- Cuddle your pet
- Do 20 star jumps
- Drink warm milo
- Walk around your house
- Smell your favourite perfume
- Stretch as high as you can
- Try to touch your toes
- Sing
- Dance to an upbeat song
- Be silly
- Look at a photo of a happy time
- Have a shower
- Have a snack
- Draw something simple & silly
- Go outside
- Listen to the birds
- BREATHE slowly & deeply
- Play an instrument
- Talk to a friend
- Scream
- Fake laugh for two minutes
- Laugh at something funny
- Watch baby animals on youtube*
- Moisturise your skin
- Wash your face
- Pray
- Talk to your siblings
- Do something nice for someone
- Send someone a text saying you appreciate them*
- Pretend you’re 5 years old
- Cry
- Shake your body
- Draw every noise you hear
- Listen to upbeat music and try not to move
- Skip
- Roll your shoulders and your head
- Write a list of all the things you are looking forward to
- Write a list of all the things you can do to relieve stress
- Change your clothes into something more comfy
- Watch a K-Pop video and try to copy the dance moves*
- Visualise your life after the thing causing you stress is over
- Write a letter to yourself
- Meditate
- Remind yourself about times you have gotten through stress before
- Take control of unhelpful thoughts – rationalise panic
- Tell yourself you can do this
- Organise your workspace*
- Try to think of a vegetable for every letter of the alphabet
- Do nothing*
- Write a poem
- Write down all your thoughts and worries
- Brush your hair
- Brush your pet
- Rock yourself gently
- Ask your parents/siblings for a hug
- Smell the flowers in your garden
- Take a break
- Write a list of your strengths (what would your best friend say about you)
- Do 20 sit ups / press ups
- Make a list of everything you have to do, PRIORITISE them and put together a schedule
- Try to balance on one leg
- Do a handstand against a wall
- Identify the source of stress & problem solve it if you can – ask is this worth stressing over?
- Make a song up as you go along about being stressed
- Write out motivational quotes*
- Make fun of this list
- Do some calligraphy
- Close your eyes and listen to your breathing – try to slow it down as much as possible
- Blow bubbles
- Blow up balloons & whack them around your bedroom
- Lie on the floor and tense then relax all your muscles
- Ask for help…
*has the potential to send you into a procrastination spiral so stay away from if you cannot trust yourself.
Originally written for The Wallflower Project.
