Staying Calm: How do you do It?

I have to admit, as of late I’ve been feeling extremely overwhelmed with things that I have to get done and just with general, everyday life woes.  A reader recently suggested I write a blog post about how to stay calm and I feel as if this is the perfect time to write such a post because I’m experiencing a lot of anxiety so I’ve been working on methods to keep myself calm, cool and collected in different situations.  So, let’s take a look at some methods I’ve been using to stay calm and then we’ll talk about what you do to stay calm.

Deep Breathing:

When I’m anxious or even when I’m angry and trying to remain calm, I’ve noticed that taking a series of breaths helps me a lot to keep my cool.  I’ve also suggested that friends and family use this technique when trying to remain calm and it seems to work out pretty well.  What you do is take a deep breath through your nose and slowly let it out through your mouth.  Simple right?  I thought so and it’s not something you have to think a lot about to do so if you’re in a highly emotional situation or you’re feeling really anxious, you can do this easily to help calm your nerves.

Exercise:

As I’ve said in other posts such as The Attack of Stress, exercise is a great way to release endorphins, which have calming abilities.  I have to admit when I’m angry, since starting going to the gym, I find myself having to move a lot and sometimes I’ll get the urge to just run.  Moving and exercising are a great way to keep yourself calm; though, it’s not always something that you’re going to be able to do in every situation.  For instance, if you’re going to a job interview, going for a run right before may not be the best of ideas—unless of course you have time to go home and take a shower beforehand.

Cool Rags:

A friend of mine has a tendency to get really worked up and anxious in high anxiety situations.  So, when at home, I always suggest that he put a cool rag on his forehead and or neck and shoulders.  This seems to help him a lot with calming his nerves.  I think cool rags are just soothing in some way, though I’m not completely sure why.  It seems to help though.

Eating Sweets (but not too many!):

Eating sweets—especially chocolate—is another way to release endorphins, which helps to calm your nerves.  Candies are generally very soothing to people and it’s probably because it does release endorphins, but it’s also just a comfort.  Just don’t go overboard and eat an entire container of chocolates because then you may have other problems to deal with and I’m sure that won’t help to keep you calm.

Calming Music:

Music is a great way to stay calm.  When I say “calming music” it doesn’t necessarily have to be the sounds of the ocean or soft, harmonic melodies.  It can be whatever music that calms you down.  Just put on your favorite song that puts you in a happy place until you feel yourself calming down.

Journaling:

This is one of my favorite methods of keeping myself calm and getting everything out of my head.  Writing, I think, helps to put things into perspective.  When you write, you get everything that has been floating around in your head out on paper where you can take a look and see where you can change things around to make your life less stressful.  In my opinion, it’s better to have your thoughts down on paper rather than plaguing your mind.

Hugging:

If you remember my previous post The Power of Hugs, you’ll remember how hugging can help you to relax.  Of course you have to hug the right person, but hugging and just being close to someone can calm your nerves.  Listen to the sound of their heartbeat and let go of all of your troubles.  Allow them to help sooth you.

Talking:

I’m very big on talking when I’m anxious about something or even when I’m angry.  Talking helps to get things out of your system and out into the open so that someone else can possibly help you get through what you’re experiencing.  You can talk to a friend, family member or seek professional help by going to see a counselor.  Now, I know not everyone is keen on seeing a counselor, but they really can be helpful because they aren’t a part of your life and can give you a different view of things.  No matter who you talk to, it should help you to get everything out.

Do Something You Love:

Go out and do something you enjoy; forget about whatever is bother you at least for a short time.  Let yourself enjoy being with a friend or family member, maybe even enjoy being alone.  Go out and do something that you enjoy doing whether it’s painting, drawing, watching movies, or what have you.  Doing something that you love will more than likely help you to stay calm and relaxed.

I’m sure I could continue on with more and more methods of staying calm, but instead, I want to hear from all of you.

Let’s Chat!:

What do you do when you’re trying to keep yourself calm?