It's very easy to let life bring you down - to become trapped focusing on the negatives, holding onto the little things. It is, however, just as easy to bring back joy into your every day. By making a few conscious changes, you can bring back that positivity and self-love, and refuse to let negativity bring you down. 

1. Take a few minutes for yourself. As life gets busier, a small amount of 'me' time can go a long way, and can often be just the thing that's missing. In lieu, spoil yourself. This doesn't have to mean expensive or extravagant, but rather any small thing that will make you happy and feel special. 

2. Use essential oils. Do not underestimate the effect that some luxurious scents can have, and picking the right scent for you can make all the difference in the world:

• Frankincense: Relieves stress and anxiety, pain and inflammation, can boost your immunity.
• Ylang Ylang: Balances emotions and removes stress, as well as acting as an antiseptic and aphrodisiac.
• Orange Sweet: Can relieve anger, anxiety, and depression, as well as boosting wellness and joy through overall detox.
• Fragonia: For internal peace and tranquility, helps to work past emotional problems.

3. Get creative! Letting those creative movements flow without stifle is an excellent way to de-stress, calm and find your joy. Re-find your inner sense of Self by expressing your emotions or current wellness into some form of creativity, whether that be music, art, gardening, cooking - the possibilities are limitless, as long as you are creating something! There is a lot of research supporting the use of creativity to instill positivity and happiness into your life and is one of the easiest methods to incorporate into your everyday life.  

4. Switch off. We are all increasing plugged in these days, despite perhaps our best attempts at avoiding it. This can lead to untimely distractions, increase mental complexities and add to a sense of being overwhelmed or burned out. While it is always going to be a good idea to manage how connected you are to the digital world, sometimes this just won't be enough. In the new year, try to schedule yourself some time out and turn everything off (yes, even the phone!), and just be. It is surprising how much of a difference this can make to your mental health and overall wellbeing, especially if practised regularly. You might also be surprised at how switched on you actually are!