Building Inner Calm Through Mindful Awareness

@BigBear525

When you feel mentally overstimulated, what helps you return to the present moment?

checking in with someone, mostly. But sometimes a big sigh is the thing.

How do you notice when your body is signaling stress or calm?

Honestly, I don't. I'm mostly too busy to notice. So at the moment I'm trying to do it in a structured way - key times to check in, in the hope that it will become more general and I'll notice when it changes.

@BigBear525 1- I drink water.
2-I can feel my heart tightening up or I feel like I'm being closed up in a tiny space.

@BigBear525

As someone who has experienced panic attacks, I know the signs of when my body is under stress. I start feeling a pit in my stomach, my throat feels like it is closing up, and my heart starts palpitating. It's never a comfortable feeling, but I think it's good to be able to recognize the signs our body gives us so we can learn how to regulate stress and hopefully avoid these situations. :)

@BigBear525 When I feel mentally overstimulated, what usually helps me return to the present is taking a few deep breaths and paying attention to my body. I’ll notice things like how my feet feel on the ground, or focus on the sounds around me. Sometimes I also close my eyes for a minute and just let myself breathe and reset.

I notice my body is stressed when my chest feels tight, my thoughts start racing, or I feel tense in my shoulders. When I’m calm, my breathing slows down, my muscles relax, and I feel more focused and grounded. Slowing down and checking in with myself really helps me stay present and feel more in control of my thoughts and emotions.

1. A walk under the sky or listen to something soothing.
2. The state of my mind, whether through racing thoughts, restless minds, or a kind of pain in the mind, though there is too much in there. For calmness...a relaxed mind, a feeling of optimism too.