Staying busy, planning adventures, preparing for the future, and surrounding myself with other people are things that I thrive in doing. I am an extrovert in every fiber of my being, and I have Type A stamped on my forehead. With this prefrontal cortex chunk not operating due to the lack of planning ahead and knowledge of the future, I sometimes feel like my car and my umbrella are about to have a showdown. A downfall of living in a small town is the fact that that showdown would be on the 5'o'clock news with my mom's Facebook blowing up. So I have had to create new mechanisms along with the old ones to learn how to get that sense of calm for as long as I can keep it.

I'm not a consistent yoga fanatic or a put together vegan or an easy going girl. As an eight-year-old, I would panic around 7 pm because I knew I would have to go to sleep soon (the sitting in the dark with the monsters in my room and the thought of accidentally suffocating in my sleep was terrifying ok). While I now sleep as I have just sprinted across the world, the fears and worries are still incredibly fast-paced.

I know we are all feeling uncertain in different ways, so here are ten things I do to make myself feel calm in the chaos

Sleep

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Now depending on your level of anxiety, sleep may feel impossible for you. I'm sorry, that sucks. I'm not going to act like I have a medical degree and tell you how to be able to sleep again. I just know that I need it, and you do too. It helps me to make sure I'm getting up early, exercising at some point in the day, and staying away from my phone for about an hour before I go to sleep. Personally, I am aware that I need 10-12 hours of sleep a night to stay sane. It is so much harder for me to find perspective in my worries if I have not had enough sleep. This one is a baseline for feeling calm. A well rested me is a level headed me.

Cleaning

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This is very Monica of me, but I love to clean. It makes me feel in control and productive. My roommates always knew not to poke the bear if our floors were spotless and our counters smelled like honeysuckle (my organic cleaner HA). My mom is a big fan of this habit because our house stays pretty clean. I usually pick a room and just go ham. After I'm done, I am exhausted and significantly calmer.

Making a Worry List

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This is different than a To-Do List. A Worry List is where you write all of your worries down. You'd be surprised how freeing this feels. When you look at the list and see all of them there together, its not as bad as it seemed in your head. Then you make solutions to these worries, making plans for what you can control and realizing that some of them you cannot. It helps.

Watching a New Show

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Being completely enthralled in a new show distracts me from my own thoughts. Its refreshing and I love it. All my friends are recommending different shows while stuck at home, so my list keeps getting longer!

Getting/Giving a Hug

The Dodo

Right now we can only hug those in Quarantine with us, but those people are either our families or our roommates. These people can handle a hug no matter their level of affection. Hugs release chemicals in your brain. Science says you need 6 hugs a day. Don't argue with science.

Exercising

@fabletics

Run. Have a session with Chloe Ting. Whatever will make you feel like a boss and a little exhausted, do it. I hate starting to exercise, but about half way through the chemicals in my brain starts releasing and I feel much better. This one is healthy for your mind and your body, so unless you skip stretching you can't lose.

Making a To Do List

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Yep. I'm a list maker. I've been doing it since elementary school. Now they're color coded and longer. Having a list of everything I need to do helps me see that it probably won't kill me. It also helps me not miss deadlines. If I don't know what I have due, it seems like a lot more in my head. Just make a list.

Reading a Light Book

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I love to read. This is the same concept as a new show. I feel like I am taken to another place as another person. It is a way for me to travel and put my life on pause for a second. For me this helps even more than a show, so go forth and read.

FaceTime a Friend

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Sometimes I forget that there is still a world happening. I know people are dying and the economy is a wreck, but it has to get better. When I see my friends' pretty faces, it gives me a reminder that they're still there and they still exist. No one moved to another planet and left me here, they're just a call away.

Looking at Old Pictures

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Life will be different when this mess is over, but it will be okay. I like looking at old pictures to remind me that we'll get to make memories like that again, that this is not a forever situation. It will get better.