Keep Calm and…

Keep calm and drink coffee. Keep calm and Trust God. Keep calm and carry on. Keep calm and never give up. Or this one is funny: Keep calm and call Batman. I imagine you’ve seen a number of these posters, t-shirts, coffee mugs and more with the Keep calm motivational phrase. It just became known to me that this phrase may have actually been started by a motivational poster established by the government of the United Kingdom in preparation for World War II, apparently as a way to raise the morale of the British public. Who knew?

Keeping Calm And Our Mindset

Some of the memes or coffee mugs are actually pretty funny. I’d love one that would say Keep calm and drink coffee while praying and watching moose all day. They aren’t usually that long though. But what I really love is the overall Keep Calm message. I love it because it really is important for our mindset and our general well being. Our mindset affects our health. And our ability to be calm definitely affects our mindset.

Anger and Heart Problems

Research has shown, according to John Hopkins Medicine, that people who feel angry often and don’t find ways to deal with that anger are more likely to have heart problems. Correspondingly, the incidence of heart attacks are almost five times higher in the first two hours after a burst of anger. Laura Kubzansky, PhD, MPH, and assistant professor at Harvard School of Public Health says moderate anger that is expressed in healthy ways is probably not a problem. However those who express anger explosively, such as by screaming or throwing things appear to some scientists to have a higher incidence of heart issues, as well as those who harbor rage or are chronically angry.

Keep Calm and have these benefits!

Without a doubt, there’s actually quite a number of benefits to having a calm demeanor.

• increased breathing capacity (which benefits all of your body systems)
• slows down the aging process
• raises mental acuity and concentration
• lower blood pressure
• better digestion
• improves sleep quality
• boosts your immune system
• many more!

10 Simple Ways to Add More Calm into Your Life

1. Smile.

The simple act of smiling relaxes your face and can not only affect your brain chemistry, but can also have a positive effect on how others respond to you. Certainly, as easy as it sounds, it is worth a try!

2. Calm App.

According to Calm.com , it’s the most popular app for meditation and sleep. I’m not an affiliate with them and I don’t know if they are really the best, however, I do use and love their app. They have a breathing tool which you just press and for 2 minutes it gives you a visual for breathing, demonstrating when to breathe in and when to breathe out as the breathing out time should be longer. Calm breathing is definitely known to be great for mindfulness, calming the mind and body and, another key point, a stress management tool.

3. Prayer.

Undoubtedly, taking 5 minutes to pray (with calm breathing is even a bigger bonus) can definitely reset your mind and help calm yourself and reset your focus, allowing you to face whatever the problem may be. Of course, it’s up to you whether you use a written prayer or make up your own. I like to use the traditional Jesus Prayer in time of need: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me- stating this repeatedly over time and focus on His presence and His mercy.

4. Chamomile Tea.

See my recent post on the amazing effects of Chamomile Tea. It’s a definite a favorite of mine when I need calming. Other teas I’d suggest include catnip, lemon balm, Tulsi, and Licorice Root or Rose.

5. Fresh Air.

Sometimes, just changing the scenery, especially if you can go outdoors can do wonders for your mood. Step outside. Then, just take a few minutes to breath in and observe the outdoors.

6. Mindful Coloring.

Art therapy has been shown to have positive effects on people with depression, anxiety, PTSD, dementia and other ailments. Despite that most of us put away our crayons when we were young, this adult coloring book thing is more than a fad. It really does calm and soothe. Incidentally, I found this one with Paisley designs on Amazon while doing a random search. I might order this one for my son for Valentine’s Day because he loves cats!

7. Music.

“Without music, life would be a mistake”(Friedrich Nietzsche). Whether it’s classical or soft rock or country, put on some of your favorite tunes. Music is therapeutic. I have my own list on Spotify that I composed of a variety of tunes that I know calm me. I also have a collection CD of Pachelbel’s Cannon in D. There’s something just so incredibly soothing to me about this music.

8. Journal.

First, journaling is really therapeutic. Second, there’s so many ways to do it. You can journal every day, for instance, or just when you’re feeling the need. Write about your feelings. Get it out of your system. Lastly, some people find that journaling at bedtime helps them get out all there anxious thoughts and helps them clear their mind to fall into a more restful sleep.

9. Aromatherapy.

Working with essential oils has scientific backup and lots of people who report a significant change in their mood and ability to cope with stress. Generally, popular oils you may want to try include lavender, chamomile, cedarwood, bergamot and citrus.

10. Talk With a Friend.

Sometimes you don’t even need to talk about what’s bothering you. Generally, you just need social connection with someone you trust. First, call someone up. Then, just chat about the thing that’s stressing you or just exchange stories about your dogs or kids or whatever. Just take a few minutes to connect to someone you care about and that cares about you.

Keep Calm and Fill Up Your Wellness Basket

In conclusion, remember there’s a lot to wellness. It’s not just about diet and exercise. Mindset is a big part of it too. And learning how to keep calm is part of that. With this in mind, now is the time to pick up a few things for your wellness basket. First, study the list above. Then, pick a few things to add- maybe a CD or a few oils. Then maybe you can buy a new journal. Or just put a list of things in the basket that you want to start making part of your daily routine like chatting with a friend, journaling, taking a few outdoor breaks through the day. Equally important, you have a few ideas that aren’t even from this post. Regardless, whatever it is, make sure calming your mind is part of your wellness basket!

What are your favorite ways to calm yourself? What are you adding to your wellness basket today? Tell me in the comment section below!