Week 34: Calming Down

I love this image of Hobbes. Telling me, and everyone else, to calm down.  It is kind of funny, because Hobbes was always the calming factor of the pair - Calvin, off creating mischief while Hobbes was looking for a sun filled spot on the rug to rest.  Which, by the way, is one of my favorite ways to calm down, too.  A quiet rest, curled up with a soft blanket.  Nap or not, just laying there resting helps.

I also like to do something repetitive, like bounce a ball, or toss something from hand to hand - something that requires no thought, but slowly becomes a mundane routine.  Even something simple like fiddling with a soft piece of cuddle fleece, weaving it through my fingers while curled up in the corner of the couch?  That does wonders for my hyperactive mind.

Finally, I often turn to music.  Like a fellow blogger in this project, music is a huge tool for bringing me back to Earth.  On the flip side, it can also pump me up, too.  I have playlists for just about every mood - I know which list to play if I'm feeling down in the dumps and want a good cry, which list cheers me up, which list makes me want to dance (when no one is looking, of course!) and which list will settle me down.  Music says so much more than I can ever say, and there is definitely something reassuring in that.