Breathe…
slowly,
just let the air out of your lungs and feel the tension leave your muscles.
Now do it again.
Concentrate on just the movement of air and the process of breathing.
It won’t fix everything that’s wrong or causing you stress (it doesn’t have magical powers), but the shift in focus from a hundred and one things, the spiralling maelstrom that is desperate to make its destructive escape in some form or other, down to just one action that has no emotion attached to it, no agenda, no internal dialogue, will provide you with the necessary pause that your brain has so far been refusing to take.
The pause is the chance to step back from the edge, to reflect, to choose another path that isn’t as reactive, or simply to achieve a more balanced perspective on the current situation.
It’s the shortest form possible of meditation or mindfulness and sometimes literally the best thing you can consciously do to improve your situation.
If this isn’t one of your current go-to coping strategies then try it. If you think you need more than a quick fix then checkout the links below to more strategic approaches (I can recommend both from personal experience).
https://www.wakingup.com/ (Free “scholarship” available for those who need it)
Got a top “calm me” or “timeout” tip? Drop it in the comments below.
Until tomorrow… just remember to keep breathing
Donovan