🫂 Taking Care of Yourself 101

Hey there! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋  You can catch up on our previous editions right here.

This week: Some seasons of life feel heavier than others — and if you’re finding it hard to go about “life as usual” right now or this year in general, you’re definitely not alone. Scroll on for 4 ways to cope through tougher times, plus some resources for your self-care toolbox!

👟 “If You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going”

Before we get into specific self-care practices, we want to cover this tip first, because it’s super important.

We recently talked about the freeze response. It hits when you feel so overwhelmed that you end up doing nothing at all.

While the freeze response is one of your body’s natural instincts for avoiding danger, it’s also not ideal for every situation.

If you’re going through hell right now but you feel frozen, remember that the longer you stay in one spot, the longer it will take to get out.

So keep going. Even if it’s just a small shuffle forward, you’re still a tiny bit closer to your destination than you were.

And when even that feels too hard? Lean into what makes life worth it for you — especially the little things (because they often turn out to be the big things).

With that out of the way, let’s look at 3 more practical ways you can support yourself in trying times.

🔥 3 More Ways to Care for Yourself

😤 Get mad

If you’re like many people, you’ve likely faced waves of low motivation, stress, or heavier emotions lately.

And you’ve probably felt angry at points, too.

Anger is often portrayed as a “negative” emotion that you should avoid at all costs — but in small doses, it can be useful.

Getting good and mad is a great way to snap out of doomscrolling and bedrotting.

This doesn’t mean letting your anger consume you — which leads us to our next tip for harnessing it in a healthy way.

🏋️‍♂️ Sweat it out, freestyle

Your emotions get trapped in your body, too, not just your head.

To shake off some of the tension, get up, shake things out, and move your body — even just a little.

Before turning to a pre-fab workout routine or video, tune into your body first. What do your muscles feel compelled to do in this moment? What emotions do you want to express or release through movement?

Be sure to stretch, warm up, cool down, and avoid overexertion — but otherwise, there are no right or wrong answers. Just do what feels good to your body in the moment.

Try these yoga poses and exercises based on what your body needs:

• 😌 Comfort/relaxation — Child’s pose, starfish pose, legs up the wall pose

• 🤬 Release — Punch the air, jumping jacks, dance

• 🤨 Confidence — Mountain pose, any warrior pose, weightlifting

• 🌎 Connection — Butterfly pose, prayer pose, upward salute pose

New to yoga? Peep the Picks section below for a video walking you through 50 beginner poses, including the ones listed above!

🛌 Nap or sleep

Sometimes, a “hard reset” is the best thing you can do for your brain and body.

Before plonking down for your nap, try to give yourself something to look forward to when you wake up.

Since “depression naps” can sometimes make you feel worse instead of better, doing something nice after waking up can help you ease back into real life with calm and ease.

🪅 Flocus Picks

A curated list of things worth sharing.

• gentle instrumentals (Playlist) — Soothe yourself with this 3-hour playlist of cashmere-soft melodies

• 50 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners (Video) — Yoga teacher Uliana shows you how to do all the yoga poses we mentioned above, plus dozens more!

• 65 Comforting and Encouraging Quotes for Hard Times (Article) — If you need more assurance, check out these comforting quotes!

✨ Flocus: Your Personal Productivity Dashboard

Whether you’re pushing through a rough patch or just trying to stay grounded, Flocus is here to support your flow. Keep your day on track with a simple task list, or unwind in Ambient Mode with soothing sounds and soft visuals.

Go to Flocus

One thing we want you to know in 2025 (and beyond) is that you’re not alone. Millions of other humans out there are feeling exactly the same way you are right now!

It’s more than okay to rest and recharge — even more often than you think you “should.” The world can be a lot sometimes. Stay gentle, and keep caring for yourself in whatever ways you can ❤️

Until next Sunday,

Flocus Team

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