Take a Present Pause

Meditation is wonderful for calming down. But what happens when there’s no time for meditation and you need to calm down fast?

Photo by Candice Picard on Unsplash

As a meditation teacher, when someone tells me they feel anxious, stressed, frustrated, or overwhelmed, I suggest meditation. Whether they come to one of my classes, use one of my guided meditations from the Insight Timer app, or find another way to try meditation, I encourage them to give it a shot.

Meditation is great as a preventive measure against those feelings. Done on a daily basis for 10–20 minutes (or longer if you choose), meditation can ease those feelings and make you a calmer person in general. But what happens when a feeling overwhelms you? What do you do when you have no time for a meditation session but you need to calm down fast?

When you need to calm down in a hurry, I suggest taking a present pause. 30 seconds of meditation-like behavior is all it takes to begin feeling calmer. By taking 30 seconds to a minute to tune into your body, you can break a loop of anxiety or stress, put the brakes on frustration and overwhelm, and instantly feel more in control and calmer.

A present pause is super simple and can be done anywhere. You can sit, stand, or lie down. You don’t even need to be alone. You just need to…