Life can be so beautiful and rewarding, and at the same time stressful and full of pain. Whether you face mental health struggles like anxiety or depression, have experienced trauma, or want to find new ways to calm yourself down during stressful situations, self-soothing could greatly benefit you. Self-soothing is a deeply personal art that requires practice and willingness. It is deeply personal in that what works for one person to self-soothe might not work for you. It is an art in the sense that you may need to get creative with ways you practice self-soothing, trying to give yourself what you most need to regain calm in various situations. Like any new skill, learning self-soothing will take some time and practice. Try to make a commitment to stick with it until you start to experience the benefits, which you might notice in your heart, mind, and/or body. The goal of self-soothing is to do something that helps you slow down and reconnect with yourself in the present moment.
Self-soothing can take on whatever form is most effective for you. Sometimes this might mean paying attention to the sensation of your breath and other times it might mean reading a passage from an inspirational book. We suggest you explore options for self-soothing within the categories of your five senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Hearing
Listen to music you enjoy
Go outside and notice as many nature sounds as you can (birds chirping, wind gusting, animals rustling)
Have a conversation with someone and focus on their words and sound of their voice
Listen to your kids playing or a baby babbling
Sight
Walk along the lake or on a trail and notice everything in the environment
Wake up early to see a sunset or look outside during sunset
Buy flowers and put them in a vase on your desk or table
Light a candle and watch the flickering flame
Look at photographs
Smell
Notice the smells of food being cooked at home or in a restaurant
Get a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and take in the aroma
Diffuse essential oils
Bake something and notice the scent as you open the oven
Taste
Treat yourself to one of your favorite foods and savor each bite
Chew a piece of gum or suck on a mint
Have a small piece of chocolate
Drink something cool or hot, noticing the temperature on your tongue
Touch
Take a warm bath
Wrap up in a cozy blanket
Pet your dog, cat, or other furry friend
Float or swim in a pool, noticing the feeling of the water around you
As you practice self-soothing, try to bring an awareness to any changes you notice in your body, any decrease or increase of emotions, and any shifts in how you are thinking about yourself or the situation at hand. This practice can be a powerful way to ground yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed out, and investing time in self-soothing is a great way to take care of yourself with gentleness and compassion.
References
“A Therapist’s Journey: Learning the Art of Self-Soothing.” Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/June-2018/A-Therapist-s-Journey-Learning-the-Art-of-Self-So
“Self-Soothe.” Retrieved from https://www.dbtselfhelp.com/html/self-sooth.html