You’ve heard the usual advice over and over: exercise, green smoothies, self-compassion, colouring books, mindfulness, bubble baths, gratitude… you’ve probably tried a lot of it. Sometimes it helps, at least for a while. But what happens when the real stuff kicks in – when the kids are struggling at school or your partner needs support or a new work project lands in your lap last minute?

Self-care has to then be side-lined, but what can you do during this time?

Sisters Emily and Amelia Nagoski have the answers. To tackle stress, you must separate the emotion of stress with the things that cause you stress – like work, money, body image, and cultural expectations. Like the digestive system, stress is a cycle you have to complete in order to release it. When your body is able to release the stress it holds, it resets itself and is able to meet the next challenge with ease.