Three Easy Ways to Stay Calm When You Aren’t

Most of us are willing to admit that we have a problem staying calm from time to time. Maybe you’re a calm person by nature but when things seem to happen all at once, you find yourself losing your patience and feeling the overwhelming desire to make like a toddler and throw a tantrum. I know I have those days, and while I’d love to give in to my inner child, I realize that it’s not that effective (sometimes it really is that effective). Instead, I implement some of these effective tools that allow me stay calm when I feel like doing anything but.

Be Imaginative

Sometimes the best way to deal with my own growing sense of impatience and anger is to let myself glaze over while I ignore whatever is bothering me and imagine myself in the midst of a shoe sale at Saks, or a tropical beach vacation, or watching with pride as my child wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Whatever you can conjure with your imagination that allows you to feel calm and peaceful, bring it on.

Channel Your Inner “What Would Jesus Do”

Or Oprah or Mother Theresa or the Pope, or whomever it is that you look up to and admire. Stop focusing on what’s bothering you and ask yourself what your idol would do. When you can imagine how he or she would handle the situation, it might become clear what you need to do.

Distract Yourself

Ever wonder why you suddenly have the overwhelming desire to clean all the blades of your ceiling fans, your baseboards and every single nook and cranny in your home? Chances are good that you’re feeling a little less than calm, and you deal with it by distracting yourself with cleaning. Focusing your energy on something else for a while is a good way to calm down and take stock in the situation.