100 ways to keep calm in the first 100 days.
Sharpen these skills as a sanctuary. Peace requires practice.
Some of my dearest friends and I have had a text thread going for years. If lines of communication fall too quiet, someone sends out a “wellness check.” A simple message to ask - “how is everyone doing?” We go back and forth trying to volley light humor OR on especially challenging days - let out what really needs to be said. It’s all an effort to rid some of the heart heavies.
It’s easy to get spun up in a thought tornado. Sometimes we need a place to put the words. When one of these texts comes in, it’s like a lifeline.
Times are tense. The news is distressing. The headlines are shocking. A lot of people are in a state of suspended belief, this is what we have to deal with for the unforeseeable future. It’s only been ten days.
I want to double down on the idea that we need to be savvy in the language of calm. In order to remain in our own sovereign state, remain clear headed, and be of support to anyone else- we have to train ourselves toward a steady center.
Consider this list of 100 ways to claim calm, a guide ranging from simple maintenance to urgent situations. Some have a brief description, others need no explanation. It’s not an exhaustive list, you may have favorites of your own. The key is to sharpen these skills as a sanctuary. It’s not enough to wait passively to feel a sense of peace, sometimes we have to create it for ourselves. That is a superpower in the midst of this chaos.
Calm-Care Basics:
These won’t surprise you. They’re not anything you haven’t heard before. However, they are the very foundation of what the body and mind need to function and communicate. These are the the nutrients and nourishment for a system in check. When we are in deficit of these life-sustaining essentials, we are already disrupting our own homeostasis.
1. Sleep
2. Hydrate
3. Rest
4. Drink Tea: Chamomile, Lavender, Passionflower may do the trick.
5. Eat Foods rich in vitamins and minerals: To get your daily dose of magnesium, zinc, vitamin C make a shopping list that includes - leafy greens, almond, turmeric, whole grains, salmon, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, avocado, citrus.
6. Herbs
7. Dry Brushing
8. Sauna
9. Bath
10. Foot Massage
First Aid Kit:
In the most stressful moments, we may need to use one of these grounding techniques as an anchor. They can be something in the immediate to regain control or bring you slowly out of a heightened state. Pick one or two to put in your emotional survival kit. They’ll be there for you whenever needed.
11. Hum- enjoy the calming sound vibrations.
12. Gyan mudra - Touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger. Extend the the pinkie, middle, and index finger.
13. Elevate your feet or Legs up the wall
14. Visualization- Begin to imagine your happy place in great detail.
15. LOL
16. Humming Bee Breath - We do this one alllll the time in class.
17. Deep Diaphragmatic Breaths - Listen to the guided meditation
18. Rest your hand on your heart. Breathe.
19. 7/11 breathing- Inhale for 7, exhale for 11. The longer exhalation brings the relaxations response online.
20. Fresh air- Breathe
Sensory soothing
At times of overwhelm soothe the senses. There is too much stimulation in the day to day. We rely on the five senses to take in the world around us and deliver on every experience. Without any rest or care- they become tired, less sharp, and worn out. It can be extremely comforting and calming to make care of our senses part of the daily routine.
21. Relax in Savasana with an eye covering.
22. Cozy up in a furry blanket
23. Listen to the rain
24. Color therapy- Surround yourself with calming colors - Learn more about color therapy
25. Aromatherapy- Soothing Scents: lavender, geranium.
26. Oleation Therapy - Use warm, organic Sesame Oil to massage your skin. Follow with a warm shower or climb in bed for the night and let it soak in (but not in your favorite sheets!).
27. Shift your gaze Try a drishti practice, yoga for the eyes
Movement Medicine
Movement keeps the muscles and organs toned. With any type of physical activity there is at least initially a shift from mind to body. We are able to notice and feel physical sensations intentionally. Especially as we focus on form or fun. It can also give us an emotional discharge. We can let any pent up energy move through and out. At times for some - it might feel better to move vigorously and others slow concentrated movements shift the nervous system to a relaxed state.
28. Yoga therapy- Take a moment to check your emotional pulse. “What are you bringing to the mat…in body, in mood, in mind?” I see it as setting an internal GPS. “What are you carrying with you today to radiate, transform, or disperse?”
29. Tai chi
30. Body shaking - Start with your hands and slowly shake out every part of the body until your are moving and shaking your whole body all at once. Go wild.
31. Tree Swing - yes. please.
32. Jump on a rebounder/mini trampoline
33. Brisk walk or run
34. Dance - Do I need to bring up my 30 song challenge again? Yeah, I do. Make a playlist and go to it.
35. Team sports
36. Walking meditation- take a slow easy stroll and feel your foot on the ground with every single step.
Creative Calm
We need to make. Understand that this is the ballast to our balance. Creativity is vital to our emotional voice. It is our heart- on paper, embroidered, chiseled into wood. Our hands yearn to put our thoughts into form and words. Our imagination resuscitates life and color into the world surrounding. It is our own mystery unraveled sometimes in an expression, we didn’t fully yet know for ourselves. Creative energy circuits a deep connection to who we are and whispers the quietest truth.
37. Draw a mandala
38. Create your logo - this is the symbol of you. Sketch it out, color it with vibrant colors…let it be your artist mark.
39. Drumming
40. Bake something- Fill up your house with tantalizing smells.
41. Sew
42. Make Soup- creative comfort, comfort, comfort.
43. Play an instrument
44. Paint
45. Knit
46. Keep a quote collection- Make a journal of all of your favorite quotes.
47. Listen to Music
48. Storytelling
49. Write poems- Even bad poetry is good. Get resourced and ready to write.
50. Sketch
51. Journal
Center in self
Much of our inner turmoil comes from our feelings of being unsure. When we are young, there is this mythical rite of passage to seek and discover who we are. The answers are already in sight, inside. We know. We only have to trust and believe what we know. With this assuredness comes calm. We are distinguished and defined by what we choose to align with and can stand firmly anchored in our core. It is a confidence of clarity.
52. Know your civil rights and everyone else’s too- Do your research. Use these resources and share them. These websites will offer education, but should not be considered legal advice. In uncertain times it’s important to know your rights under the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.
IAMERICA- This one is my favorite, you can print out cards to keep in your wallet or share with friends.
53. Diagram your thought: Fact, Feeling, Story- Learn to see the difference between the real facts and your emotional bias.
54. Feel - Accept-Manage-Share
55. Phone a friend
56. Reframe the thought
57. Put fun on your calendar
58. Plan of action- When what if’s cause anxiety, have your plan of action set.
59. Regulate your tone of voice- It calms you down, it calms others down.
60. Establish your truth
61. Have a Mission Statement- Create a statement that sums up exactly what you align with and use it as your benchmark.
62. Challenge your negative thoughts- When you notice a negative thought, see if there is another more supportive thought that could apply to the moment. What else could be true?
63. One word- Choose one word that reminds you of your peace.
64. Know your personal boundaries- Don’t let anyone else cross them.
65. Voice of reason- have that one person- a friend, a family member, a news anchor, that is your voice of reason. Someone you can rely on to be cool headed and collected.
Community Building
There is a feeling of panic when we feel helpless. If we feel like control is out of our hands, anxiety surges. It comes back to your sphere of influence. What can you manage? What can you take responsibility for? Who can you become an ally to or an advocate for? These suggestions are only a few ways to be involved and engaged in the social wellness of the world. With unity. CommUnity. Spend (or don’t spend) your dollar wisely.
66. Support minority owned, women owned, small local businesses
67. Reusable bags- It is the little things!
68. Explore another culture- Go to a restaurant, learn a language, talk to someone from another country. It may dispel your assumptions and prejudices.
69. Buy nothing- Go on a buying fast and see how long you can go without buying anything that is not an essential item (like groceries).
70. Mutual Aid- Give what you can, get what you need.
71. Seek and create Social Support
72. Donate or Serve your cause
Sacred Spaces
A recognition of a higher design brings us an enduring of peace. It’s in the silent space beyond all thought, belief, bias, attachment, and aversion. It’s the invocation of spirit, the freedom of pure being, and an abiding expansive bliss. The wordless experience of life.
73. Sit by the fire- It’s about as ancestral as you can get.
74. Grounding- Feel your feet on the earth. Stand. Walk. Feel the cool earth beneath you. Gently bend your knees and then straighten the legs as if you were pushing the earth away.
75. Create an alter
76. Light some incense or a candle
77. Singing bowl sound bath
78. Declutter - Zen the den.
79. Listen to or chant the OM mantra - Much like humming, the vibrations resonate through the body as it’s repeated. It naturally lengthens the exhalation and shifts the nervous system to the parasympathetic.
80. Divine devotion
Natural Zen
Humbled by the complexity of this universe we’re a part of it’s here we feel an innocence of awe and wonder. Time and time again the earth and elements call us home. Get outside and be a part of the natural world as often as you can. It is the antidote to everything else.
81. Watch fish swim. Sometimes I just turn on the on-demand underwater channel on roku. It turns my tv into a giant fish tank.
82. Bird watching
83. Nature photography
84. Tend to your plants
85. Listen to nature sounds
86. Watch the sunrise or sunset - It never gets old and it is very reliable.
87. Foster a kitty, walk a dog or offer to pet sit
88. Walk in the woods
89. Stare at the ocean
90. Star gazing and moon bathing - Get out under the night time sky.
Focus the mind
The mind loves to run wild. It needs to be contained from time to time to keep us present and grounded. Powers of concentration, much like peace, need to be honed. With so many distractions and digital overload our attention spans are getting shorter. Like any other skill, we can gradually train our attention for longer amounts of time. We can break the habit of impulse and avoid being led astray by every ding, ring, or vibration of the phone.
91. Solitaire with cards- Go analog on this one. Dig out your deck.
92. Origami
93. Yoga balancing Poses- Choose a balancing pose - eagle, tree, Warrior III, Stork. Visualize it, assume the pose, and then fine-tune the alignment. Connect to a calm slow steady breath. Then find your drishti, your focal point, and hold your gaze.
94. Blow bubbles
95. Puzzle
96. Read aloud
97. Meditate
Turn down the noise
Give yourself time free from digital downloads and the barrage of news. Screens drain our energy and steal our life. It’s easy to give over hours to doom scrolling. The headlines are designed to make us click. Give it all a rest. I think the last three are pretty self-explanatory.
98. Turn of social media
99. Tech free time
100. Snooze the news
Phew it was a lot to make it to 100. There are so many more.
Know yours.
Use this list as an armor for the next few months. It takes consistency, a willingness to return to the things that bring us solace. It is a defiant choice to be in control of our own peace. Don’t let anyone steal it. Don’t easily give it away.
Anger and frustration have their place, but we can’t live there. Claim your calm. It’s one of the most subversive actions you can take.