How to Remain Calm During Challenging Times

Let’s face it: life’s hard. Its unpredictable. There isn’t a step by step guide to do it right. It can be hard to calm your body and mind after intense stress. So I have created a step by step guide for it.

Grieve.
Cry. Scream. Break something!

Let your emotions flow. Stagnant energy is the root of all evil.

There’s no point in acting like it doesn’t suck. Let it out. Your heart will suffocate otherwise.

Breathe.
We take deeper, slower breaths when we are relaxed as opposed to when we’re stressed.

Our bodies listen to each change and respond accordingly. We release extra adrenaline, the speed of digestion decreases, etc.

This can cause us to become even more stressed.

Breathing deeply can shift your mood. Breathing deeply can communicate to your body that it can calm down.

Reach Out.
Ask your loved one’s for help. Be honest about how severe the circumstances are and how the stress is impacting you.

After venting, try to get their help to formulate a game plan. Healing is a team effort — it is best done with the help of a community.

You aren’t as alone as you might feel.

Reach out to family, friends, and friends of friends. Reach out to local organizations. Search and connect with niche communities through social media.

Find your tribe.

Dance.
Moving your body when you’re stressed or depressed helps in a myriad of ways.

You can stretch, go for walks, or participate in any physical exercise. My favorite is dance.

Don’t overthink it. Just move to the music however way feels good.

That way you move your body and create art at the same time.

And the world needs all the art it can get — even art that sucks.

Sleep.
Sleep helps your body recover from stress.

Prolonged periods of stress with little sleep is terrible for your mental health and leaves you susceptible to physical illness.

Your body needs time to recharge. 8 hours every night, to be specific.

Set up a bedtime ritual. Try winding down with hot tea or a good book two hours before your desired bedtime.

There are guided meditations for falling to sleep on YouTube. You can scan through your body and consciously relax each part. You can take magical trips to dream realms.

Valerian root can act as a short-term sleep aid but shouldn’t be used long-term as it will decrease in effectiveness as your body grows used to it.

Ashwagandha, living primarily in India and Africa, is a popular herb used in Ayurvedic medicine. It helps your body adapt to stress, lowers blood pressure, and improves cognitive function. It relaxes most people and doesn’t decrease in effectiveness the way Valerian does.

You can take Valerian and Ashwagandha together when you really need a good night’s rest, and take Ashwagandha alone regularly. Always consult your doctor and do your own investigation to ensure an herb is right for you.

Pray.
There is infinite divine energy all around you. Tap into it. Speak to it. Listen to it.