I think it would be a fair guess that however we are being affected by the current events in our world, there is a sense of feeling out of control. And we, as humans, do not like feeling out of control. Feeling thrown off, uncertain, fearful, anxious, in a frenzy, or however you would describe how you are feeling; it can be difficult to find a sense of calm amidst the chaos. I would like to focus on some ideas to help us keep internally calm while externally may not be so.
Breathe:
Structured breathing can help train the body to do deeper breathing than we are used to. Shallow breaths stay in our chest and can make it difficult, especially when anxious, to calm ourselves and may even lead to a panic attack. Deeper breathing (belly breathing) focuses the attention of our breaths that allows our heart rate to lower, blood pressure to decrease, and the adrenal glands to slow its process of releasing more adrenaline. This type of breathing can also help relieve stress, improve sleep patterns, and make it difficult for anxious thoughts and feelings to be present in a clam body.
Here is an example of a Structured Breathing technique, but feel free to find one that fits you best.
Another helpful breathing technique is Mindful Breathing:
Find Your Mantra:
It can be helpful to find a phrase, motto, or adage that you can say to yourself when the chaos begins to feel overwhelming. It can be lyrics to a song, a positive phrase, a Bible verse, a poem, your favorite quote. It can also be something short and simple, or a single word. For example peace, calm, breathe, I’m ok, I can do this, serenity now, etc. You can also add the mantra to your breathing exercise.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR):
To do this exercise, find a comfortable, quiet place to lay down. Give yourself 10-15 minutes to do this. You want to start at the tip of your toes, and in small muscle groups clench the muscles tight and hold for 5 seconds, and then release them. Do this three times for all muscle groups moving up your whole body until you reach the tip of the scalp. Try to practice this daily, especially during stressful times.
Calming Box/”Kool Down Kit”:
Find a box with a lid, maybe one with an inspirational phrase or scene that speaks clam to you. The goal is to add items to the box that help you calm down, relieve stress, and relax you. Those items can be anything from stress balls, essential oils, pictures of loved ones, your hobby items, coloring books, arts and crafts, lyrics to your favorite song/your favorite cd, etc. Have fun filling it and even decorating it.
Gratitude Journal:
There are several ways you can do this, so again, find the way that works best for you. Some examples are that when you wake up in the morning or before you go to bed, write down three things you are grateful for. Make a list of things that went well that day or something you accomplished that made you feel good.
There are many examples on the internet, here is just one of them:
Have Fun: Don’t forget amid a hectic life to stop and have fun. Take a break, go for a walk, plan a future vacation, watch a funny movie, bake something, play a board game with your family, be silly, etc. Don’t forget to laugh😊
