10 More Ways to Protect Your Sensitive Soul

Easy little rituals to help you feel better ASAP.

Last Sunday, my husband Ted and I watched 60 Minutes. I’m glad we did—but at the same time, it was heartwrenching.

The first story was about Greenland: how violated and unsettled the citizens feel after Trump talked about buying their country, and people laughed like it was a joke.

The second was an interview with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. He was clearly heartbroken and desperate. Children in his country are going to school in bomb shelters—and still, many children and adults are being killed.

This part wasn’t on the show, but others in my own country are being torn from their families and deported to foreign prisons. It’s a lot.

It’s hard to read and hear about things like this. And still, we know: for those living through it, it’s unimaginably worse.

We want to stay awake. We want to remain aware. And we want to be clear enough—grounded enough—to contribute to positive change.

To do that, we need to care for ourselves with tenderness and intention.

Here are 10 more ways to do just that.

(The first 10 can be found here.)

There are Amazon affiliate links in this post.

1. Cleanse with Smoke

This past Christmas, Ted gave me a mug that says: “Not enough sage for this shit.” And it’s true – there’s not.

But there is enough sage for you, personally, in this moment.

…Or nag champa, or frankincense, or palo santo, or whatever sacred and uplifting scent you prefer.

Light a stick or cone of incense and put it in an incense holder and let the smoke lift and purify your vibe and the vibe of your space.

Or, light a bundle of dried sage or a stick of palo santo wood and let it smoke like incense. Carry a dish beneath it to catch any burning embers. And waft the smoke around your body and space. Sense your spirits lifting, your aura glowing, and the energy in your environment beginning to sing.

2. Mist with Rosewater

Some say that roses have the most positive vibration of any living thing because they are a living mandala of pure love.

For a smoke-free vibe cleanse and spirit refresh, mist your body, aura, and space with rose water. Or even just your face. (You can keep a little mister in your purse or your desk.)

3. Inwardly Repeat an Affirmation

There are a couple of affirmations I always come back to when I find myself worrying a lot.

If my mind keeps veering off into worries, I pick one of them and mentally repeat it over and over to redirect my brain power and develop a new habit of thought.

(I adapted these from affirmations by the classic New Age author Florence Scovel Shinn, who really had a way with affirmations.)

They are:

“Infinite Intelligence goes before me, making clear, easy, and successful my way.”

and

“I cast the burden on the Divine within, and I go free.”

Choose one of these or select your own.

As you repeat your affirmation, feel that you’re handing your worries over to Spirit, and imagine Spirit taking care of them perfectly, so that life can unfold for you with ease.

4. Wear Something Special

To me, fashion is magical. But listen: I shop at thrift stores more than anywhere else, so I’m not talking about fashion in an elitist sense.

I’m talking about adorning yourself intentionally, according to your own preferences and tastes.

For me, red nails or a red dress both feel especially empowering. If I need a little extra confidence, I know those are choices that will magically give me that boost.

Maybe for you, it’s an elegant scarf, a sparkly necklace, or a comfy pair of jeans.

Listen to your body and notice what feels good. Also pay attention to the colors and patterns that lift your mood.

And maybe take a trip to a thrift store! That’s one of my favorite simple pleasures because it’s such a fun way to get to know how I’m feeling now. Like, what will I be drawn to? What will spark my creativity? What will I learn about myself?

Here’s a podcast episode that will help inspire you to overcome shopping dread, let go of fashion rules, and assemble a wardrobe of things you feel great in.

5. Ritual for Ditching the Socials

You guys I am so serious right now. Get off social media. Or at least get those apps off your phone.

My intuition had been nagging at me to do this for ages, but now that I finally did it, it’s hard to describe to you just how much better I feel.

Like a lot! Better! Right away. But then I started feeling even better as my days and weeks off social media began to accrue.

And listen: it’s not just me. There’s data. People feel measurably better when they aren’t on social media compared to when they are.

Plus, the average person spends over 2 hours on social media per day. Even if you don’t think you are one of those people, chances are good you’re wrong, because studies show that people consistently underestimate the amount of time they spend on their phones.

My point is that 2 hours plus per day is a lot. What could you do with those hours?

Just off the top of my head, you could garden, read a book, call a friend, reorganize your kitchen, rehearse a play, organize a protest, or bake banana nut bread. Every day! For probably more than 2 hours.

If you’re curious but you need more convincing first, here’s a post about how our phones can steal our magic and another post about why I finally made the leap to deactivate my social media accounts.

When you’re ready, why not make it a ritual? Light a candle and say an invocation. Say something like, “As I delete these apps from my phone [or deactivate these accounts], I call back my power. I reclaim my time. And I choose to live a mindful, intentional, satisfying life. Thank you, Divine Presence, for bringing my magic back to me.” Close your eyes, breathe, and smile. Then open your eyes and swiftly deactivate or delete.

6. Easy Nature Therapy

Getting outside – even just for a moment – heals. It boosts your energy and refreshes your outlook. Reliably and consistently.

And you don’t have to wait until you have a full hour or you can get to a national park.

Every tree is nature. Every flower is nature. Every breath of fresh air is nature.

So take a walk around the block or sit on your patio for a few minutes. Water your outdoor plants. Read a book under a tree at a local park.

And as you do, take in the beauty. Listen to the birds. Say hello to the neighborhood cats. Notice the sunlight filtering through the trees.

7. Protective Door Blessing

Your front door is a magical place. It is a portal between your personal space and the universal life force energy swirling around outside. It defines the quality of energy you’re experiencing and calling in.

Bless your door to set a positive boundary of light at your threshold.

First, fill a bucket with warm water. Lightly crush some fresh rosemary needles between your fingers and drop them in the water. Drop a clean rag in there and wash the inside and outside of your front door (in that order) with the water. As you wash, imagine your door glowing more and more brightly with protective, divine, golden-white light.

Now, tie a small bundle of rosemary sprigs with hemp twine. Hang it on the outside of your door.

Say, “Great Goddess, I invoke you. With your authority, I bless this door. I bless this home. I bless my life and the lives of all who dwell here. May love and harmony abide within. Thank you.”

8. Cleansing Bath Ritual

Draw a warm bath (or hot – whatever you like). Dissolve two cups of Epsom salt and a tablespoon of sea salt in the water. Lightly crush a few lavender blossoms with your fingers and drop them in. (Or add a drop or two of essential oil of lavender – just be careful and maybe don’t do this part if your skin is really sensitive.)

Light a clean burning candle or otherwise establish ambient lighting in the bathroom. Have drinking water near the bath so you can stay hydrated while you soak.

Stand over the water and direct your palms toward it. Envision bright white light coming down from the sky, entering the crown of your head, moving into your heart, and flowing down your arms and out through your palms into the water. Sense the water as filled with and surrounded by this blinding light.

Say, “Great Goddess, thank you for filling this water with vibrations of healing, purification, and love.”

Now, soak for at least 20 minutes, feeling and imagining your tension and stress drain away and your energy field recharge.

9. Mirrored Sphere Visualization

I live in a small town now, but I lived in a big city for many years. It was often overwhelming to me to be in crowds or highly populated areas. When I started to feel overly vulnerable or drained, I would often use this simple visualization.

Imagine yourself completely cocooned within a mirrored sphere – I mean, like, a totally reflective ball, like the one in the photo.

Trust that you are spiritually protected within this sphere. Sense that any energy coming from people around you simply bounces off the mirror and goes right back to them. So you don’t have to pick it all up.

10. Simple Self Check-In

This one sounds so simple, you might have the impulse to ignore it. But don’t! Instead, try it right this minute so you can see for yourself what a positive change it can make.

Place one hand on your heart. Begin to notice your breath. Just notice as you inhale and exhale. Also notice how your body feels, let your muscles soften a bit, and send your heart a little love.

Now, inwardly say to yourself, “How are you doing, sweetie? Do you need anything?”

Now, without judgement, honestly answer yourself. “I’m doing ok, but I’m a little stressed,” or “I am really hungry, actually,” or “I have complicated feelings – some good, some bad, some in between,” or “It would feel good to move my body right now,” or “I could really use a break.”

If you can give yourself what you need immediately, do it. If you can’t, promise yourself you will soon.

Wrap up by giving yourself a little hug. (Just try it. Sounds corny, I know, but you’ll get a shot of oxytocin, the warm fuzzy hormone. Science backs this up.)

Remember: you are magical. And we all need you to shine your light. So take easy, doable steps to care of yourself every day.

And, of course, follow your intuition about how you can help.

Oh, and for ten more of these, here is part one.