If you’re going through one of those times when life feels like a bit of a slog (all drudgery and no fun!), here are our top tips for bringing a bit of lightness back into your world.

Sometimes circumstances can leave you feeling as though you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, and that you’ve got so much you have do that there’s no time, space or emotional energy left to do what you WANT to do.

Feeling a bit blah?

I’m not talking about anxiety or depression here. Both of those are serious problems that are best addressed with the help of your healthcare professional. You can also contact  beyondblue for online support, or phone lifeline 24-hours a day 1300 22 4636.

Why do things feel ‘heavy’?

In these circumstances, sometimes what you’re lacking is the sense of freedom and spontaneity that comes from having some spaciousness in your life.

Have you noticed that on the weekend, on holidays, or when you’re out in nature, life feels more open? When your mind is free to wander and your body has permission to unwind and let go, you can gradually start to feel that the realm of possibilities available to you is vast.

Our wise friends the trees have taught us that this spaciousness unfolds because those times of rest are a stark contrast to our normal focus on the duties and responsibilities we tend to accumulate in our adult lives, and that feelings of  'heaviness' or being 'clogged up' energetically are sometimes the result of charged emotions like resentment, guilt or overwhelm regarding all the things we have to do, manage or look after - even if we're not always conscious of their impact.

In my experience, this is especially the case when the nature of the responsibility means dropping the ball has significant consequences, or if you’re carrying the weight of something you rarely get a break from. (Parenting is a good example in both instances!)

Since life is at its best when it includes a constant movement of energy (or Qi, or good vibes or whatever you like to call it) between yourself and the world around you, this heaviness can eventually lead to feelings of stagnation or stuckness.

Space creates lightness – and lightness creates space too

When we step back from the mental clutter of our busy-ness or put a boundary in place that allows us to detach from all that for a while, one of the outcomes is that we become more in tune with the energetics and life force that are all around us, all the time.

Then, since the universe is fundamentally a fabulous place to be, that spaciousness can infuse you and your energy with a delightful sense of freedom, optimism and good cheer.

The trees have taught us that the reverse is true too… If you consciously take the time to tune in to all that is right in the world – to look for the silver lining in all circumstances, to tap into the vibrant life force that supports us all in every moment, and to embody a light-hearted outlook wherever possible - you might just find that it helps generate the sense of spaciousness and you’re yearning for.

This insight about the to-and-fro, push-and-pull possibilities you can use to lighten your energy or raise your vibration has been fundamentally life-changing for us here at Tribe HQ.

The realisation that we don’t have to wait for the holidays before giving ourselves permission to tap into that sense of expansion and possibility has been instrumental in helping us to shift from a way of life that was once entirely reactive to our circumstances, and into one in which we feel much more at peace on a day-to-day basis and much more balanced in the way we walk through life.

As an unexpected but delightful side effect, we’ve also found that our increased consciousness to our own energetic vibration and resonance with the world around us has simultaneously elevated our sense of connection to nature in all her beautiful forms.

Lighten Up, Buttercup flower essence and mist

All these learnings have been the result of working with the energy of the Conesticks bush, secret ingredient in our Lighten Up, Buttercup Flower Essence and Flower Essence Mist.

This gorgeous Australian native, exclusive to Tribe of the Tree, and harvested from the wild in the lush Southern Highlands of NSW, is on a mission to remind us all that life is not meant to be taken too seriously.

If you’re keen to add some lightness to your life too, consider incorporating the ritual of working with  Lighten Up, Buttercup into your daily routine.