Perhaps you’ve met someone whose presence leaves you feeling lighter, more inspired and more alive. Or maybe you’ve experienced the opposite – a conversation that leaves you drained, anxious or somehow “heavy.”
Many spiritual traditions describe this in terms of vibration or energetic frequency. While different teachers use different language, the underlying idea is similar: our thoughts, emotions, habits and environment all influence our overall state of being.
One of the teachers who popularised this concept in modern spirituality is Abraham Hicks. Abraham is a collective consciousness whose teachings are shared through an American motivational speaker and author named Esther Hicks. In the book The Astonishing Power of Emotions, Abraham Hicks describes emotions as indicators of our vibrational state. Their Emotional Guidance Scale ranges from emotions such as joy, appreciation and love at the higher end, down through frustration, worry and overwhelm to fear, grief and powerlessness at the lower end.
This links closely to the Law of Attraction, which suggests that we attract experiences that match our dominant thoughts and feelings. Whether you view this as a spiritual law, a psychological phenomenon, or a bit of both, there is wisdom in the idea that what we focus on tends to grow.
When we feel better, we tend to make better decisions. We notice possibilities instead of problems. We become more open, creative and resilient. Life begins to flow a little more easily.
The good news is that raising your vibration doesn’t require expensive retreats or dramatic life changes. Often it is the simplest practices, repeated consistently, that create the greatest shifts.
Here are 22 powerful ways to raise your vibration and create more alignment, joy and wellbeing in your life.
1. Practice Gratitude
Gratitude is one of the fastest ways to shift your emotional state.
When we focus on what is missing, we naturally experience lack. When we focus on what is already present, we begin to experience abundance.
This doesn’t mean pretending everything is perfect. It simply means giving attention to what is working.
Try writing down three things you are genuinely grateful for each day. Even better, pause for a moment and really feel the gratitude in your body.
A warm cup of tea.
A loyal friend.
The sound of birds outside your window.
Small things often carry the greatest power.
If you’re familiar with the teachings of Abraham Hicks, you may already know about one of my favourite practices: the Rampage of Appreciation. Rather than simply writing a short gratitude list, this involves spending several minutes deliberately speaking or writing about everything you appreciate, allowing one positive thought to lead naturally to another. You might begin by appreciating something as simple as the warmth of the sun on your face, the comfort of your favourite chair or the sound of birdsong outside your window. As your attention remains on what is going well, it often becomes easier to find more and more things to appreciate.
Abraham Hicks teaches that appreciation is one of the highest emotional states because it naturally shifts our focus away from lack and towards abundance. The goal isn’t to force yourself to feel joyful if you’re having a difficult day, but simply to reach for a thought that feels a little better than the last. As your appreciation gathers momentum, many people notice that their mood lifts almost effortlessly, leaving them feeling lighter, calmer and more aligned with the life they wish to create. If you’d like to explore this practice further, I highly recommend The Vortex: Where the Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which explores the power of appreciation and alignment in much greater depth.
2. Spend Time in Nature
Nature has a remarkable ability to bring us back into balance.
A walk through a woodland, sitting beside the sea, feeling grass beneath your bare feet or simply watching clouds drift across the sky can help calm an overactive mind and reconnect us with something larger than ourselves.
Whenever life feels overwhelming, I often find myself drawn to trees and forests. There is something deeply reassuring about standing amongst beings that have weathered countless storms, adapted to changing seasons and continued to grow year after year without hurry or struggle. Their roots reach deep into the earth while their branches stretch effortlessly towards the sky, embodying both grounding and growth. In the forest, my own worries seem a little smaller, my perspective a little wider, and the frantic pace of modern life seems to soften. Trees have a quiet wisdom and strength about them, reminding us that not everything needs to be forced and that growth often happens beneath the surface long before we see the results. Indeed, life’s most meaningful transformations rarely happen overnight. Like trees, we must slow down and trust the process.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
LAO TZU
3. Practise Coherent Breathing
One of the quickest ways I know to shift how you feel is through your breath.
When we are stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, our breathing often becomes fast, shallow and irregular. This sends signals to the nervous system that we are under threat, keeping the body in a state of tension and alertness.
Coherent breathing (sometimes called resonant frequency breathing) is a simple technique that helps bring the breath, heart and nervous system into greater harmony. It typically involves breathing slowly and smoothly at around five to six breaths per minute, creating a state of physiological coherence.
Many people report feeling calmer, clearer and more emotionally balanced after just a few minutes of coherent breathing. It can help quieten a busy mind, reduce feelings of stress and bring you back into the present moment.
From a vibrational perspective, stress, worry and overwhelm often feel contracted and heavy, while calmness, clarity and appreciation feel lighter and more expansive. Coherent breathing can help create the inner conditions that make it easier to move into these more positive emotional states.
One of the things I love most about coherent breathing is that it is available to you anywhere. You don’t need any special equipment, years of training or a perfectly quiet environment. Whether you’re sitting in your car, walking by the sea, lying in bed or taking a break during a busy day, your breath is always there to support you.
If you’re new to coherent breathing, start by watching the short introduction video below, then try following along with the breathing timer and notice how you feel afterwards.
4. Meditate Regularly
Meditation creates space between you and your thoughts.
Rather than being swept away by every worry, fear or frustration, you begin to observe them with greater awareness and compassion. Over time, this can lead to greater peace, clarity and emotional resilience.
One of the ideas I love from Abraham Hicks is the analogy that meditation helps us to “bob to the surface”. They describe our natural state as one of wellbeing, joy and alignment, much like a cork floating on water. When we release the thoughts, worries and resistance that weigh us down, we naturally rise back towards this state of ease and connection.
Meditation is not about forcing ourselves to feel positive or trying to empty our minds completely. It is about allowing ourselves to become still enough that we reconnect with the peaceful part of ourselves that is always there beneath the noise.
If you are new to meditation, the guided meditations in Getting into the Vortex: Guided Meditations and User Guide are a beautiful introduction to the Abraham Hicks approach and focus specifically on shifting your emotional state and reconnecting with feelings of wellbeing.
If you would like support in developing your own meditation practice, my private yoga sessions can be completely tailored to your needs and intentions. For some people, this may include movement through Dru Yoga or Yin Yoga before settling into meditation; for others, the entire session can be devoted to meditation, mindfulness, breathwork and deep relaxation. These personalised sessions can also incorporate Sound Healing, Yoga Nidra and other practices to help you reconnect with a sense of inner peace and balance.
5. Choose Uplifting Input
What we consume mentally is just as important as what we consume physically.
Pay attention to how you feel after scrolling social media, watching the news or listening to certain podcasts.
Do you feel inspired?
Or exhausted?
Choose books, podcasts, music and conversations that leave you feeling expanded rather than contracted.
You can find the most life-changing books I’ve read in my blog post, My Spiritual Shelfie, and also in my Essential Reading list.
6. Move Your Body
Energy likes to move.
When we stay sedentary for long periods, we often feel stuck mentally and emotionally too.
Walking, yoga, swimming, dancing, gardening, stretching or any form of movement can help shift stagnant energy and elevate your mood.
The best exercise is the one you actually enjoy.
One of the reasons I love teaching Dru Yoga is that it goes far beyond physical exercise. Through flowing movement, conscious breathing, deep relaxation and meditation, it encourages a sense of ease, balance and connection that many people describe as leaving them feeling lighter, calmer and more energised. If you’re looking for a gentle, enjoyable way to move your body, my Dru Yoga classes may be just what you’re looking for.
7. Surround Yourself with Positive People
We all influence one another.
Spend enough time with someone who constantly complains and you may notice your own mood declining.
Spend time with people who are enthusiastic, supportive and growth-oriented and you will often find yourself rising to meet that energy.
This doesn’t mean abandoning people who are struggling. It simply means becoming conscious of the environments you spend the most time in.
8. Declutter Your Space
Our external environment often mirrors our internal state. A cluttered room can create a sense of mental clutter. You don’t need to become a minimalist overnight. Simply clear one drawer, one shelf or one corner of a room. Notice how much lighter the space feels afterwards.
If you are looking for inspiration to create a calmer, more intentional home environment, two books that many people have found transformative are The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo and The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson. Marie Kondo’s approach encourages us to keep only the things that truly bring us joy, while Swedish Death Cleaning invites us to thoughtfully consider the possessions we leave behind and create a home that feels lighter and more peaceful. Both approaches remind us that our belongings carry energy, memories and meaning – and that letting go of what no longer serves us can create space for something new.
9. Laugh More
Laughter instantly changes our state.
It releases tension, improves mood and helps us reconnect with joy.
Watch a comedy.
Spend time with playful friends.
Be silly.
The world will not fall apart because you laughed today.
Notice how much lighter the space feels afterwards.
I couldn’t resist including some of my absolute favourite comedy clips…
10. Listen to Music That Lifts You
Music has a profound effect on our emotions.
Some songs energise us.
Others calm us.
Some seem to transport us into a completely different state of consciousness.
Create a playlist that makes you feel inspired, peaceful or joyful and use it intentionally whenever you need a lift.
11. Practise Forgiveness
Holding onto resentment is like carrying a heavy backpack everywhere you go.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean approving of someone’s actions.
It means releasing the emotional burden you have been carrying.
Often the person who benefits most from forgiveness is not the other person – it’s you.
12. Help Someone Else
One of the quickest ways to shift out of our own worries is to be of service.
Offer encouragement.
Volunteer.
Check in on a friend.
Perform a random act of kindness.
Giving reminds us that we are connected.
In my blog post Loving Kindness I have listed 36 simple ways that we can show kindness towards others in our daily lives.
13. Create Something
Creativity is a natural expression of life force energy.
Write.
Paint.
Cook.
Garden.
Play music.
Build something.
The goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is expression.
14. Hydrate Well
Even mild dehydration can affect mood, energy, concentration and mental clarity.
Drinking enough water is one of the simplest wellbeing practices available, yet many people overlook it. Sometimes what feels like low energy is simply dehydration.
It’s also worth remembering that hydration isn’t just about water – it also depends on having the right balance of electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium and magnesium. These essential minerals help regulate fluid balance, support nerve and muscle function, and allow water to move efficiently into your cells. If you’ve been exercising, spending time in the heat, following a low-carbohydrate diet or simply feeling depleted, replenishing your electrolytes can make a noticeable difference to how you feel.
One of the electrolyte supplements I personally use and recommend is Ancient + Brave True Hydration. Unlike many electrolyte drinks, it contains no sugar and provides a well-balanced blend of sodium, potassium and magnesium. I find it particularly helpful after exercise, during hot weather or whenever I need a hydration boost.
15. Get Better Sleep
Everything feels harder when we’re tired.
Sleep affects emotional regulation, concentration, cognitive performance, immune function, hormone balance and our ability to cope with life’s everyday challenges. When we’re well rested, we tend to feel calmer, think more clearly and respond to situations with greater patience and perspective. It’s much easier to experience the higher emotional states associated with a high vibration when our body and mind have had the opportunity to properly rest and recover.
Good sleep doesn’t usually begin when your head hits the pillow – it begins with the habits you create throughout the evening. Dimming the lights, reducing screen time, avoiding stimulating activities and giving yourself permission to slow down can all help signal to your nervous system that it’s time to rest.
One of my favourite evening rituals is a warm bath. Not only does it create a peaceful transition between the busyness of the day and sleep, but adding magnesium can help relax tired muscles and support restful sleep. If you’d like to find out more about the benefits of magnesium and my favourite products, take a look at my article My Favourite Baths.
If you regularly struggle to unwind before bed, gentle meditation, coherent breathing, Yoga Nidra or calming music can also help quieten a busy mind and prepare both body and mind for a restorative night’s sleep.
16. Practise Self-Compassion
Many people speak to themselves in ways they would never speak to a friend.
Notice your inner dialogue.
Is it kind?
Supportive?
Encouraging?
Or critical and harsh?
Raising your vibration often begins with changing the relationship you have with yourself.
17. Reduce Gossip and Drama
Drama can be strangely addictive.
Yet it often leaves us feeling depleted.
Choose conversations that inspire growth, understanding and connection rather than criticism and negativity.
18. Reconnect with Your True Self
One of the most powerful ways to raise your vibration is to nurture your connection with something greater than yourself.
What that looks like will be different for everyone. For some people it is prayer. For others it may be meditation, spending time in nature, journaling, practising yoga, working with sound, sitting in silence or simply taking a few moments each day to listen to their inner wisdom.
Modern life is full of distractions. We are constantly encouraged to look outside ourselves for answers, yet some of the deepest wisdom comes when we slow down enough to hear the quiet voice within. When we create space for stillness, we often find that our intuition becomes clearer, our perspective shifts and life begins to feel less like a struggle and more like a gentle unfolding.
I don’t believe that raising your vibration is about becoming someone new. Rather, it is about peeling away the layers of fear, stress, conditioning and self-doubt until we reconnect with the person we have always been beneath them. Spiritual practices help us remember that deeper part of ourselves – the part that is naturally peaceful, loving and whole.
If you’re not sure where to begin, start with whatever resonates most deeply with you. There is no single “right” spiritual practice. The one that raises your vibration is the one that helps you feel more present, more authentic and more connected to yourself and the world around you.
19. Focus on What You Want
Many people spend more time thinking about what they don’t want than what they do.
Where attention goes, energy flows.
Instead of repeatedly focusing on problems, begin spending more time imagining possibilities.
What do you want to create?
How do you want to feel?
What kind of life are you moving towards?
20. Cultivate Joy Daily
Don’t wait for a future achievement to give yourself permission to feel good.
Joy is not merely the reward at the end of the journey.
It can become part of the journey itself.
Find small moments of delight every day.
21. Follow What Lights You Up
Perhaps the most powerful vibration-raising practice of all is following what genuinely brings you alive.
Your soul often speaks through enthusiasm.
Pay attention to what energises you.
The books you can’t put down.
The conversations that make time disappear.
The activities that leave you feeling nourished rather than depleted.
Those are clues.
22. Try EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)
One of my favourite tools for shifting emotional energy is EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique, often referred to simply as “tapping.”
EFT combines gentle tapping on specific acupuncture points on the face and upper body while focusing on a thought, emotion or problem. The technique was developed by Gary Craig and has become increasingly popular as a simple self-help tool for reducing stress, anxiety, overwhelm and limiting beliefs.
The basic idea is that difficult emotions can create disruptions in the body’s energy system. By bringing awareness to the issue while tapping on these points, many people experience a reduction in emotional intensity and a greater sense of calm and clarity.
What I love about EFT is that it can be surprisingly effective even when you don’t fully understand why you’re feeling the way you do. Sometimes we carry old fears, worries, frustrations or emotional patterns without even realising how much energy they are consuming. Tapping can help to release some of that emotional charge and create space for more positive feelings to emerge.
From a vibrational perspective, emotions such as fear, anger, resentment and self-doubt tend to feel heavy and contracting, while emotions such as peace, confidence, appreciation and love feel lighter and more expansive. EFT can help you move from one emotional state to another, making it a powerful tool for raising your vibration and improving your overall sense of wellbeing.
If you’ve never tried EFT before, I recommend starting with this simple guided tapping video and noticing how you feel afterwards. You may be surprised by how quickly your energy, mood and perspective begin to shift.
A Final Thought
Raising your vibration isn’t about becoming positive all the time.
It isn’t about denying difficult emotions or pretending life is always easy. In fact, true spiritual growth often involves acknowledging exactly where you are, meeting yourself with compassion, and then gently choosing thoughts, actions and practices that help you move towards greater peace, joy and alignment.
One of the ideas I love most from Abraham Hicks is that our natural state is one of wellbeing. Like a cork held beneath the surface of the water, we don’t need to struggle to rise – we simply need to let go of the thoughts, habits and resistance that have been weighing us down. As we do, we naturally begin to float back towards who we really are.
Perhaps that’s what raising your vibration is really about.
Not striving to become someone different, but remembering who you were before fear, stress, self-doubt and the pressures of everyday life pulled you away from your true nature.
Think of it less as climbing a ladder and more as returning home.
Some days you’ll feel full of energy and inspiration. Other days you’ll feel tired, overwhelmed or uncertain. Both are part of being human. The important thing isn’t to remain at the highest vibration all the time, but to keep gently returning to the practices that help you reconnect with yourself.
Whether that’s taking a walk among the trees, practising coherent breathing, meditating, tapping with EFT, expressing gratitude, listening to uplifting music or simply pausing for a quiet moment, every small step matters.
Because when you stop resisting your own wellbeing and begin allowing it instead, you may discover that the peace, joy and abundance you have been searching for were never as far away as you imagined.
