Stress Relievers – Oils, Activities, and Music

Do you struggle with stress and anxiety? If so, today’s post will help you out abundantly! In this post I share essential oils, activities, music, and scripture that helps my family when we need to destress, feel overwhelmed, or need to stop overthinking situations. It helps us to get into better creative moods and allows our best self to be present when creating art and sharing stories.

Essential Oils to Release Worry

The following oils have helped us to release worry and wonder when we are stressing over what will happen or when we start overthinking and need some space.

• Grounding
• Release
• Stress Away
• Northern Black Spruce
• Frankincense
• Peace and Calming (or Peace and Calming II)
• Valor
• Cedarwood
• Idaho Balsam Fir

Activities

Did you know that blowing bubbles can help with relieving stress? By focusing on how you breathe and blow the bubble, you can blow more and larger bubbles. Mary Parker, LPC, from Growing Potential taught us this strategy. The practice allows you to see your breathing, which is important during stressful times. You want to be sure your taking deep breaths and taking time to be calm.

Brookstone Sand is also helpful when you just need to step away and recenter. I like to diffuse Christmas Spirit or Magnify Your Purpose while I am playing with the sand.

DeStress Sock

Our Occupational Therapist gave us this idea to help my daughter calm social stress and anxiety. It’s pretty simple:

Decorate a sock with words that represent happy and calming things in your or your child’s life. Words and images are good. Add a few drops of Lavender or Stress Away essential oils and wrap it around your or your child’s neck when feeling stress. As you sit there, think about the words and images on the sock and stay in that place until you feel calmer. (It sits on your or your child’s shoulders–to be clear–like a neck pillow and helps you focus on the things written on the sock when used properly.)

Glitter Bottle

It’s as easy as it looks. Take a mason jar and fill it with beads and glitter, add some glycerin or oil to help keep it mix up, seal the jar tight, and enjoy!

 

DIY Aroma Dough

Our friends at Oil Home Companion shared a great DIY Dough with Essential Oils. I’d recommend if you’re using this dough as a stress relieving activity to use Peace & Calming, Lavender, Stress Away.

Music

Music is one of my outlets when I am so stressed I need to cry, scream, or just worship my way through. Two of my go-to songs from each category are below.

When I Want to Cry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I Want to Scream

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I Need to Worship My Way Through

 

 

 

Scripture

While I’ve placed it last here because not all of you are Christian, I go to Scripture first when I’m struggling with stress and anxiety. I find the following verses to help me recenter and get my mind in a better place when I am remunerating or overthinking something.

My practice is to read the verse quietly in my head, then repeat it out loud, then draw something that makes the verse really set into my mind, and then reflect on what I can do to apply it to the moment. I learned this technique from Amanda ( @MoveTheMountains on IG ) when I participated in one of her challenges this year. It’s been helpful to me since!

Rather than sharing which ones I find helpful, I recommend you look through the Bible app – search in the emotion you’re feeling and it will give you scriptures. You may find different ones helpful than I do and doing it this way allows you see the results and choose your favorites.

Disclaimer: NONE of this information should trump that of your licensed psychologist or counselor. I am sharing idea that work for my family and I. I am not a licensed therapist nor am I licensed to give out advice on mental states. I am sharing stress relieving activities without awareness of diagnosis and advise of you feel you need more than an activity or if you have been feeling anxious, stressed, depressed for more than a day or two that you seek out the help of a licensed professional. This blog is NOT intended to diagnose or treat anyone. It is for helpful information to be used in conjunction with positive mental health and physical health practices.