cry, stomp, scream it all out. Do as children do, they don’t hold back. You might not want to do this if your family is at home as screaming and stomping may worry your family. So grab a pillow and scream into it or take yourself off to a rage room where you can pay to smash things up. Alternatively, go ten pin bowling and take your emotions out as you roll the ball down the lane. Picture what is causing you pain, anger, frustration or sadness on the pins and then roll your ball towards it and feel your emotions lift. You need to take care of yourself so letting your emotions out is vital. Do it in a safe environment and find what works for you, you might want to pair this with exercise.
If you find yourself under a cloud, why not stop, take a breath and work out what will help you both in that moment and going forward. We all have days where we feel like nothing is going our way and want to crawl back under the duvet, but taking the smallest of steps can help you to get back to your usual self and make the cloud above you lighten or disappear.
Thank you for reading.
Have a lovely week and look after you.
Love Emma xx
Wellbeing with Relaxing Lavender 