How to embrace CALM

Sam Owen, psychologist and author of Anxiety Free (Orion), has developed five simple steps to help banish stress and live your life more calmly.

◆ CREATE SELF-SERVING POSITIVE THOUGHTS. ‘Our thoughts frame our view of the world, the way we behave and how we feel,’ says Owen. Repetitive negative thoughts feed the stress cycle, creating anxiety and worry, while positive self-talk helps soothe, prevent and eliminate stress. ◆ REGULATE EMOTION WITH INTENT. Use external tools – whatever works for you, whether it’s calming music, nature, dancing, reading, to help you feel better. ◆ BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND PLAN TIME WITH FRIENDS. Relationships are a lifeline in our 24/7 world. While loneliness has been shown to be as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, research repeatedly shows that people with strong social networks are less stressed, happier, healthier and live longer than those who are less connected. Consciously take time every day to connect with your important people and plan ahead to schedule protected time with them. ◆ PRACTISE PROPER SELF-CARE. Whether it’s exercise, relaxation, pampering or nutrition, Owen suggests simple principles to follow. If it helps you, do it; if it hinders you, avoid it. If you’re not sure, be open and give it a try and if you don’t like it you don’t have to do it again. ◆ ACTIVELY PROBLEM SOLVE. Positively identifying and addressing problems that create anxiety will reduce stress. It’s a three-step process – define the problem, know what your goal is and then identify the actions needed to achieve that goal and overcome the problem.