4 Ways to Keep Your Cool in an Overstimulating World

We’ve all been there; white knuckling the steering wheel, flickering the pen back and forth, gritting your teeth or jaw a bit too hard. When you start to feel the stress of everyday life or a particularly heightening experience creep into your very soul, you need to ensure you’re equipped with a few tools to snap you back into alignment. While stress is a necessary part of our life here on earth, originally designed to keep us alive, we now find ourselves living in a society where even the smallest inconveniences can break our mind and spirit. 

When we're stressed, our bodies go into "fight or flight" mode, triggering a cascade of physiological responses designed to help us deal with perceived threats. While this response can be helpful in certain situations, such as when we're facing a physical danger, it can also be detrimental to our health if activated chronically. Chronic stress has been linked to a host of health problems, including heart disease, obesity, and depression and triggering potential autoimmune diseases. By learning to stay calm under pressure, we can mitigate the negative effects of stress and cultivate a greater sense of well-being.

Here are some strategies to help you stay calm when the going gets tough:

1. Practice Deep Breathing: Breath work can help activate the body's relaxation response, counteracting the stress response triggered by the sympathetic nervous system. Try taking slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth, focusing on the sensation of the breath entering and leaving your body. I’ll usually remove myself from any screens, lay down, place one hand on my belly and the other on my heart, and close my eyes. The purpose is to not only calm your body and senses through physical breath but reassure your mind that you’re safe.

2. Move Your Body: Most of the time, it really is that simple. Exercise is a powerful stress reliever, releasing endorphins that boost mood and reduce feelings of anxiety. Whether it's going for a run, practicing yoga, or taking a brisk walk around the block, finding ways to move your body can help you feel calmer and more centered. Call me corny but I’ve never heard anyone say they regretted a workout, unless burpees were involved. For the last several years, I've been called to swimming, and the presence of water has felt like a homecoming. 

3. Cultivate Mindfulness: An unoriginal concept, I know. Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment, allowing us to break free from the cycle of rumination and worry that often accompanies stress. Practices such as meditation, mindful breathing, and body scans can help cultivate a greater sense of calm and presence. Similar to point one, remove yourself from the environment that’s bringing you stress, take a step outside, feel the sun on your skin, and breathe. If you’re stuck inside or the weather is crummy, take a scan around the room. Choose a color then say out loud what items in the room are that color. This helps you be in the “now” versus the narrative you’ve worked up in your mind. 

4. Prioritize Self-Care: Taking care of yourself is essential for managing stress effectively. Make time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation, whether it's reading a good book, spending time with loved ones, or indulging in a hobby you're passionate about. Too often we see people putting jobs ahead of their personal well being. How much more productive would you be if you actually stepped away from work to improve your own happiness and fulfillment? If you’re already doing this and still find the hours on the keyboard utterly miserable, girl hit that job board on LinkedIn and run a hot bath.

I’m no pro in this, though I have found helpful resources and tools to help me realize and remedy my most stressful moments. The most important first step you can take to lower stress levels is acknowledging their arrival. When you feel your nervous system ramping up, ask yourself if it needs to be on high alert, or if you’ve become overly conditioned to react versus respond. 

Stay cool, kids.