During times of change it can be extremely challenging to maintain an even keel when it comes to emotions.  Sometimes the change of season can bring up some hidden sorrows or internal commotion. There are thousands of suggestions for managing the changes and the subsequent onslaught of emotions that can come.  Here is a list of my tried and true remedies for those times:

1. Write down your feelings.  Buy yourself a small journal or notebook and spend some time each day writing down what you are feeling.  Often I hear people say that they want to journal but do not know what to put down on paper.  Start with some self-guided questions–what am I resisting in my life today, what are my fears, what brings me joy, or what am I thankful for today? After a few days or weeks it is useful to go back and read what you were feeling and see that even feelings change. That is a good thing.

2. Take a walk. Just get up and move.  A brisk 20-minute walk can do wonders for feelings of sluggishness and sadness.  Getting the blood moving and the fresh air can invigorate your body while clearing out any cobwebs in the mind.  As you walk, take the time to notice the beginnings of nature’s changes and all her glory.  Notice how she easily opens up to the new season through the buddings of leaves and flowers.  Learn from this wise teacher.

3. More than just a good smell. Of our five primary senses, the olfactory is the only one that transmits information directly from the nose into the limbic center of the brain, the seat of emotions and memory. Recent brain scan research has shown that different scents affect brainwave production; for example, with some increasing alpha (relaxation) waves and others affecting beta (alertness) waves. Lavender and lemon both effect serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23524167, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16780969. Depending on my current mood, I choose essential oils as a quick way to alter either sluggishness (peppermint or any citrus oil) or reduce anxious feelings and restlessness (lavender or any tree/root oil). Shop for oils or open a wholesale account here: http://mydoterra.com/staciewyatt

4. Unroll your mat.  If you do not own a yoga mat, no biggie.  Just find a space and bend your body.  Stretch your limbs and BREATHE.  No need to worry about the “right” poses, your body knows exactly what it needs and when you listen, you will know how to bend and how to stretch.  Learning to trust your intuition and offer your body what it needs is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.