How can I calm myself?

How can I calm myself quickly?  Sometimes it feels impossible, doesn’t it? It’s as if we’ve been taken over completely by our feelings.

It’s a great question and there are a number of answers – and yes, some of them DO ACTUALLY WORK!!!

Here’s one answer that is really effective.  I give it this short, easy exercise the very technical name: ‘Bum On Seat’…

This is what you can do to calm yourself.  Stay with each step for a little while, until you feel some stillness, some feeling of expansion happen within you.

1. Become aware of the seat below you.  Become aware of the softness/firmness/texture of the seat.  Become aware of the support… and notice as your body becomes heavy and sinks into that support…Lean back and feel the support of the seat behind you.  Lean right into it,  melt into it.  Take your time…
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2. Now become aware of the soles of your feet. Become aware of whatever is touching your soles – your shoes, the floor…  Become aware of the firmness/softness/texture of that.
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3. Notice how your body moves as you breathe. Don’t tell a story about it, just notice it…Become aware of the feeling of the air rushing in to you, and leaving you…
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4. Become aware of the sounds around you… just hear the sounds.  Do NOT listen, because that is a ‘doing’ word. Simply… hear…

Notice how things inside of you have become more calm, have become more still…

One of the above may ‘work’ for you more than another – your feet may ‘do it’ for you more than the breathing.  Try them all and just use the ones, or the one, that works for you.

The more you do this, the more calm you experience.  Don’t wait until you’re escalating, becoming distressed.  Do it several times a day – it only takes a minute. You’ll become more calm, more resilient, happier, your immune system will be boosted and all sorts of good things will happen in your body.

Have you ever been very stressed and managed to calm yourself down quickly?  What did you do?  Please share with us what you did – leave a comment!