Secrets of smart, calm & effective people.
by
Overwhelmed? Are you feeling all the crazy of the world? Jittery. Spinny. Crappy. Shaky. Heart speeding. Teary. Restless. Etc etc.?
Yes, we’re all feeling this, and for many of us we’ve been in this state for a pretty long time.
Here are some simple and practical actions to get your calm back.
These are from my amazing friends doing good in this mixed-up Black Mirror world.
They get stressed out and feel the jitters just as much as anyone, but these people possess a remarkable ability to center themselves in the moment in astonishing ways.
I bet some of these tips will work for you!
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I like to hide in my pillow fort, aka tucked in my big bed, and binge read adventure/pulp sci-fi/horror novels. Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim series kept me sane last xmas rush.
– Monk of TwistedMonk.com (aka my rope dealer)
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I take a hot epsom salt bath. It removes toxins and emotions and energy from other people I’ve taken on
– Caroline Carrington, Tantra Educator, Conscious Relationship & Intimacy Coach and Dakini
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Nature + physical activity.
Time IRL with friends, away from social media.
Cuddling/physical contact.
Read a book (I like memoirs and biographies of inspiring people)
– Marcia Baczynski. She’s a speaker, writer, coach and expert on sexual communication.
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Short term fix: look at my art. I pick a piece and lose myself in the feelings it evokes. I have enough different art that I can find something for each kind of crazy.
– Sophia Iannicelli, Executive Director, Foundation for Sex Positive Culture
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I do visualizations. I’ll immerse myself in conjuring up something or an experience that makes me feel happy, loved, cared about, or strong. One good example is that I’ll imagine waking up with my sweet cat Max, and how he purrs, nuzzles me, the softness of his fur, etc. Or another example is the time every one of my friends forgot my birthday, and the following week I went out for dim sum with my long time friend Jamie, and right when dumplings landed on the table he magically produced a tiny candle, a lighter, stuck the candle in a shrimp dumpling, lit it and said “happy birthday!” That kind of caring, you know?
– Violet Blue, Awarded author, indie reporter, @Engadget columnist, @WithoutConsentadvisor.
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The quick short term thing I do is open Pokémon Go and curate my collection of adorable imaginary monsters. I think the reason it works is that to open the app I have to close Twitter.
– Cecilia Tan, Founder/Publisher/Editorial Director at Circlet Press
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Do something that’s 100% focused on my needs like go to Pilates or get a massage. Or spend time with a friend who I can be myself with and who makes me laugh.
If it has to be quicker and shorter term than that: a cup of really good tea and a few short minutes to just sit with it and enjoy it.
Even shorter than that: text or message a friend or loved one who will totally get it and validate what I’m going through
– Michele Serchuk, Photographer
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When the world around me is batshit crazy I find my solace in slapping on some make-up, putting on a $3 dress, accessorizing the fuck out of it (naturally), then sing some sweet karaoke tunes.
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Sit still for 10 minutes close your eyes and focus on your breathing. No one is too busy for that.
I also make sure to have at least one orgasm a day. Keeps the mind and prostate healthy
I do not allow myself more than 90 mins on social media per day — 45 in the morning and 45 in the evening. No more.
No devices in bed unless you’re using them to masturbate or for sex.
– David Ortmann, Psychotherapist & Sex Therapist
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When the world is crazy and I feel emotionally exhausted from all that is going on around me, I like to find my “happy place” and visit it for at least 20 minutes. Anyone can visit their “happy place” at anytime and anywhere, it’s easy. Just find a quiet spot, get comfortable, close your eyes and concentrate on a space that has brought you joy and comfort in the past. It can be a home, a park, a landscape, it can be anywhere you’ve been that you were able to take in and commit the 360° view around you, the smells, and the sounds to memory. Then escape.
– Mark Jacques, Make-up Artist
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Here are some things that I do when I’m needing some calm:
I look up from whatever I’m stressing about, and look out to the scenery. I need to be able to see a long way away, whether it’s down an avenue in Manhattan or the across the colorful rooftops of San Francisco. It helps me to get a literal bigger picture of the world I live in.
Stretch! Get up and stretch for a few minutes. I’m not talking about some fancy yoga moves. I can hardly remember any of them. I just reach up and out and stretch a bit.
And if these don’t work, I go to my boxing gym, or play music loudly, dance like an idiot, and sing really poorly.
With a bit more calm and deep breaths, we can all do what we must do better and brighter.
Original Article: https://medium.com/@PlanetMidori/how-to-get-calm-when-the-world-is-batshit-crazy-c2724f751bc9
Original art by Edvard Munch, The Scream