CALM

How to feel calm

A shift from anxiety to calm will guide you back to the present to experience what really matters.

Superpowers used: creativity, introspection, dance

Other superpowers may be used as well. View all powers to shift states here.

How to Shift from Anxious to Calm

Anxiety can be represented as Uncertainty X Powerlessness.

Or as Anticipation + Fear.

Either way, it's a result of living in the future, not the present.

Humans are really good at fear. As our greatest survival mechanism, it's been around for millions of years.

Protecting us from predators, other tribes, and the inconsistency of weather, we became skilled in preparing for the worst.

This was critical to stay alive because there were a lot of threats. For our genes to be passed down, we had to be ready for anything.

We're current living in the safest time in history. Chances are if you're reading this, the odds of imminent danger or death is very low.

That doesn't mean our fear simply goes away –we're hard-wired for it. Even if we're safe, it's still going to present itself in one way or another.

Welcome to Anxiety

Fear drives us to worry about the uncertainty of the future.

And its survival mechanism is so strong, even when we know we're 'safe,' we still find ourselves in a deep state of anxiety over something as harmless as public speaking.

When fear isn't dealt with, we become anxious.

When it is dealt with, we feel calm.

Many people in the modern world are constantly living from a place of anxiety – even when they're perfectly safe.

It's not that danger is lurking in the corner. Rather, stimulation is smothering us in every corner.

From work, to old high school friends, everyone has the ability to contact us 24/7 in a variety of different ways.

The dings and notifications, the email, the likes, followers, algorithms, and open tabs – it's incessant.

Overwhelmed, it's no wonder our body switches into a state of anxiety. Overwhelm is a threat.

Not to mention advertisers exploiting our personal information to influence our behavior with personal data convincing us we're not good enough.

Shifting to Calm

It's not all doom and gloom.

You're a conscious being. That means you can have dominion over your state of consciousness. And your behavior.

You must exercise it, though, which can be difficult when we're under feelings of stress.

Why? Because the ancient survival mechanism of fear wants to take over and get in the driver's seat. Remember, it's been around a lot longer than our sense of consciousness so it's more powerful and prevalent within us.

The first thing to do is recognize you're in a state of fear or anxiety. Name it.

"Right now I'm experiencing anxiety because I fear what might happen in the future."

This sentence may look different for you, but it's vital you name it. Then it can't overtake you without your permission.

Then you can choose to do something about it. Here's how you can shift states from anxiety to calm using superpowers innate within you.

Power of Creativity

Superpower Description:

Essential to the human experience, creativity encourages you to problem solve, provides meaning, connects us to something beyond ourselves, and helps transform 'what is' into 'what could be.'

It enables you to extract the wisdom of the subconscious, alchemize it to the conscious, and then create something beautiful with it. Like the power of shifting states.

Use Creativity to Shift from Anxiety

Creativity is defined as: the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.

Creativity isn't reserved artists or musicians – it's universal to everyone.

Unique to each of us, we've been leaving our creative fingerprints on the world for tens of thousands of years – and it's undoubtedly one of the greatest experiences of being human.

There may be no better way to find a true sense of presence than through the power of creativity.

It takes us so far into the present moment, we're not concerned about the past or future.

In moments of deep creativity, we may not even feel a sense of self but connected to something beyond.

It comes in many forms, each of us relating to it a little bit differently.

Connect with it to reduce the power of fear and anxiety.

Write in a journal.

Paint, draw, doodle.

Fuse ideas together.

Play a musical instrument.

Take a craft or pottery class.

Work on a project in a new way.

Become a beginner at something.

Make a vision board of things you want.

Cook something you've never made before.

Disrupt your daily routine & drive a different route to work.

Try a new exercise class or move your body in a new way.

Think about yourself or your thoughts from a different perspective.

Whatever you choose, abandon any notion of the future and immerse yourself in creativity.

As an innate superpower within you, creativity is one of the few things strong enough to combat anxiety.

Power of Introspection

Superpower Description:

Having the awareness and understanding of our own thought processes is a gift. By thinking about thinking, we can better plan, monitor, and assess understanding, performance, and what we truly desire.

This gives us the freedom to curate our lives instead of always reacting to it.

Unfortunately, our fast paced, overstimulated world has numbed this superpower, but it's one of our greatest tools in being able to shift into a state we authentically desire.

Use Introspection to Shift from Anxiety

When most animals feel fear, they instinctually react to it.

Humans often do too. But we have a superpower perhaps no other creature has: introspection.

By being able to think about our thoughts and feelings, we have the ability to understand fear and anxiety instead of simply reacting to it.

Once understood, we can see it for what it really is and choose to let it go.

Introspection puts life into our own hands. Use it to shift into a state of calm.

Carve out time to be with yourself and think.

Seek the source of your anxiety and deconstruct it.

Ask yourself whether you're facing a real threat or a perceived one.

Realize you're fretting about the future and draw yourself back to the present.

Identify patterns of thinking that induce anxiety and replace them with new ones.

Remind yourself you're safe and remember fear is a biological reaction you don't have to succumb to.

Anxiety is a reaction but you have the choice to respond.

Use the power of introspection to respond in a way you decide instead of feeling like you never had a choice.

Power of Dance

Superpower Description:

Humans have been dancing for thousands of years. Even though we may be dancing less today, it's a force too powerful to simply disappear.

Not only is dancing fun, it's a remarkable tool for getting in touch with the present and our bodies. It's also a tool for self expression, connection, and healthy movement.

The power of dance transports us from the confines of our mind and releases us into the fluidity and infinity of experience.

Use Dance to Shift from Anxiety

For some, even the thought of dancing may produce anxiety – but you don't have to dance in front of anyone.

"Dance like nobody's watching."

You've heard the quote. It's ubiquitous because of how powerful it is.

If you dance as if nobody is watching, it's going to be difficult for anxiety to remain in the body. 

For tens of thousands of years (maybe longer), humans have been dancing as an integral part of culture.

Why? Because it's expressive, connecting, and healthy for the body.

But more than anything else, dancing brings you directly into the present moment.

Go at it alone, with strangers, or with your closest tribe members.

Go to a dance club and let loose.

Throw your own private dance party.

Follow a dance instruction class on YouTube.

There are even video games that will get you dancing.

Attend an ecstatic dance class and give yourself permission to let go.

Play your favorite song and dance with friends, family, or a partner.

Whatever you choose, let go and just dance.

It will connect with the present moment and your anxiety of the future will fade into the past.

Shift States to feel:

Miles Rote

Your environment produces you.
So become the director.
#shiftstates