This year everyone seems to be under increased stress and pressure, ratty and short-tempered, even having full on meltdowns at times, leaving those around feeling frazzled.

We can’t avoid being with people, relationships of all types are a key part of life! Yet we all affect each other, and pick up on each other’s feelings to some degree. So how can we still be with others and stay relaxed and open-hearted? And how to deal with our own strong emotions, meltdowns and fears that may be triggered when there are so many uncertainties and changes in life?

I’m excited to share these tips with you to help keep you feeling strong inside and out.

Clothe yourself with the energy of light – rather than thinking about protection against negativity or bad energy, focus on topping up your self-love each day. We attract what we focus on the most, right? Love and light can simply be another essential layer of ‘energetic’ clothing to put on each day. You also may like to wear or carry crystals around with you such as amethyst, clear quartz, rose quartz, or selenite to support your intentions to face the day’s events with compassion and love.

Be honest – if you are feeling bad speak up. It can seem easier to keep things inside and deal with things on our own and we end up feeling isolated and misunderstood, but we all feel down or stressed at times, your loved ones, friends and neighbours will understand. Being open with others can create new depths of trust, love and connection.

Pace yourself – notice when you are tense and starting to rush around. You can consciously slow down or even take 5 or 10-min mindfulness breaks to sit in stillness to break up your day. Address the source of the stress as soon as you can.

Daily stress-relieving activities – make time to meditate, exercise, go for walks in nature. It’s so important to do something supportive for ourselves every day.

Stress from others - know that it isn’t personal when others do happen to be stressy with you, but also let them know how they are being. They need to know, and it’s likely they don’t even realise they are stressed or upset. We can lead by our own example in encouraging others to pay attention to and take greater responsibility for their own feelings. It’s up to us to be mindful of our own internal weather and what we put out.

Clean up – if not released emotional tensions have a tendency to build up in the body and manifest as physical issues: from a stress-induced cold to accidents as we are rushing around, and more.

The Taoists believe that any accumulated negative energy can be directed downwards to the Earth, where it is willingly received and recycled into useful energy. In Mantak Chia’s book Chi Nei Tsang (Internal Organs Chi Massage) he explains the fanning technique to release the energies built up during the day, via the heart.

Sitting on a chair, placing the left hand in front of the heart facing downwards, the right hand is 1 and a half inches directly above the left. Exhale the sound Hawwww as you focus on the heart, and press your hands downwards to your lap, imagining any sick, dirty, cold energy exiting your body through your perineum and the soles of your feet. Mother Earth receives it and transforms it. This meditative process is best done 18 times over 5 mins or 36 times over 10 mins. Take the attitude of rest and pause between each round. At the end of the process you will feel empty but good. Top yourself up by feeling heavenly energy coming down through the crown of your head as a golden light, to fill the body and smile.

This technique alongside the six healing sounds and venting practices from the same book are an important part of my nightly routine, and keeps me in shape energetically to work with my clients each day.