five Healthy Ways to Emotionally Release

When it comes to processing and releasing emotions, we all have our own unique methods and strategies. Some of us like to talk it out with friends, some of us prefer to write in a journal, and some of us like to take long walks alone. But what happens when we're holding onto emotions that are particularly harmful or toxic? Is there a healthy way to release them so that we can move on?
 
Here are 5 healthy ways to emotionally release: 

1. Vocalize: cry, sing, scream, laugh, hum
2. Journal
3. Talk with a trusted person
4. Take a bath in the tub or the ocean
5. Bring it to the fire

 
In the next paragraphs, I will explain in more detail each of these healthy release tactics. 
 
Vocalizing includes crying, screaming, laughing, singing, and humming. Crying is a natural release that can help with any emotional burden. Sometimes it’s the only way to get out all your emotions at once! Remember: YOU ARE ON YOUR HEALING JOURNEY. Go ahead and let yourself cry--use these moments as a medicine man/woman because they will do wonders. I know it's not always easy, but if you're in a safe place and can scream without fear of judgement then go for it! Screaming into a pillow is never an elegant solution, but when you are in the safety of your own home and alone with yourself it can be soothing. Another great place to scream is alone deep in the woods. Screams release raw emotions that have been bottled up inside, sometimes for far too long. It feels amazing to let these feelings go even if only temporarily.  If crying and screaming aren’t for you, try laughing, singing, and humming too. Releasing through your throat chakra will get the energy moving, allowing more to flow out of you. 
 
Another way to release emotions is to journal. Try automatic writing where you sensor nothing and write whatever comes up. Journal about your feelings and let them flow out on paper. If journaling isn’t your thing, you could try drawing or another art form that is natural for you! Try sketching or painting your emotions—whatever feels right, as it will help move the energy that is inside of you (sometimes more effectively even than words can). Any artistic expression that will let your creative juices flow freely with whatever emotions come up in order release them from within will work. Follow your intuition and have fun. 
 
Talking it out with a trusted person is another avenue to finding emotional release. Whether that trusted person is a partner, family member, friend, or therapist really doesn’t matter. Just ask them for a listening ear and to witness what you're going through without judgement! Speaking about how you feel will help release built up tension and get it out of your head and heart. Whether those feelings are sadness, anger, hurt, joy, excitement, or whatever—sometimes you just have to tell someone about it.
 
Water is a great way to release energy. Take a bath, you can add some essential oils, Epsom, or sea salt. Light some candles for some extra TLC. If you live near the ocean and the season permits, go for a swim! While you are in the water, imagine the emotions that are not serving you just draining out of you and flowing into the water. If you take a bath, stay near the tub as you drain it and visualize the emotions going down the drain and leaving you. Showers work well this way too.
 
Fire is another great release for emotions and thoughts. You can write feelings or thoughts on small individual slips of paper and burn them. You can journal your release and then burn those pages. You can walk in nature, picking up small sticks (toothpicks work too) and blow your concerns or wishes into the stick then toss it into the fire. Remember to use all fire precautionary measures and stay with the fire until it is safely extinguished. 
 
Some other great methods include dance and movement, music therapy, nature immersion, and (one of my favorites) lying with your belly to the ground and letting Mother Earth take everything away. There are healthy ways to release emotions so that you can move on. Try one (or all) of them the next time you're feeling overwhelmed by emotions and see how much better you feel afterwards! ​