You know that moment when you're smiling through gritted teeth, pretending everything's fine, but your body is already drafting its resignation letter from sanity? Same.
Turns out, staying calm doesn’t always require a meditation app or deep soul work. Sometimes you just need to chew some gum, hum under your breath, or… squeeze your butt.
Here are a few odd-but-effective tricks that have helped me out in times of stress (not for traumatic or life altering moments).
Chew Gum
Chewing tricks your brain into thinking everything’s chill. If you were really in danger, you wouldn’t be snacking. It also helps with focus and keeps your jaw from locking up!Hum Like You’re Passing Time
You don’t need a song. Just pick a sound and go for it. The vibrations from humming actually calm your nervous system and slow your heart rate. Think of it like a built-in tuning fork that tells your body, “Hey, we’re okay.”Squeeze Your Butt (No One Will Know)
This one sounds unhinged, but hear me out. When your brain is spiraling, anchoring yourself back into your body helps. Clenching your glutes gently redirects your focus from anxious thoughts to physical presence. It’s subtle. You can do it in a meeting and still look composed while your butt is doing damage control.Talk to Yourself in Third Person (It’s Not Weird, It’s Science)
Say your name out loud, or in your head, like you're coaching a friend: “Okay, [Your Name], deep breath. You’ve handled worse.” This trick creates just enough distance from your emotions to help you calm down. It creates this distance between you and the moment that’s causing you anxiety, panic, and all the things messing with your head. Just give it a try.
Next time life gets loud, try these. They’re fast, quiet, and oddly effective.
—S
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