5 Tips I Used This Morning To Help Myself Feel Calmer

I started this morning feeling overwhelmed -- not in a bad way, but still overwhelmed. I just got back from traveling to Toronto on my book tour. It was a lot of fun, and I was thrilled to get the chance to do it, but traveling -- and being out of my routine -- always rattles me.

I found out I made a mistake in something I wrote. It was fixed, but it always rattles me to discover that I made a mistake.

I found out I have to review a document in a short period of time. It won't be hard, but it always rattles me to have a short deadline. (This is one reason I've never been a journalist. I hate deadlines.)

There have been some changes to my daughters' schedules. Nothing major, but it always rattles me to have to juggle the calendar.

So... I'm a bit rattled. I'm very happy to be back home, and to make sure that I keep this happy feeling, instead of allowing myself to become short-tempered (highly likely), I ran through some of my easier tips for staying cool.

1. I took 10 minutes to clean up my office. Getting paperwork under control makes me feel more in control of my life generally.

2. I made a list. Now I don't have to worry about forgetting something important, plus I get the morale-booster of being able to cross off items.

3. I took a few minutes to be silly with my daughters. Acting light-hearted makes me feel more light-hearted, and seeing them in a good mood lifts my spirits.

4. I ranted for a few minutes to my husband, then got a big hug. I probably would feel better if I'd skipped the rant, and just focused on the hug, but sometimes I have to rant a little bit.

5. Plan to exercise. I always feel calmer when I exercise. In fact, that's probably the main reason I exercise. (Here are some tips if you have trouble prodding yourself to exercise.)

How about you? What strategies do you follow if you need to calm yourself down -- in a hurry?

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