A few ways to help calm your thoughts down or redirect them.

[Russian_Red_Foxx]

I previously posted these ideas in another thread, but I thought I might post them here as well. These are some effective methods I use to help calm down and soothe my thoughts:

-As my name and profile suggests, I LOVE foxes. Sometimes I find that a great way to ease my pain is just by looking at pictures of them or adding to my board on Pintrest. We are all different, so even if you are not a fan of foxes, you can still use any other type of animal you find cute.

-Pretend that you have a pet. Even if you already have a cat or a dog, think of something more calming and adorable. I am sure it is no suprise that mine is a fox called Lucy. She often likes to cuddle up with me in bed and sometimes tries to steal my food, still cute though. Like I said before, not everybody loves foxes, so just find what suits you best. If you already find that one of your current pets suits you well, then try to have some quality time with them.

-Have a shower. I often find that showers can be extremely soothing mentally and physically as it gives me a feeling of breaking free from dirt and bad moods. This may not be the best option in areas with tight water restrictions though...

-Make some tea. I often find that a nice cup of tea is the most effective method of relaxing my mind and muscles. Particularly on a cold and rainy day. My ideal cup is some nice strong black tea with a spot of milk and no sugar.

Like I would have said before, not everybody is the same, so your ideas may differ. These are just some things that I find helpful.

Russian_Red_Foxx

[uncut_gems]

Hi Russian_Red_Foxx,

I love your username! I wonder if it's also a reference to Redd Foxx? I really appreciate you sharing the methods that work for you to soothe your thoughts and I've employed many of them to great effect, particularly the shower. It's like hitting "reset" on your emotions for me.

For me the animal/pet imagination is definitely a cat! I find their purrs so soothing and even though it's embarrassing I occasionally just listen to recordings of it on youtube. I often think of this passage I read once in a novel that I think really puts it to words:

“Holding this soft, small living creature in my lap this way, though, and seeing how it slept with complete trust in me, I felt a warm rush in my chest. I put my hand on the cat's chest and felt his heart beating. The pulse was faint and fast, but his heart, like mine, was ticking off the time allotted to his small body with all the restless earnestness of my own.”

Best,

Gems

[Doolhof]

Hi Russian_Red_Foxx and Gems,

This is a great topic, thanks for getting it started Russian_Red_Foxx. Sometimes when I use meditation as a way to calm my thoughts and relax me, my mind wanders off to a place with a thick jungle, a creek and a waterfall. In my imagination, I have a tiger as a companion and after some time walking, and then swimming near the waterfall, we snuggle up for a snooze in the sun.

Gems, I like the idea of listening to the sound of a cat purring on recordings. I have never thought of that. I feel calm listening to sounds of the ocean and rain.

Colouring can sometimes calm me as can the rhythmic action of knitting or crocheting. Just creating something can be calming. I like to splash bright paint colours around as well. Sometimes I end up with something you might be able to recognise, other times it is just spreading paint on paper for the pleasure of it.

If I am really stuck and need to sort something, I will use Cognitive Therapy and keep writing until I have no more solutions. Writing down even the fool hardy and possibly some funny or ridiculous ideas can help to lighten the sense of urgency or despair the issue first caused me.

By the time I have finished writing, the negative strength of the matter may have diminished and I may well have discovered a solution.

I also like to then write down some things I am thankful for to help balance up the negatives.

It is enlightening reading other people's thoughts!

Cheers all from Dools