Calm Down corner

Ah, my calm down corner.

What first inspired me was learning about the helpfulness of providing young children a calm down corner and I realized there was nothing that precludes me from needing and having one for myself! So here’s where I go when I’m overstimulated and having big feelings when I’m at home.

Having a place to go to support emotional regulation has been surprisingly effective. And it’s somewhere that is separate from where I sit to eat, sleep, read, work, or watch tv.

And it’s MINE. No other butts.

Variations: if you need to double up on where you eat, sleep, read, work, or watch tv, that’s ok. You may create a distinction simply with your intention to calm down in that spot or also with other objects that are in that location to support and enhance the calming down.

For children, and, more adults are hip to this for themselves - calm down corners can be stocked with fidget toys or grounding objects. What is it that helps you in those SOS moments? For my nervous system, what I need in these moments is grounding so no fidgeting for me. This may include a blanket (consider a weighted blanket) or sandbag. Or maybe this is where I bring my tea (although in these moments I often need to beeline, not wait for the kettle to boil). A major SOS moment I 100% need sound so I will sit here as I settle while listening to ocean waves on the White Noise app or a spotify playlist that I intentionally curated to support me when I’m flipping out. A firm boundary for me here: if I bring my phone to this sacred spot, it needs to be on do not disturb and I’m not on it beyond sending those sounds to my earbuds.

Would love to hear how you adapt this. Enhancements I’m sure would include being by a window to look outside, next to happy houseplants, or with your cats and dogs.

< This is a bean bag and a yoga bolster.