Finding tiny moments of calm
Over the past week in our circles, a topic that has come up over and over is how to find calm so that we feel less out of control and also better able respond to our children.
We've been talking about how important co-regulation is for our children's development (new to this idea? Learn more here!) and how when we're calm, we can help our babies through the witching hours, be present for our toddler's tantrums, and make it through the chaos of bedtime at any age.
We know it's important, but when overwhelmed by sleep deprivation and juggling all the things we often find ourselves losing our cool more than we'd like.
One thing that kept coming up is HOW to ground ourselves - we all have visions of an hour to take a yoga class, have a deep conversation with a dear friend, or take a long walk in the woods. But it often feels impossible to find that much time once a week, much less every day. Which led to a few awesome brainstorms - broken down by time - that we'd like to share with you:
To find calm when I have ONE minute I:
take several deep breaths
make my bed
take a sip of water
look at a tree
walk out of the room
close my eyes, then re-open them
repeat to myself "yelling will not accomplish the goal”
light a candle
stand next to a house plant
When I have 5 minutes I:
walk around the block (with or without kids)
spend time in a room that feels calm
turn on a favorite song
lie on the floor and breathe
call a friend for a quick chat
do a quick meditation before work
write a short journal entry
do one sun salutation
make a cup of tea
When I have more time I:
get outside in nature
listen to a podcast or story
take epic long walks with and without kids in strollers
draw or paint
spend time near water
go for a run
have a good cry in the car
cook by myself
garden
have a long chat with a friend
We'd love to hear more ways you find calm & grounding.