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How to Stay Calm in a Crisis
When change comes fast, here’s how I find calm
Right now, the world feels so out of control that it can be dizzying, especially if you are prone to anxiety.
Having routines that keep me busy helps me pivot from anxiety and panic to find calm.
Having things to do that feel different from the chaos going on in the world–that allow me to turn my focus inward, instead of out, that slow down the racing thoughts–helps.
Using my hands helps (perhaps that’s why so many people have taken up #stressbaking amid the coronavirus pandemic).
Yet when you’re in crisis mode, it can feel too overwhelming to be in the present moment to think of grounding practices. Here are a few that work for me–perhaps you might find them useful right now, too.
Breathe
Whenever I’m spiraling in anxiety, I remember to breathe. It’s the first, easiest thing I can do. Just find my breath and slow it down. I think of the air traveling deep into my belly, then rising up through my center and out my nose.
Paying attention to my breath shifts the focus away from whatever is giving me anxiety. It lessens the overwhelm by a fraction of an ounce and gives me some space to sort out a good next step.
