After a fantastic summer with my kids, I’m filled with beautiful memories and a shot nervous system. Having three kids has given me so much joy, but it’s also very overwhelming at times. I’m deep-diving into ways to stay calm during the storm.
Learning When To Say No
One of the biggest hurdles when trying to keep the peace in your life is learning when to say no. Depending on your personality type, this might be very hard. But It’s crucial if you are trying to live a more balanced and calm lifestyle. As I get older I am able to honour myself by saying no a lot more than I used to. Back in my teens and twenties, I wasn’t even in tune with myself enough to know when I should say no. My motto these days is if it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no. I use this in many areas of my life. While shopping, making plans, helping someone out, or anything I use my energy and resources for. This is not to be selfish, it truly is to protect your daily calm.
The Best Ways to Stay Calm
- Exercise daily: Exercise is proven to balance your mood and keep your body healthy and happy. It also causes your brain to release feel-good hormones such as endorphins and serotonin.
- Meditate 1-2 times a day: Meditation is one of my all-time favourite ways to add more peace to my life. It promotes relaxation and calms the mind. It teaches you to control your thoughts and your thoughts are one of the main contributors to stress.
- Learn to breathe: This might seem like a silly thing to say, but most of us don’t pay any attention to our breath. When you focus on deep inhalation and exhalation you will feel much more calm and relaxed. Breathwork is also something you can do to promote deeper relaxation and emotional release.
- Slow Down: Rushing around is one of the easiest ways to stress yourself out. Most of us are so unconscious of how much we rush through our daily tasks and how it affects us. Slowing down allows you to think more clearly, connect more with loved ones and you will avoid feeling burnt out. I have committed to waking up earlier so my kids aren’t rushed off to school and we have a peaceful start to our day. It’s been amazing 🙂
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet: The healthier your body is, the better you feel, plain and simple. Studies have shown that choosing healthy unprocessed food can help with depression and anxiety
- Sleep well: Getting enough sleep is crucial to feeling good. Sleep helps you feel happy, manage stress, and decrease cortisol, the stress hormone.
My favourite Plants and Supplements To Stay Calm
- L-Theanine: Want to feel calm mentally, without feeling drowsy? L-Theanine will be your best friend. I typically take this in pill form around 430 when my kids start getting crazy and I need some extra help staying calm. L-Theanine is naturally found in some tea leaves. Green tea is known to have the highest levels of L-Theanine. In the green tea family, matcha has the highest levels of L-theanine.
- Ashwaganda: This herb is an ayurvedic adaptogen, that calms the mind, improves energy, and helps maintain your overall health. Ashwagandha helps your body adapt to everyday stress. It can be taken in powder form, pill or tincture.
- Reishi Mushrooms: I have to say I love medicinal mushrooms. Reishi was suggested to me to help calm my nervous system by the staff at one of my favourite local shops, The Light Cellar. Reishi is said to calm the mind and nervous system. There are so many more benefits to these amazing mushrooms. I suggest you do a deep dive into this one. Reishi has helped me heaps, in a very short period of time. Four Sigmatic is a mushroom brand that I LOVE. I use their chill cacao mix and perform cacao mix daily.
- CBD: CBD has helped me with so many things, from period pain, PMS, anxiety, headaches, muscle aches and more. I would recommend a CBD without THC. I’m fairly sensitive, and I prefer the way it makes me feel. Bodega Wellness in Ontario, sells my favourite CBD oil, Lamm.
- Lavender essential oil: This is one of my long-time favourites. It’s easy to use and relieves me if I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed. I diffuse it in my home daily, take a drop of the oil, rub it on my hands, and inhale for an instant calming effect.
Do What Works for You
While I love sharing my tips and tricks to help you be the best version of yourself, what works for me may not be what works for you. Make sure you always use your inner guidance to decide what’s best for you. I am not a doctor and I can’t give you medical advice. Healthy Dimensions is meant to inspire and encourage you to take your health into your own hands. I hope this article helps you find YOUR path to feeling calmer.
xo Alayna
