Emotional “YOU” First Aid Kit For Managing Stress During Difficult Times

Most of us have a medical first aid kit, but not an emotional first aid kit for managing stress during difficult times.

Never has there been a more important time to create a kit that will help you over the recent hump.

Your stress and anxiety levels may well have skyrocketed over the past few months. Either you’ve been locked in, or you’ve been negotiating the minefield of trying to stay safe at work.

And now that things are beginning to open up, you’re even more stressed because of the uncertainty.

Here’s the thing: Pandemic aside, there are always going to be times when you’re knocked off balance. It could be work, family, or anxiety suddenly coming over you for no apparent reason.

This is why it’s imperative to focus on your overall health and wellness today. Not next week, not next month, but today. If you’ve been making deposits into your “wellness bank account” on a daily basis, you’ll have something to draw on during difficult times.

I also recommend putting together an emotional first aid kit (or a #YOUFirstAid Kit) for managing stress during these difficult times. I have put together my own personal emotional first aid kit, and it’s a lifesaver.

I’ve included everything I need when stress hits hard. And here’s what happens during really stressful times: Sleep disruption, inability to focus and concentrate, and general restlessness. It’s hard to slow down. The left side of your brain just won’t shut down. You feel like you’re on a hamster wheel that you can’t get off!

So, I include everything I need in my emotional first aid kit to address these symptoms:

1. An adult coloring book: When I find it hard to meditate because my brain is whirring around, I love to color. Phew…immediate release. I like a pocket-sized book that I can pop in my purse. And I also love a coloring book, which has room to write personal affirmations.
2. A lavender eye pillow: I keep this stashed in my emotional first aid kit so that it only comes out when I really need it (I keep it in a little box or sealed baggie to preserve the scent). When stress hits, I roll out my yoga mat and place the warm or cool lavender mask over my eyes. It also really helps to place a weighted blanket on your belly if you are extra stressed out.
3. Relaxation supplements: There are 2 supplements that are essential to my emotional first aid kit: Natrol® Relaxia™ Ultimate Calm*, a stress-relief† system which is drug-free. It contains a blend of herbals, including ashwagandha, L-Theanine, 5-HTP, and lemon balm. The second is Natrol® 3 a.m Melatonin*, which is a clever blend of melatonin and L-Theanine. L-Theanine is an amino acid found in tea leaves which can promote a feeling of deep calm.† You can keep it by your bedside and chew without water (yummy lavender and vanilla flavor)! During times of stress when you are really struggling (and waking up worrying in the middle of the night), these 2 supplements can be game-changers.
4. Pillow Mist: I love a pillow mist, and This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray contains a beautiful blend of lavender, vetiver, and chamomile to soothe you to sleep. And you can always make your own DIY spray too.
5. Calming Tea: OMG – I love the Tazo Calm tea sachets (never without them). They contain a blend of rose petals, peppermint, chamomile, and lemon balm.
6. Word Search and Focus! When I’m stressed, my mind goes fuzzy. It becomes way harder to concentrate with all the internal “noise” in my head. That’s why I love to anchor my thoughts by way of attempting a good word search puzzle. I’m terrible at word search, which is all the more reason why I need to continue taking Natrol’s® Cognium® Focus*, a natural supplement to help me with focus!!!†

So, if you’re feeling a bit frayed around the edges, I highly recommend you start building an Emotional “YOU” First Aid Kit for managing stress during difficult times. Even if you don’t need it now, you never know when you will!

This post is sponsored by Natrol®, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.