Most of us will lose our ability to remain calm every once in a while. This is normal, and often associated with being overwhelmed or not having put into place circuit breakers to reduce stress and emotional overload.
Emotions can be powerful and overwhelming when life get too much.
The great thing is that you can learn to control how you process them, and feel lighter and more balanced throughout the day, and throughout your life.
Here are 14 keys how to stay calm when you’re angry, annoyed or nervous, how to stay calm under pressure or in stressful situations, or just when things seem to fall apart and you’re on the edge of a breakdown.
In other words...
How to Stay Calm No Matter What!
Let’s take a look at what they are:
1.Take 8 Deep and Slow Breaths
Focus entirely on your breathing while you slowly breath in and out.
You can do this anywhere that you can concentrate on your breathing for 8 consecutive inhales and exhales.
In this practice make each breath as long as the other.
For example - if you breath in to the count of 4... then breath out to the count of 4.
Behold the natural transformation as your body taps into to your parasympathetic (peaceful) system.
2. Take a Step Back
Take a moment to observe the situation as if you were looking from a distance.
Can you be a witness to the moment, emotion or thought?
Don’t be the person or victim that’s caught up in the middle of the situation but look at it from a bystander’s perspective and see how your frame of reference will change.
3. Slow down, Pause and Delay your Response
Force yourself to not react or respond immediately. If possible wait one or two minutes or at the least 10 to 20 seconds.
Watch your initial response fade away and realise it’s ill-advised, then think, contemplate with calmness, keep an open mind, and see how smart and effective your response after the pause will be.
4. Get out more!
Get out of the house, the car, the building, wherever you are.
Just get outside!
Your mind works differently in outside environments. Fresh air and nature has a profound impact on your system and makes you feel calmer and see things clearer almost immediately.
5. Repeat a Mantra
Repeat a peaceful mantra to yourself. Say quietly to yourself “I am calm, focused and at ease in every situation.”
Visualise yourself being calm.
Be gentle and kind to yourself as you make your way to this place.
It may take a few attempts. That's ok.
6. Focus
Focus and act on things you can control, and stop focusing and worrying about things you can’t control.
The only you have available at your complete control is how you will respond in this moment.
Practice letting go of the need to anticipate every possible outcome.
7. You Have a Choice
Realise you always have a choice in what you think. YOU are not your thoughts, so you can decide to think destructively, panic and get all stressed out (not recommended), or think harmonious thoughts, use your breath and body scan to release the tension in your muscles, realise that truth is relative, and focus on constructing and problem solving thoughts. And when you can't make a choice while you regulate - that too is ok.
8. Anticipate
Take a moment to sit down with your eyes closed, analyse and identify the triggers you can feel in the thoughts and body - what makes you feel stressed out and lose your calm?
How can you anticipate on these triggers before they occur?
How can you change the situation?
Take some time to really think about your stress sources, symptoms, and solutions.
Become proactive in your pursuit towards a calm mindset.
9. Exercise
Exercise on a regular basis.
Exercise releases endorphins, serotonin, adrenaline and dopamine. These are all neurochemicals that help you improve your mood.
When you exercise, your body and mind naturally feel more relaxed, calm and balanced.
10. Sleep Enough
Get ENOUGH sleep, but not TOO MUCH.
When you deprive yourself of sleep you get faster agitated and increase your risk of anxiety, depression, weakening your immune system, impaired memory, and likelihood of accidents. On the other hand the same problems can occur when you sleep too much.
So an average adult functions best on 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
11. Let it Go
There is no resolution that can be found with a fixed and rigid mindset.
Sometimes we just need to lighten our own load on purpose.
Be humorous about things. Laugh and joke more. It releases the tension and does miracles to your mind and body. There is great power in letting go.
12. Ask for Help
You don’t have to do everything alone.
Other people have done this before you. The answer is often only a few steps away. Look for people you can trust. Asking people is the key to the solution.
13. Meditate Daily
This is my medicine!
Meditate daily to build your foundation of calmness.
This is where you create your building blocks of awareness, focus and peace for the rest of the day.
Learn about yourself, your thoughts, your triggers in a safe environment through meditation that focuses on self awareness and discovery.
Meditation is a life changer.
14. Conscious Practice
Practice daily mindfulness.
Be aware of your thoughts, your behaviour, your emotions, your senses, your surroundings, and the way you communicate.
Practice to be conscious and calm throughout the day, at home, at work, in school, in traffic, in relationships, in every little detail.
Learn to be involved without being affected.
This is the most important practice.
Catherine is a heart-centred wellness therapist, transformational coach, intuitive counsellor and mindfulness facilitator who specialises in helping you create calm confidence, nourish your self esteem and self-love, build healthy boundaries, ditch perfectionism and people-pleasing, and get out of your own way to achieve the life you deserve.
𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 a complimentary 45 minute 𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗢𝗠 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟 with me to find out how she can change your life for the better too!
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