How to Calm Down

culled from:wikihow.com

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Listen to music. Listen to music will help you a lot but listen to song that are calm.

Method 1 of 3: Calm Your Body

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   Breathe slowly. Inhale through your nose for three seconds, hold for five seconds, and then exhale through your nose for three seconds.
   • Breathe using your diaphragm (just above the stomach and just below the rib cage), not just from your chest. This will regulate your body's reactions and help you to remain calm.
   • Breathing into a paper bag was once thought to help cure hyperventilation and restore calmness. Experts now agree that this is somewhat dangerous and should be avoided. You should only breathe through a paper bag when you are light-headed from hyperventilation. Regularly breathing through a paper bag will circulate carbon dioxide into your lungs, which is ultimately dangerous to the respiratory system. Deep, slow breathing is much better because the oxygen will be completely changed into carbon dioxide through the ducts in the lungs, essentially preventing dizziness caused by hyperventilation.
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   Relax your shoulders. Slowly roll your shoulders back three or four times, using as much range of motion as you can. Then, roll them forward. Repeat as often as you need.
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   Tune out. Lie flat on your back and close your eyes. You can listen to soothing music or simply enjoy the silence.
   • Imagine every part of your body relaxing with each exhale. Start with your toes, and move up through the muscles in your legs, core, arms and neck. As you breathe, visualize them becoming one with the earth or filling with light. Try to be as still as possible.
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   Try a new perspective. Think about the situation from a different angle that doesn't result in you being so stressed.
   • Pretend that a friend of yours is in the same situation, and imagine what advice you'd give him or her.
   • Ask yourself, "What's the worst that could happen?" This question is a question often used by life coaches to force people to think through the hyperbolic consequences that have the probability rather than the possibility to occur. When you force yourself to face the worst, you can simply work back from there and see things in perspective, as well as making plans to stop the "worst" from doing its worst.

Method 2 of 3: Distracting Yourself

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   Run, bike, skate or do whatever you enjoy doing physically to exhaust yourself. This burns off the adrenaline from being upset.
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   Find small physical distractions. Squeeze a stress ball, sponge, or other pliable object at least 50 times in a row. Stroke your pet rock/talisman or rub the thumb-slot on your executive pacifier stone. Play air guitar/drums and sound effects. Finding distracting activities that are tactile and focused will help to calm you quickly.
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   Count to 10. Before you say something inappropriate, close your eyes and count to 10, or to 20 if needed. This is an easy and effective way to separate yourself quickly from a stressful situation.
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   Establish a journal. Try to write descriptively about how you feel. This is a good way to confront your emotions, especially if you're naturally inclined to write. If things become disorganized, just keep writing. It's the process of thinking and recording your conflicts that is most important.
   • A journal is also a good way to reflect on your past. For example, how has your upbringing contributed to your perception of the world around you? Write down anything that you feel is important. Your journal will help you connect the dots.
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   Spend time with animals. Dogs and cats can be tremendously helpful during stressful moments. There's nothing better than a nonjudgmental furry friend to hug and talk. Talk out your concerns with your pet around.
   • If you don't have a pet, sometimes a stuffed pet can be just as useful. Alternatively, you can visit a zoo, a nature park, an aquarium or a local wildlife reserve. Just seeing animals go about their daily business can be calming.
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   Immerse yourself in a hobby. Draw or take photos if you find them enjoyable. Do whatever that fulfills your interests.

Method 3 of 3: Be Proactive

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   Stay positive. Cultivating a happy attitude can help you remember the good times and let go of things that you cannot control. Remember: you aren't here to master everyone and everything into perfect behavior or functioning; you're here to simply master your own behavior and reactions.
   • Remind yourself that you're not the only person dealing with these issues when something difficult challenges your sense of calmness. Others feel similar emotions and are trying to anchor their fears, worries, and anxieties, too.
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   Avoid stress altogether. Sometimes it's hard to notice when people, thoughts, or events are adding stress to your life, but the affects are there. Here's how to distance yourself:
   • Try to limit the time you spend around people who "wind you up", especially if you're highly sensitive to taking on board other people's emotions and issues. If you have to be around a stressful person often, learn to manage the situation — change your reaction to them.
   • Surround yourself with people who respect and support you. External reassurance strengthens your ability to cope and reflect on your concerns.
   • Some people need to retreat from other people more often than others to rejuvenate (such as introverts, highly sensitive people, etc.). Give yourself this space and solitude regularly each day. Over-socializing can be stressful without downtime.
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   Try meditation or prayer. Even if you're not religious, you can find great peace through purposely focusing on silencing your consciousness. Find a place where you can be alone and focus on yourself. Being mindful as a way of life is very calming and allows you to step aside from stressful events to assess them with clarity and subtlety.
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   Commune with nature. The tranquility of the great outdoors can help focus your priorities and give you space to breathe.
   • Water has a meditative quality that often helps people calm down. If you live in the city, simply close your eyes and imagine that you're sitting by a stream of water in the woods. Next, try to imagine a leaf floating on the waterway. Think about where that leaf is going. This is a simple way of lowering your stress levels.
   • A small indoor fountain can help to bring a sense of watery calmness to your office or home environment.
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   Take control. Convince yourself that you are in charge of your own choices and perception. You have the power to control the way you feel — don't waste it.
   • Though we're hardwired to be concerned what others think about us, it's important to quell the voice that lets such worries dig in too deep. Learn not to let other people bring you down by reminding yourself that most unhelpful criticism comes from other people's self-projections of what they dislike about themselves. In other words, adopt compassion for them.