What to Do When It Becomes Chaotic

Let’s be real, things happen. Life happens. But what should you do when things become chaotic? You know, those moments when something terrible happens or a life emergency springs. What then? How can you stay calm in the storm? Here are a few suggestion I have to help keep stress levels down.

1. Count to Five

So often we find ourselves in a hectic moment and we rush in so that we can fix. Stop rushing in. Instead, count to five. For some, you need to literally count to five out loud. For others, counting in your head will suffice. Taking that five second moment, allows you to calm your own body and brain down so that you can refocus your attention. In a way, it slows down the adrenaline for a brief moment. Once you’ve counted to five, step into the situation. Come at it in a calmer manner.

2. It This Life Threatening?

I recently had a chaotic situation happen and sure enough, my stress level hit the roof. I remember in the middle of everything going on, I took a second and asked myself one simple question. Am I going to die? And, with that simple question came a simple answer - no. Sure, the situation was stressful but I needed to remind myself that I and the people around me were safe. No one was in a current danger. Take a moment to remind yourself that everyone is safe, helps put the situation at hand in perspective.

3. Who is Here to Help?

For some of us, we tend to take on the superhero personality when faced with a stressful situation. We think, “I’ll be the one to fix this. I’ll take care of everything.” However, stressful situations more often than not require more than one person to fix. Take a look around you and see all the people that are actually there to help. Be willing to give up some of your superhero skills and allow others to help.

My Take Away…..

Stressful situations can cause a mass amount of anxiety. We tend to take on the superhero mentality which can cause more harm than good in some cases. The best way to deal with the situation is to count to five, determine if everyone is safe, and ask for help. Don’t rush into the problem without first taking a few seconds to survey what is actually happening.

Let’s keep the conversation going. What do you do to keep your stress levels down in that chaotic time?