Resilience Boost: Quick Tips for Calming the Storm

Anxiety is the leading mental health disturbance in the world today. It can feel impossible to maintain a sense of calm when unsettling external factors continually arise. Fortunately, with routine practice, you'll develop an internal reservoir of peace. To help ease burden overload, try the following.

=> Shift Perspectives. Is there another way to view the problem? Stress can cause tunnel vision, and our options seem limited. Try looking at the situation from different vantage points. Act as your own personal investigator. If you were being paid to construct alternative viewpoints for someone else in the same situation, what would they be?

=> Assess the danger. There's a difference between perceived and actual danger. Our nervous system can react as if there's a lion behind the bush when in reality it's only a rabbit. The next time you experience a heightened reaction, put on that investigator hat and gauge the real level of threat.

=> Meditate. Each time you meditate you make a deposit in your wellness bank. Research has demonstrated the value of meditation even if it's brief. The more you meditate, the more you benefit. Going inward briefly is restorative. Each deposit adds up.

=> Nourish your body. When the nervous system becomes activated regularly, stress hormones cause us to crave comfort food and fast food. Incorporate at least one healthy meal each day, but if you fall off track, refrain from shaming yourself. Shame actually promotes more unhealthy habits. It's also important to note that as we approach the darker months, ensure that you get enough Zinc, Vitamin D, and B6.

=> Move. Exercise releases feel-good chemicals that boost your mood, and it also helps to slow down the release of stress hormones. A rigorous workout is helpful but isn't necessary. Walking, stretching, pilates, and yoga are low impact and therapeutic.

=> Strengthen your bubble. When the world feels unsteady, it's especially important to assess the quality of your relationships. Who's in your bubble? How are they treating you? How are you treating them? Perhaps some connections require more attention and some may be getting too much attention. Take stock of what you have and strengthen those bonds with uplifting interactions. Ensure that you have enough social outlets to balance the energy put into your commitments.

=> Ask for help. At various times in our lives, we all need help. If you're trying to create balance and have been unsuccessful, take a step back and notice any gaps. Explore how these might be filled by your support system. Asking for help takes courage and is a component of being resilient.

=> Provide reassurance. We don't need to have every answer or know every outcome, but when we tell ourselves it's going to be okay, we remember that we are resilient.