When I was in 6th grade, my family moved to a different town, which meant my school district changed. I was the new girl on the block. Totally insecure. And flat out ugly. I was too short, too skinny, didn't have the hip clothes, and my hair sucked. Oh, and I had braces. Yeah, I was a GAWKY, GEEKY looking kid.   When I arrived the first day, one of the boys in my homeroom classes started paying attention to me. I felt all gushy inside because I could tell he was a popular kid. Maybe this was finally my ticket into the "cool" click. I quickly found out my promising new boyfriend had been playing a joke for his friends and I was the butt of his joke. Bummer. I went from feeling nervous, insecure and anxious, to feeling like a total loser. And here I am, 32 years later and I still can't forget it. I still hold that wound in my heart. Since the 6th grade I've blossomed, matured and I don't feel geeky and ugly anymore. But because of that incident, so many years ago, I find myself shy and insecure in new situations. It takes me a while to trust and warm up to new people. Emotional wounds are unpleasant.  They hurt and can drudge up old memories we'd rather forget if they weren't trapped deep inside of our cells. Sometimes talking about emotional wounds can help, but other times it doesn't. In our emotional world there is a root cause, or what we can an origin to our wounds. Sometimes, a wound happened so early in our lives that we simply cannot remember the depth of the wound in order to release it. For example, in my case, what did that boy actually say to me? What were his friends doing? How did I process it? Did I process it? I don't even remember telling my parents it happened. Why didn't I stand up to him? Did I allow myself to cry or grieve in any way? There are a hundred avenues to heal, but I want to share with you a few of my favorites that have been very effective in helping me heal as an adult.

• Exercise. Try a mind/body practice such as yoga, pilates, meditation---it may not be a physical workout like running, climbing or cycling, but believe me it is mental workout. It will force you to deep into your own sh*t and process what needs to be processed.

• Nutrition. Food is medicine.  It literally has the power to heal your body.  I'm talking greens, sprouts, rooted veggies and quality grains.  I'm not talking about those sugary donuts you may want to stuff down your face when you feel like a pile of crap.  Use food as it was intended to be used.  It's nature's gift to us.

• Essential Oils. Essential oils can help with our Emotions.  Our sense of smell accesses the limbic system of the brain which is the base of our emotions. When you are feeling rotten, try arming yourself with essential oils.  The effects can be amazing.

I know the depth of each person's emotional wounds vary from something that may seem as insignificant as a 6th grade boy teasing you in school to something much more grave, such as the death of a spouse or a child. The deeper the wound, the more paralyzed you feel. And I also know that getting off the couch to to out for a run or taking the time to consider what you want to put in your green smoothie are not always a priority or even seem achievable when your in a state of comatose, shock or depression. But give it a try. Start with your aromatic sense. Move on to trying to nourish your body. And if it feels right, let it out. Cry. Scream. Write. There are many that would love to hear from you, including me. Please let let me know what has worked for you by leaving a comment in the box below. If you liked this article and you found it useful or inspiring, share it with others. Post it on their FB walls, Pinterest or Tweet it. XO, Hayley P.S. For where I get my essential oils, cause you know I am all about an elevated mood and not letting anything stop me, click HERE. This blog was originally featured in Positively Positive