Ways you calm down!

[AshtonBeach]

Give some examplles of how you cope/calm down when things are tough

[jazzy.sky]

28 minutes ago, AshtonBeach said:

Give some examplles of how you cope/calm down when things are tough

When things are rough and I need to cope/calm down i usually play video games and listen to chill songs.

Also I pretend I'm at my favourite places and really immerse myself in my imagination. So like, I can imagine I'm at my cousins house looking into the sunset and feeling the hot summer breeze in my face and it smells like a bonfire and seeing the constellations

Or pretending I'm at the beach and feeling the salty breeze and sand under my feet, hearing the waves crashing on the shore.

Maybe you can think about your favourite places and imagine what you can see, smell, hear and feel (even taste! So for example if you usually get an icecream at a place you like, you can imagine the flavour)

Or if I have too much energy or pent up frustration and need to calm down i usually do exercise that makes me have to think about what I'm doing and not think about whatever made me feel overexcited or upset (for me personally this is usually playing drums, press ups,  skateboarding or football aka soccer but you can do whatever sport or exercise you like, just as long as you enjoy it and you can take out your feelings with it)

Hope these tips help you Ash!

[Aurora]

16 hours ago, jazzy.sky said:

When things are rough and I need to cope/calm down i usually play video games and listen to chill songs.

Also I pretend I'm at my favourite places and really immerse myself in my imagination. So like, I can imagine I'm at my cousins house looking into the sunset and feeling the hot summer breeze in my face and it smells like a bonfire and seeing the constellations

Or pretending I'm at the beach and feeling the salty breeze and sand under my feet, hearing the waves crashing on the shore.

Maybe you can think about your favourite places and imagine what you can see, smell, hear and feel (even taste! So for example if you usually get an icecream at a place you like, you can imagine the flavour)

Or if I have too much energy or pent up frustration and need to calm down i usually do exercise that makes me have to think about what I'm doing and not think about whatever made me feel overexcited or upset (for me personally this is usually playing drums, press ups,  skateboarding or football aka soccer but you can do whatever sport or exercise you like, just as long as you enjoy it and you can take out your feelings with it)

Hope these tips help you Ash!

Those are really helpful tips. Thanks so much @jazzy.sky

Other things that some people find helpful are breathing exercises or guided mediations. 

One thing I like to do (although this is more of a summer thing) is go outside and connect with nature. I love to just lie down in the grass and focus on my senses (eg what can I hear, smell etc). That usually helps me to calm right down and feel better about whatever has been on my mind (especially if the sun is out and I can soak in a bit of sunshine at the same time). 

[jazzy.sky]

5 hours ago, Aurora said:

Those are really helpful tips. Thanks so much @jazzy.sky

Other things that some people find helpful are breathing exercises or guided mediations. 

One thing I like to do (although this is more of a summer thing) is go outside and connect with nature. I love to just lie down in the grass and focus on my senses (eg what can I hear, smell etc). That usually helps me to calm right down and feel better about whatever has been on my mind (especially if the sun is out and I can soak in a bit of sunshine at the same time). 

Thank you so much Aurora!

I love your tip of connecting with the nature, it feels amazing and I should try to do it more often  

as for guided meditation, what kind of exercises do you find helpful? (I tried to meditate a few years ago and it didn't really work but maybe that's because I did it wrong so I'm willing to learn more about it)

[Aurora]

On 4/23/2024 at 5:23 PM, jazzy.sky said:

Thank you so much Aurora!

I love your tip of connecting with the nature, it feels amazing and I should try to do it more often  

as for guided meditation, what kind of exercises do you find helpful? (I tried to meditate a few years ago and it didn't really work but maybe that's because I did it wrong so I'm willing to learn more about it)

You're very welcome  - I'm glad you liked the tip about connecting with nature. I think it's something we all know but often forget to do - it can therefore be helpful to remind ourselves to try it more often like you said 

I'm very happy to tell you a bit more about guided meditations. The reason why I use guided meditation is because I'm not quite at the stage yet where I can meditate on my own. I immediately start thinking about all kinds of things and find it very difficult to switch off. However, if I have a voice I can listen to, that often helps me to concentrate on what they are saying and I don't tend to get distracted by my own thoughts. For me the most important thing is that I like the voice, otherwise I can't fully relax. My advice would  be to try out a few different ones and see if there are any that work for you. There are loads of guided meditations on Youtube - we  even have some on our Ditch the Label  Youtube channel that you could check out  For example this one  

 

 

or this one on our website

https://ditchthelabel.org/dtl-originals

I tend to close my eyes but some people like to look at the calming pictures on the screen.  Again, you could try either and see what works best for you. 

There are also lots of guided meditations on Spotify and on some Apps.  For example, I quite like Headspace (I use some of their sleep meditations if I have trouble going to asleep at night) but you have to pay for that one and it's not cheap . 

I hope that's been helpful. Let me know if you have any questions or if anything I said isn't quite clear/doesn't make sense. 

 

[Mestizo]

Things that help me to relax and calm down is finding a quiet and comfortable space to read. Also, looking at and reflecting on an image or picture that helps to put things into perspective or is calming. 

[jazzy.sky]

22 hours ago, Aurora said:

You're very welcome  - I'm glad you liked the tip about connecting with nature. I think it's something we all know but often forget to do - it can therefore be helpful to remind ourselves to try it more often like you said 

I'm very happy to tell you a bit more about guided meditations. The reason why I use guided meditation is because I'm not quite at the stage yet where I can meditate on my own. I immediately start thinking about all kinds of things and find it very difficult to switch off. However, if I have a voice I can listen to, that often helps me to concentrate on what they are saying and I don't tend to get distracted by my own thoughts. For me the most important thing is that I like the voice, otherwise I can't fully relax. My advice would  be to try out a few different ones and see if there are any that work for you. There are loads of guided meditations on Youtube - we  even have some on our Ditch the Label  Youtube channel that you could check out  For example this one  

or this one on our website

https://ditchthelabel.org/dtl-originals

I tend to close my eyes but some people like to look at the calming pictures on the screen.  Again, you could try either and see what works best for you. 

There are also lots of guided meditations on Spotify and on some Apps.  For example, I quite like Headspace (I use some of their sleep meditations if I have trouble going to asleep at night) but you have to pay for that one and it's not cheap . 

I hope that's been helpful. Let me know if you have any questions or if anything I said isn't quite clear/doesn't make sense. 

Thank you so much Aurora! Will definitely check this out, that's actually really cool and I'll be sure to keep you updated on how I manage! Super helpful tips! :D

[jazzy.sky]

17 hours ago, Mestizo said:

Things that help me to relax and calm down is finding a quiet and comfortable space to read. Also, looking at and reflecting on an image or picture that helps to put things into perspective or is calming. 

That's so nice Mestizo, what books are you into at the moment? :)

[Duckie]

My best ways of relaxing is to focus my attention on something constructive. I do a lot of arts and crafts and I have even built a little model bookshop that I like to work on every now and then. I also find lego really relaxing. It doesn't matter if I've already built the model before - I just take it apart and start over. Using my hands and focusing on a small project is always good for keeping me grounded. I also happen to be quite good at baking, so this is something else I like to do.

Like @Mestizo, I also like reading. I always do the Goodreads Reading Challenge. I am aiming for 50 books this year (audiobooks count). So sometimes I will go for long walks to get some fresh air and listen to an audiobook (or catch Pokemons... or both). I also like to sit down and read, but it's not always that I'm in the right mindset as I can get quite restless in my body when I feel overwhelmed.

[Aurora]

On 4/27/2024 at 9:42 AM, jazzy.sky said:

Thank you so much Aurora! Will definitely check this out, that's actually really cool and I'll be sure to keep you updated on how I manage! Super helpful tips! :D

Please do  And don't worry if it's not for you. It definitely isn't for everyone. I always find it helpful to try out different things and see what does and doesn't work for me. 

Like @Mestizo and @Duckie I also love reading. Although I have been listening to audiobooks more and more as I don't seem to have as much time to read like I used to. Whereas I can always find time to listen to audiobooks, whilst I'm cooking or doing chores . Do you enjoy reading @jazzy.sky ?

Another things I do to calm down is colouring. I have a couple of colouring in books and doing colouring really helps me to relax and forget about everything else that's going on. 

[jazzy.sky]

On 4/28/2024 at 7:52 PM, Duckie said:

My best ways of relaxing is to focus my attention on something constructive. I do a lot of arts and crafts and I have even built a little model bookshop that I like to work on every now and then. I also find lego really relaxing. It doesn't matter if I've already built the model before - I just take it apart and start over. Using my hands and focusing on a small project is always good for keeping me grounded. I also happen to be quite good at baking, so this is something else I like to do.

Like @Mestizo, I also like reading. I always do the Goodreads Reading Challenge. I am aiming for 50 books this year (audiobooks count). So sometimes I will go for long walks to get some fresh air and listen to an audiobook (or catch Pokemons... or both). I also like to sit down and read, but it's not always that I'm in the right mindset as I can get quite restless in my body when I feel overwhelmed.

That so cool!!! I definelty agree, Lego is such a relaxing and fun pastime - i always enjoy things like lego creator so whenevr i get bored i can destroy and rebuild a new thing (so cool to hear im not the only one who does that) whats your fav lego set you have? also baking is pretty hard so thats really epic, any bakes that you enjoy?

And you will get to that 50 book target!! we can make it happen :D

 

 

[jazzy.sky]

4 hours ago, Aurora said:

Please do  And don't worry if it's not for you. It definitely isn't for everyone. I always find it helpful to try out different things and see what does and doesn't work for me. 

Like @Mestizo and @Duckie I also love reading. Although I have been listening to audiobooks more and more as I don't seem to have as much time to read like I used to. Whereas I can always find time to listen to audiobooks, whilst I'm cooking or doing chores . Do you enjoy reading @jazzy.sky ?

Another things I do to calm down is colouring. I have a couple of colouring in books and doing colouring really helps me to relax and forget about everything else that's going on. 

Of course!! I do have an update, I tried it yesterday and it felt really nice and peaceful, will definitely give it another go! (Almost was so relaxed that i nearly dozed off haha)

Also I think that its so wonderful that you, Duckie and Mestizo like to read, its a really valuable skill and i just wish i was better at it! Audio books are really cool Aurora, what ones are you listening to at the moment?

I used to love reading (despite having dyslexia) but i suffered a big hit to the head (double concussion) so my learning difficulty got much worse - so before i could read pretty well and enjoy it, but even to this day, reading has been a bit of a challenge, and after a few minutes the words will move about which is so annoying :(

that being said, even though my dyslexia has impacted so much (aside from reading and writing ofc, processing sound, co ordination and word recall ect) i don't let it stop me and im very much inspired to try to read something to get back into the habit! I am a hugeeee fan of Cressida Cowells "How to train your dragon" series and Terry Deary's Horrible history books 

Do you have any book suggestions - can be any book that you like!

Also colouring is so awesome, what medium do you use?(colouring pens, pencils ect)

[Aurora]

On 4/30/2024 at 4:42 PM, jazzy.sky said:

Of course!! I do have an update, I tried it yesterday and it felt really nice and peaceful, will definitely give it another go! (Almost was so relaxed that i nearly dozed off haha)

Also I think that its so wonderful that you, Duckie and Mestizo like to read, its a really valuable skill and i just wish i was better at it! Audio books are really cool Aurora, what ones are you listening to at the moment?

I used to love reading (despite having dyslexia) but i suffered a big hit to the head (double concussion) so my learning difficulty got much worse - so before i could read pretty well and enjoy it, but even to this day, reading has been a bit of a challenge, and after a few minutes the words will move about which is so annoying :(

that being said, even though my dyslexia has impacted so much (aside from reading and writing ofc, processing sound, co ordination and word recall ect) i don't let it stop me and im very much inspired to try to read something to get back into the habit! I am a hugeeee fan of Cressida Cowells "How to train your dragon" series and Terry Deary's Horrible history books 

Do you have any book suggestions - can be any book that you like!

Also colouring is so awesome, what medium do you use?(colouring pens, pencils ect)

That's great that you enjoyed it. I know what you mean about feeling so relaxed you nearly dozed off - I've dozed off loads of times during a guided meditation 

Thank you for sharing with us that you had a big hit to the head. That sounds super painful and I get why reading is a bit of a challenge for you now. I'm impressed that you keep persevering though. Have you been given tips on what can make reading more easy for you. My brother is dyslexic and he was given quite a bit of extra support, which really helped with his reading. Otherwise, Audiobooks are a great way to 'read' without actually reading. I currently have Bill Bryson's 'A short history of nearly everything' on the go, which is really good but I think I might have to swap it for a different one. I feel like this is a book I actually have to sit down and read, rather than listen to. He mentions so many facts and I'm finding it difficult to remember them by just listening. 

I can remember you mentioning that you like the horrible histories books. If you like those, then I have a great book I can recommend but annoyingly I can't think of the title right now. I've tried looking it up but no luck. I know it will come to me - once it does I will let you know straight away. The "How to train your dragon" series is great. I only know a couple of them but I found them very entertaining and I know lots of others who love them. 

One book I can recommend is 'Wonder' by  R.J.Palacio. Have you heard of it? It's about a boy (Auggie) who is born with a facial difference. He needs lots of operations growing up and has therefore never been to school. He then joins a mainstream school (I think when he is 10)  and wants to be treated like all the other kids—but his new classmates find it very difficult to get past his extraordinary face.  Some of the book is hard to read, because of the way he is being treated but it's a really inspiring story and is ultimately about kindness. I read this book several years ago but I still think about it now and then. It's one of those books that just stays with you. It also has some of my favourite quotes in it such as: 'When given the choice between being right and being kind choose kind!' 

I like colouring pencils the best. I currently have these watercolour pencils and I love them. You can either use them like normal pencils or you can use a paintbrush to add a bit of water to it and then they look like water colours. Have you tried those before? 

 

[Mestizo]

On 4/27/2024 at 1:43 AM, jazzy.sky said:

That's so nice Mestizo, what books are you into at the moment? :)

Thanks @jazzy.sky! I’m really into historical non-fiction and biographies. Also I enjoy books about faith and spirituality. I’m currently reading the autobiography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Also, I just wanted to add that @jazzy.sky I really appreciate your thoughtful responses and attitude! I’m really enjoying getting to know you :-)

Thanks for being you!

[jazzy.sky]

4 hours ago, Aurora said:

That's great that you enjoyed it. I know what you mean about feeling so relaxed you nearly dozed off - I've dozed off loads of times during a guided meditation 

Thank you for sharing with us that you had a big hit to the head. That sounds super painful and I get why reading is a bit of a challenge for you now. I'm impressed that you keep persevering though. Have you been given tips on what can make reading more easy for you. My brother is dyslexic and he was given quite a bit of extra support, which really helped with his reading. Otherwise, Audiobooks are a great way to 'read' without actually reading. I currently have Bill Bryson's 'A short history of nearly everything' on the go, which is really good but I think I might have to swap it for a different one. I feel like this is a book I actually have to sit down and read, rather than listen to. He mentions so many facts and I'm finding it difficult to remember them by just listening. 

I can remember you mentioning that you like the horrible histories books. If you like those, then I have a great book I can recommend but annoyingly I can't think of the title right now. I've tried looking it up but no luck. I know it will come to me - once it does I will let you know straight away. The "How to train your dragon" series is great. I only know a couple of them but I found them very entertaining and I know lots of others who love them. 

One book I can recommend is 'Wonder' by  R.J.Palacio. Have you heard of it? It's about a boy (Auggie) who is born with a facial difference. He needs lots of operations growing up and has therefore never been to school. He then joins a mainstream school (I think when he is 10)  and wants to be treated like all the other kids—but his new classmates find it very difficult to get past his extraordinary face.  Some of the book is hard to read, because of the way he is being treated but it's a really inspiring story and is ultimately about kindness. I read this book several years ago but I still think about it now and then. It's one of those books that just stays with you. It also has some of my favourite quotes in it such as: 'When given the choice between being right and being kind choose kind!' 

I like colouring pencils the best. I currently have these watercolour pencils and I love them. You can either use them like normal pencils or you can use a paintbrush to add a bit of water to it and then they look like water colours. Have you tried those before? 

Hey Aurora!

Awww thank you so much, I really appreciate the support! I havent been given proper tips but i have done a lot of trial and error to see what works and what doesnt and I find that blue overlays help and bold fonts do too!( rounded arial is my favourite to read) 

Im so glad that your brother has been supported with his dyslexia, how did he manage to deal with his symptoms?  

Oooh thank you for that awesome tip, will definitely see if my local library has any audio books available I've never tried audiobooks before do that might be a game changer!

Awww no worries! I can relate, that feeling is so frustrating but I'm sure you will remember the book name at random soon xD

Omggg I love Wonder!! Its so sad but i loved how relatable Auggie was for me back when i first read the book. It has really funny moments too and  the film does the book justice 

His friendship with Jack Will is so sweet and I also love how it's segmented so you get to see the perspective from each character. I really feel for Viola having to deal with her fair share of issues alone since her parents focus more on Auggie  

And I adore that quote from Summer, she is a lovely character. Funnily enough one of my favourite characters is Mr Tushman because if how patient and understanding he is and how even when the parent of Julian who are govenerors were threatening him by taking away the support, he did what was best for the students, not the school

Ooooh colouring pencils and water colour pencils are wonderful! I'm not very used to using watercolour pencils but I admire anyone who knows how to use them because the art produced with them is honestly so beautiful 

[jazzy.sky]

21 minutes ago, Mestizo said:

Thanks @jazzy.sky! I’m really into historical non-fiction and biographies. Also I enjoy books about faith and spirituality. I’m currently reading the autobiography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Also, I just wanted to add that @jazzy.sky I really appreciate your thoughtful responses and attitude! I’m really enjoying getting to know you :-)

Thanks for being you!

Awww thank you so much @Mestizo thats so sweet of you! Made my year, thank you so much!! also I love your taste in books! All those genres of book are really interesting and enriching. Sorry for being so curious but what is Martin Luther King Jr's book like? But once again, I just wanted to say a huge thank you and im also really enjoying getting to know you too!! :D you're so insightful!