We all have our own go-to calming things to do when we’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, down or anxious. Our steps to feel calm quickly.
Sometimes, these tough feelings come on quickly, almost out of nowhere. Then other times, it’s a steady build of events.
For me, stress shows in both physical and mental ways. From insomnia to anxiety, hair loss to a surge in bad habits.
In times like these, what I’ve found works best is shifting my thoughts to something else.
This skill, seemingly very simple, is the trick that often makes me feel calm quickly.
I thought I would share my ‘anxiety distractions’ with you here, in case you’re looking for some simple ways to move your thoughts to something else and calm you down.
10 Quick Ways to Calm Down Fast – my ‘Go-Tos’
1. Move
Going for a daily 30-minute walk has become one of my favourite self-care rituals.
Whether it’s after I drop the kids off at school, or to feel reinvigorated before dinner, I’ll pop in the AirPods and hit the pavements for half an hour to myself in the fresh air.
2. Talk
A quick call, text or message with a bestie is often enough to switch my attention from what I’m stressed about to something more uplifting.
Having a couple of trusted friends on speed dial who I can call and say “I’m feeling down, don’t ask why, just distract me with something” (actual script used), can cheer me up in seconds and put whatever I was dwelling on out of my mind altogether.
3. Get Silent
If I’m honest, this is something that was a challenge to embrace at first. While I’m a regular meditator and self-hypnotist (is that the right way of putting it?), sitting in silence and not DOing anything had a not-so-fun start.
Sounds simple though, doesn’t it? Sit in silence. However, when sitting in silence means not reading, listening to music, writing lists or tidying up, it’s more of a challenge. However, when I calm my mind and body to the point where everything inside and out is still, true calm and clarity can come through.
I did a 4-hour silent meditation recently – it was epic.
4. Breathe
Staying on the silence theme, meditation and deep breathing have both become daily must-haves in my schedule for calm.
I love listening to binaural beats as well as meditations from The Happy Habit App. Fleur’s gentle and calming voice guides me into deep relaxation and appreciation of all of the good in my world inside and out.
5. Hypnotise
Although I’d dabbled before, I first became really hooked on self-hypnosis during my first pregnancy and the when I hypnobirthed my babies.
Who knew that I had the ability to overcome fear, eradicate pain and move through stress quickly and easily simply by engaging my subconscious mind!
I LOVE the Hypnosis Downloads audios – there’s an option for any challenge you might be facing and I think you’ll be amazed at the results of self-hypnosis too. Click here to see all audios available.
6. Go back in time
Timehop is one of my favourite apps and I love how it gives me a daily reminder of what happened on the same day, years ago. It might be a photo of my kids when they were babies, my wedding day or a random happy photo I snapped in the past.
It’s a reminder for me that things we’re ok then and they will be again.
7. Visit the future
I’m a sucker for all methods of predicting the future. Luckily for me, I’m good friends with an Oracle. Or, as I like to call her, OraKell!
Kelly Casey helps to guide me to align with my intuition – on the daily. I’ve been working with her since the start of the year and the impact she’s had on my mental health, relationships and business has already been phenomenal.
8. Diffuse
The oils ladies, the oils. For me, it’s doTERRA’s Balance – it grounds me, daily.
9. Eat
Now, I’m not suggesting you eat your feelings – this does NOT work for me. But I have found that since embracing a vegan way of eating, my body feels ‘right’. Plant-based living isn’t for everyone – but more whole foods should be, yes?
To reduce the chances of me falling into the snackit-hole (that was supposed to be a play on rabbit hole but it doesn’t work, does it? I’m keeping it in though!), I meal plan. As well as eating better when it’s all planned out, it makes me feel so much calmer come dinner time when I know what’s on the menu and I have the stuff needed to make it.
10. Drink
Not wine, as you know. That used to be my instant ‘fix’ at times of stress. Of course, the long-term result was increased stress and anxiety and decreased resilience and health.
Since kicking the alcohol habit out of my life, I’ve embraced hydration with a whole new mindset. Water, my friends, water is the answer. To many of the questions my mind and body is often lacking.
You can find out more about how my life changed when I quit alcohol in my book, “Less Wine, More Time”, here.
And look, in this list of 10 calming activities, there wasn’t a social media channel in sight!
What are your go-to ways to calm down?
