Calm down! Has anyone said this to you lately? Or do you hear telling this to yourself more often than you would want to?

One of the major reasons you see a need to calm down is because you are stressed and agitated.

Stress is a very normal part of most of our daily life, and cannot be avoided. And who says that it has to be avoided? You see, stress is not the problem here.

The problem is what you let the stress do to you.

Remember, we have no control over what happens to us but what we do have is control over how we respond to it.

While stress can act as a motivational factor and performance booster for many people, the case is not the same with everyone.

Some people get overwhelmed when they face a stressful situation in life.

Having a SOLID SELF-CARE ROUTINE can help you manage your stress and stay calm in the long run.

As for your immediate relief, below are listed ten ways you can calm your mind.

TEN EFFECTIVE WAYS TO CALM YOUR MIND

1. Breath

It is a common experience to feel out of breath in certain situations when one is feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

When we panic or are stressed our body releases a hormone called adrenaline which makes our breathing faster.

Your feeling stressed leads to your rapid breathing. You can reverse this flow chart.

You can calm your mind by deliberately slowing down your breathing rhythm.

Control the pace of your breath.

Inhale deeply through your nose and hold it for 3 seconds before breathing out.

Breathe out through your mouth making a whooshing sound for 5 seconds. You can also take the help of this video to bring your breathing to a slower pace.

Breathing properly is one of the most effective ways to calm your mind instantly. Do give it a try when you feel stressed out the next time.

2. Walking can calm you down

Along with breathing, walking and moving your body lightly can also help you calm down quickly.

When our body is stressed it responds by giving us a boost of energy to cope with the stressful situation.

But this extra energy can often make us feel jittery.

To ease up your body and mind try doing some light exercises. If you are in a place where exercising is not possible just try and take a walk.

Walk around to your room or whatever is convenient. Just move your body so that you can dispose of the extra energy supplied to you.

This will calm you down and provide quick relief.

3. Chew something

Chewing gum or anything (edible) can help you calm down.

Have you seen people biting their nails when they are stressed?

This is a way (not a very healthy one I must say) that they use to calm themselves down which most of the time is done subconsciously by the doer.

Better than chewing your nails you can chew gum

Some people do not like chew gums for environmental or personal issues. If you are one of them you can always look for alternatives.

For me, I love to eat jhalmuri (Indian snack) whenever I’ve had a stressful day.

I have it for dinner with a full bottle of water.

It is easy to prepare and I eat a nice quantity of it to keep me busy chewing for half an hour or so. You too can look for a healthy snack to chew on when you are stressed.

4. Talk to a friend who can help you calm down

Talking to a trusted friend is always a good idea. Talk to someone with a carefree attitude, preferably a funny friend.

Never underestimate the power of a funny friend. They can turn the ugliest situation into a joke and you can find yourself laughing about it in no time.

I am lucky to have that friend in my boyfriend who, most of the time turns my stressful situation into something I can laugh about.

Five minutes of pouring my sorrow to him I can either find myself crying or laughing about it.

Just by pouring out your feelings you can calm your mind.

Sometimes all you need to calm yourself down is to let your feelings out.

There is nothing to fret about if you have no one you can share your stress with. You can try tip number 5 instead of a friend.

5. Pen down your thoughts

Yes. You can always pour your heart out on a piece of paper without the risk of being judged or ridiculed.

Your diary can become your haven where you can share your innermost thoughts and feelings.

You can jot down how angry you are or what is it that you are exactly feeling. There is no shame, no pressure from your diary.

It is your personal space where you can truly be yourself and feel connected with your inner self.

We live in such a world where we cannot be vocal about our feelings and stresses to everyone. Make your diary your safe space to let it all out. You will feel much calmer and at ease after this exercise.

6. Try visualizing places or moments that calms you down

Do you know what can travel faster than light? It is your thoughts.

Imagination and thoughts are the fastest carriers of energy.

You can use your thoughts and imagination to calm yourself down quickly.

To do this exercise first close your eyes and imagine a place that calms you down. It could be a beach, grassland, mountains anything.

Try to picture yourself enjoying and relaxing in that place. Breathe in and out slowly while you imagine this picture in your mind.

You can also immerse in a happy memory from your childhood or any phase of your life.

Relive your fond memories and let it calm you down.

7. Repeat calming affirmation

When we are stressed or not in a peaceful state of mind, we often spiral down the path of negative self-talk.

Destroying this loop of thoughts or stopping the talk inside your head can be a herculean task.

Always remember that replacing something is always easier than destroying it.

Try to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones rather than trying to stop those negatives from coming.

You can repeat positive affirmations for this purpose.

Repeating affirmation is kind of a way to rewire your brain and thought process.

It is like fooling your brain into believing what you are repeating verbally.

Here are some soothing affirmations that you can try

• I am always guided and protected by the higher energy who is always taking care of me.
• I accept my feelings without any judgment and I let the feelings flow freely in my body.
• I release all my stress out to the universe and surrender my problems and fears to the higher one.
• I just have to do as much as I can and the rest shall be taken care of automatically.
• This is just a phase and it shall pass.

8. Take hot water baths

Hot water baths relax your muscles and help you calm down.

When we are stressed our muscles become tensed and tight. We can relieve this stress from our body by relaxing the muscles.

And what better way to relax your muscles than to take a hot water bath?

I understand that taking a hot water bath may not be possible in all situations. Like when you get stressed at work you do not have the option of a bath, but you can always take one when you get back home that evening.

It is always a good idea to take your time in the shower by indulging in a relaxing bath when dealing with stressful situations.

9. Clean your room and put away unwanted things

One of my friends always says that cleaning her room or house is like therapy for her and I couldn’t agree more.

Staying in a cluttered environment can heighten your stress and anxiety.

When you clean your room, or working space you can physically witness organization in your life. Your life will feel more in control.

Seeing the clutter and mess get organized in your surroundings will give you a feeling that you can tackle any chaotic situation by starting to organize it step by step.

Start small by arranging your desk. Put away all the unnecessary things in a box.

You can also go all wild and do a deep clean by mopping the floor and dusting every surface to changing bedsheets etc.

Once you start enjoying the cleaning process you will need no other therapy to calm your nerves.

Having a minimalist lifestyle can also help you become a calm person and take better care of the clutter.

10. Listen to a piece of calm music or any other music that makes you feel good

Lastly, you can also try to listen to a piece of music that is soothing to your ears and heart.

We all have different tastes in music so what calms other people down may not necessarily work for you.

You do you. Whatever kind of music it is that helps you calm your nerves you listen to it.

Please close your eyes and listen to it mindfully.

Be fully present in the moment and put all your focus on the song.

Listen to the lyrics and let the beat reach your heart. Feel the music flow through your body.

You will feel much at ease and calm after a few minutes of doing this.

In addition to the above here are a few things you might want to avoid to calm your mind

• Avoid using social media or screen time for 20 minutes from the moment you start to feel a bit stressed.
• Avoid drinking coffee. It will only and only worsen your situation.
• Do not smoke or drink.
• Avoid making major decisions when you are stressed.
• Do not try to suppress your thoughts. Embrace it and let it out.
• Do not isolate yourself.

These are all the things that you can try to calm your mind whenever you feel the need to.

Always remember that you are much bigger than your problems and you are only expected to do as much as you can.

Do not try to take the load of this entire world on your shoulder. Live your life like it is the most precious gift bestowed on you.

You will always be taken care of.

Thank you and have a nice day ahead!