101 Emotions
Like the phoenix, this is about the power of rising — no matter how many times your spirit is crushed.
My head is going a hundred miles an hour. I’ve usually spent too long on the computer, forgotten to drink enough water, taken on too many things at once and ignored every warning sign my body has given me.
My shoulders are tense. My head hurts. My eyes are tired. Sometimes my stomach joins in.
And usually, I’m still trying to keep going.
Over the years, I’ve realised that when I reach this point, I don’t want complicated.
I don’t need ten different suggestions or another long list of things I should be doing to look after myself.
I reach for the same few things I’ve been using for years.
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When my nervous system is overloaded, I reach for frankincense.
Every time.
It’s not dramatic. It doesn’t knock me out or artificially lift me up.
For me, it’s simply something familiar that I associate with settling, grounding and coming back into my body when my head has gone a hundred miles an hour.
I use it daily.
I’ve fallen in love with the frankincense facial mist that doTERRA brought out, and I use it every morning. It has become part of my routine in the same way brushing my teeth is.
Not a treatment.
Just part of my routine.
There’s something about starting the day with familiar rituals that signals a little moment of calm before the noise starts.
I also keep a roller of frankincense in my work bag and another in my handbag.
Because apparently having one would be far too sensible.
The other one I reach for constantly is PastTense.
I realisedI hadn’t mentioned it earlier, which is strange considering it practically lives in my bag.
It has beena favourite of mine for a long time.
It’s the one I reach for when I have a headache or when I notice the tension building in my shoulders after working too long at the computer.
I do a lot of computer work.
I carry alot of mental load.
Andapparently, I also do a lot of clenching muscles without noticing.
Sometimes I become so absorbed in creating something that hours disappear. This happens particularly when I’m working on the computer or doing needlework.
Then eventually my body reminds me that I’ve been sitting in the same position for far too long.
My shoulders hurt.
My eyes are strained.
I have a headache.
And there’s a reasonable chance I’ve forgotten to drink water.
Again.
PastTense is one of those familiar things I reach for without thinking too much about it.
And right along side it in my bag is DigestZen.
That one never moves far from me.
Ever.
Stress and overwhelm don’t just stay in my head.
My body has always had its own ways of letting me know when things are becoming too much, and my stomach is often one of them.
DigestZen has been part of our household for years, so again, reaching for it isn’t something I particularly think about anymore.
It’s simply there.
What stands out to me now is how simple this has all become.
When my nervous system is fried, I don’t reach for ten different things.
I don’t rotate endlessly.
I don’t stand there wondering which oil I should use.
I reach for what my body already knows.
Frankincense when I want to feel grounded.
PastTense when I’m carrying tension.
DigestZen when my stomach is telling me I’ve pushed myself too far.
That’s it.
But perhaps there’s something important in that simplicity.
Because when you’re already overwhelmed, the last thing you need is another complicated routine to follow.
Sometimes support looks like recognising the warning signs a little earlier.
Sometimes it’s drinking the water you’ve forgotten about for the last four hours.
Sometimes it’s getting away from the computer.
Sometimes it’s going outside.
........ And sometimes it’s reaching into your handbag for something familiar.
I’m slowly learning that supporting my nervous system doesn’t have to mean completely changing my life.
It can be small.
Familiar.
Repeated.
The things I return to without having to think about them.
And that’s probably the most honest answer of all.
Thank you for spending a little time here today.
I hope something in these words helped you feel seen, understood or a littleless alone.
I’m not a therapist. I’m sharing my lived experience and what I’ve learnedalong the way, because the more honestly we talk about our emotions andexperiences, the more chance we have of understanding ourselves — andprotecting future generations.
Take care of yourself.
— Shyloh 🌿
About 101 Emotions
101 Emotions was created to help people better understand their emotionalworld through lived experience, practical tools and compassionate storytelling.