[SLOW-MO GR] 15th-21st April: How to Relax and Calm Those Nerves 101

What are times in your week/day where you need to calm your nerves? How can you tell it's time take a moment to try something to help yourself calm down or relax a bit?

I think when I have been to work and i've got a lot due for Uni is when I notice I get quite anxious and need some time to relax. I find my mind starts racing and I get really agitated and irritable.

Often it may mean I need to take a nap or do something fun like playing with the dogs.

I think i'm a bit like you guys @Alison5  @queenP , i notice that it's time for me to take a step back for a second when i'm getting very worked up and irritable at small things or getting really tense. I can also get a bit of a sensory overload and get teary at everything (especially good things though! cute cat video-i'm gone ) Public transport when i'm like this-not fun!

Time for a Tuesday question!! 😄


When can nerves be good? How can we transform nervous energy into a motivator? 

Sometimes stress can be useful, it lets us know that things are important! There's always a balance though

When can nerves be good? How can we transform nervous energy into a motivator? 
Sometimes nerves can tell us that we need to ask important questions about something or that it might not be a good experience for us. I have had 'gut instincts' about particular people or things that ended up being justified. I also think that nerves can help motivate you to study for exams. Most people find that they study more just before the day of a final exam. Fear of failure or rejection can help people study harder or try to make a good impression. Some stress can be important for survival or help us get things done.

Good morning everyone! Here is Wednesday's question:

Have you ever tried meditation? Does it work for you? Would you want to give it a shot? 

Have you ever tried meditation? Does it work for you? Would you want to give it a shot?

Personally, I'm a big fan of meditation. Using the Headspace app, I've built up my skills can now meditate for around 20 minutes at a time before I start feeling too restless to focus. At first, I found meditation SO FRUSTRATING and didn't think that it was for me. But, the biggest thing that helped me was realising that meditation is not about getting rid of thoughts and having a blank mind - that's next to impossible! Really, the aim of meditation is to realise when you are drifting into thoughts, and bringing yourself back to a more constant focus, like your breathing. While this doesn't free you from stressful thoughts, it gives your mind and body permission to ignore them for a little while. 

Hey everyone! The responses here are so great that I thought I'd join in 😄

What are times in your week/day where you need to calm your nerves? How can you tell it's time take a moment to try something to help yourself calm down or relax a bit?

Living with BPD means I get constantly overwhelmed with emotions, and often the triggers will seem really mundane to other people. Calming myself down is therefore something I have to work really hard at. Changes in both my physical and mental state can be cues that I need to calm down

When can nerves be good? How can we transform nervous energy into a motivator? 

I agree with everyone that stress can be good in small doses, because it acts as a survival mechanism. If we're being chased by a tiger, we want to be able to get away from it as quickly as possible! I find that nervous energy can actually be a really good motivator to exercise 🙂

Have you ever tried meditation? Does it work for you? Would you want to give it a shot? 

I've tried meditation apps and am not a huge fan - they tend to make me feel worse (though lots of people love them!). I try to have 'mindful moments' throughout my day, though... I like to focus on the green of the grass or the soft feel of my blankets etc. for just a few seconds 🙂

Absolutely loving reading through this SlowMo- I think it really shows how individual and personal every person's experience of calm is  Learning so much reading through your answers! 

What are times in your week/day where you need to calm your nerves? How can you tell it's time take a moment to try something to help yourself calm down or relax a bit?

This last month I have really been focussing a lot of my energy into finding what helps me relax and when I might need to take some time out to chill. I find the afternoons particularly high stress and a time when I really need to channel self love inwards. I know it is time to do some relaxation when I notice my mind wondering, when I feel tension in my body, or when my energy drops. 

When can nerves be good? How can we transform nervous energy into a motivator? 

I have always found that healthy and manageable levels of nerves can help me stay focused and keep me motivated throughout the day. I regularly do self check ins throughout the day to see where my nerves are at and make sure I am taking breaks if they start to rise. 

Have you ever tried meditation? Does it work for you? Would you want to give it a shot? 

A few years ago, I would have said no, but I have just recently started again and finding it super helpful! I have the headspace app and I do a 5 min mediation at night to go to sleep and in the morning if I have time. I have found it has really helped to bring me to a state of calm and just have some "nothing" time for my mind. 

Very interesting that my perspective on mediation has changed! Sometimes strategies that didn't work at one time in my recovery are really working for me now

@xXLexi_Lou122Xx  i'll try to remember to do so! (but my mind can be a bit of a leaky sponge at times so i'll link you to the GR schedule here, we change things around a bit which is why the dates are a bit different sometimes there though )
I really love the way you and @lokifish have different alternatives to meditation that still put you in a similar, more mindful, mindset. I'm definitely going to try the 'mindful moment's lokifish mentioned 😄 

 Have you ever tried meditation? Does it work for you? Would you want to give it a shot?

Gonna name and shame myself here with my response. I actually really like meditation, i find it really helps keep me in my own skin and in the moment, but... i just kept using the sample Smiling Mind one until i got sick of it, because i'm too lazy to make an account I really am a ridiculous potato sometimes haha 

Goal set: make an account!

Thursday question time!

Do you have any go to relaxation methods? Or is there anything you've been meaning to try?

Happy Friday everyone! Here's the final question of the week:

Share a time you have been able to calm your nerves and something great happened! What was it about the situation that helped you cope?

Happy Easter to those of you that celebrate it and Happy Sunday to those of you that don't 😄

Do you have any go to relaxation methods? Or is there anything you've been meaning to try?

I like taking the time to have Still Time. Time where I can just tuck myself away somewhere quiet and not too bright and just enjoy being still. I do this literally anywhere, from the library basement bookshelves with my hood up and music playing or my room having a lie down in the dark. I find it really peaceful 🙂 I really do want to try meditation, we'll get there eventually!  

Share a time you have been able to calm your nerves and something great happened! What was it about the situation that helped you cope?

Random example! I was really second guessing volunteering at a health conference last year and was considering cancelling, but I kept practising slow breathing and focusing on how exciting it was and how nice and supportive the people also there were, and it ended up being amazing and I hope I get to do it again this year! 😄 

I think a really classic example of stress being a good motivator is for study or work. Having a deadline for yourself pushes you to focus and complete work, but it can also put up a huge roadblock in your productivity. If we tip over the edge into 'too stressed' it makes it hard to concentrate and get things done. 

It kinda highlights the difference between positive stress that helps keep you motivated and negative stress that interferes with functioning and well being, and how they can both occur in the same situation for different people. 

Super interested to hear what everyone else's thoughts are on what generates stress for one person but not another! Particularly when we start talking about coping mechanisms later in the week

Definitely not a one size fits all cause and solution for stress, that's for sure...

Love this week's GR! 

Relaxing is a skill we all need to work on. 

Just tagging a few people who are online if you'd like to contribute to the discussion - no pressure! @Bananatime04  @Anonymous  @queenP @sidekick-bot @mspaceK 

What are times in your week/day where you need to calm your nerves? How can you tell it's time take a moment to try something to help yourself calm down or relax a bit?

In my day, I often need to calm down when I am facing a stressful uni assignment. Likewise, since I have OCD, I often need to take a moment for myself to stay calm when I am doing ERP therapy, as this can be really tough and gets the anxiety going! 

I can tell it's time to take a moment for myself based on the signals my body is sending me - if I'm feeling nervous energy, sweating, carrying a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders, or feeling extremely overtired, it's time to take a break and relax for a while. In terms of mental cues, when my thoughts start racing, or I can't seem to find a way out of a problem, or I start directing anger towards my loved ones, I know it is time to step back.