Right now you’re probably asking me what I man by the question. And you’re probably coming up with questions, or suggesting things randomly off the top of your head.
Let me rephrase the question. Let’s say you’re having a bad day. Something has happened to make you feel emotionally unstable or knocked your confidence for a bit. You’re feeling those old emotions rising back to the surface and you’re having a physical reaction to them. What do you have in place to help yourself?
Before you can reframe, before you can calmly look at the situation, before you can process and acknowledge your feelings.
What tools or aids do you have in place that can assist you in the moment.
If I may, I do have some suggestions for a few ideas that I have used in the past.
Mood boards
I have many of what I call mood boards, they’re dotted around my office and home. Some are on the walls and some are kept in various scrap books or notebooks. It’s where I keep photos, pictures, scraps of papers, quotes and stickers. Some are even on my phone, I use he app Pinterest to create virtual mood boards. I’ve also collated all my photos into albums, both physical and on my phone.
Art Supplies
I tend to carry a notebook and pencil wherever I go but I also use a few drawing apps on my phone. Both methods I use to create line drawings of patterns. Zoodles or doodles. I find that by taking deep breaths while doodling helps to clear my mind. I also use the notebook to jot down a room of a dungeon each day. Spending time to plan a dungeon, shading and drawing the various rooms.
I also love to use the notes or notepad app on my phone to scribble down some quick ideas before they’re gone from my mind.
Timer or Clock
I find this works best with a timer but a clock will certainly do in a pinch. Setting myself a timer for maybe 2 or 3 minutes and doing nothing but observing. I might be people watching in a busier place, or I might be sat in my office noticing the sounds around me.
Smells
Scent can be powerful in bringing up memories and emotions. For me, that means carrying a small tin that holds a piece of a scented candle. It’s an old tin of lip balm that I can open when I need to smell home and safety. I know someone who carries a small spritzer filled with the perfume of a loved one.
Worry Stones or Worry Bugs
Worry stones and small felted animals are popular with children. If you’ve seen them in stores before, they’re the small items or creatures that children are encouraged to carry with them in a pocket and hold them when anxious or worried. This can also work for adults too. Now that I’m a little older, I carry a piece of smooth quartz. It is the perfect size to fit in the palm of my hand and I can comfortably hold it without anyone else knowing.
Experiment with things and ideas to see what works for you and your mind. The idea is to give yourself something to bring you back to present. To allow a moment to ground yourself and to simply breathe.
