Friday

Happy Friday! Today, we’re discussing:

• The benefits of scheduling time to cry

• How to keep composure at work when you’re feeling overwhelmed

• Get fresh air and exercise with e-bikes

• Ways to stand up for and honor yourself

Why You Should Consider Scheduling Time to Cry

We block out time for many things throughout the day — time to do movement, time to cook and eat meals, time to work, time to sleep, and the list goes on.

But have you ever thought about scheduling time to cry?

It may sound a little out there, but there are actually some great benefits.

Healthy compartmentalization: Compartmentalizing gets a bad reputation, but it can be effective when done in a healthy manner, and we allow ourselves to come back to certain emotions or situations to give them mental space later. Plus, it allows us to focus on the task at hand.

It can help us embrace our emotions: Rather than pushing away our emotions, this gives us an intentional opportunity to embrace them and explore how we feel.

Crying provides a huge relief: While crying can feel overwhelming in the moment, it can provide a huge sense of physical and mental relief afterward, giving us an opportunity to let out some of those pent-up feelings.

How To Keep Composure When You Feel the Flood Gates Opening at Work

Many of us have felt the frustrating and uncomfortable situation of fighting back tears at work.

Whether it’s due to something in our personal lives that we can’t shake once the work day begins or something upsetting that happened at our jobs, it’s never a fun situation.

We may also feel added pressure from the stigma of showing these kinds of emotions in the workplace.

Here are a few tips to help you stay composed if you’re feeling overwhelmed with emotion:

• Take some deep breaths and give yourself a moment to calm down.

• Take some sips of water.

• Get up and move away from your desk.

• Listen to some happy, fast-paced music or a podcast that makes you laugh.

• Try to dig deep into a task to keep your mind busy.

Remember that there is absolutely nothing wrong with showing emotion. In fact, it’s healthy and encouraged.

Don’t be hard on yourself if you do cry at work. Take this as an opportunity to show your values and investment in the things you care about.

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How To Stand Up for Yourself

Whether in a professional setting, with friends or family, or in a relationship, standing up for ourselves can be overwhelming, difficult, and scary.

However, it’s important as it helps us maintain healthy boundaries, state our needs, and ensure we are caring for ourselves.

But standing up for ourselves can also be challenging in the sense that we want to communicate our truth without purposefully offending or hurting the person we are talking with.

This doesn’t mean that we don’t deserve to speak up for ourselves just because we’re afraid it will hurt someone else’s feelings — it’s about finding a balance that ensures we do what is right for ourselves while still being respectful.

Some tips to clearly communicate your needs and stand up for yourself include:

• Spend a little time preparing what you would like to say.

• Speak up, even when it’s scary. Remind yourself your feelings and thoughts are valid.

• Use “I feel…” statements to convey your needs.

• Stay firm in conveying your needs.

• Allow the other person to respond, and remain an active listener.

• Give yourself the opportunity to take a break and return to the conversation later.

Some things to avoid when standing up for yourself include:

• Don’t get overly defensive.

• Don’t assume the other person is always wrong. Try to take a step back and keep open communication.

• Don’t get defeated, and be open to finding a solution.

Remember that you deserve to be heard and seen!

A Note From Us

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ True or False?: True, emotions are electrochemical signals! They flow through our whole bodies and help regulate all kinds of things.

• 🙋🏼‍♀️ Snapshot Of The Day: We'd love to see moments from our readers lives that they are proud of! If you recently accomplished an achievement, experienced a joyful moment, or are proud of a picture you have taken, be sure to capture it on camera and send it to us for a chance to be featured next week! 

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: Consider if scheduling time to cry, or practicing some healthy compartmentalization, could help you embrace your emotions!

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!