What do you do to keep calm?

Have twins.

After that not much phases you and keeping calm is not particularly difficult.

eg: I was asked in an interview to list 3 of the hardest things I've ever done. My third item was toilet training twins, and I assure you when the full answer is given, there is no doubt about skills relating determination, commitment, organisation, over coming adversity, rebuilding after set backs, strategization, knowing when to seek additional support, empowering team members, establishing goal oriented reward systems, and managing competing demands.

 

Not exactly a solution everyone can implement

 

Personally I try to be less 'reactive' (emotional response) and more considered - slow down a bit.

 

nor would I actually recommend it!

 

"Trying" for twins might be a good way to reduce stress and keep calm though

 

Same as @NHG : keep the big picture in mind. Understand that the small frustrating situation in front of me is just one moment of one part of one strategy to achieve one subgoal that helps me achieve one of my big goals.

 

I’ve just been dropped home after a long lunch with my lovely wife at the local craft brewery. After sheer determination to try all beers on tap I have to confess to feeling very calm at the moment.

 

The longer I live, the calmer I become ...

 

Go hit something! - that is a metaphor

 

I took it literally.

6 weeks since my boxing match.
4 weeks of pain and anti-inflammatory meds.

I lost.
He's fine.

Was a great way to get my mind off stress and anxiety:

 

When all else fails, I reach for one of these:

Spoiler: The Cure

 

Get yourself a golden retriever.
No matter what, taking him for a walk removes every stress in the world!

 

If beer doesn’t work I cuddle our chickens.

 

Complex issue. I've been told by some I appear calm but it isn't true. Maybe externally it's the case but it isn't internally. In a group I do listen to what others have to say and yet while I tend to nod in apparent agreement underneath I know what I would really like to say but figure it isn't worth the effort - or is it the other person is not worth the effort? It causes me some turmoil and I think I get do get stressed over it.

I get that out of my system by reading, playing a little music (badly) or heading out to one of the wonderful open spaces available around Canberra. And that is what I am going to do shortly. Thermos of coffee, a couple of cold sausage sangers (no onion ) for a few hours at Tidbinbilla. Quiet time physically and for the soul.

 

I think Im missing a few nerve fibres in my body, I get easily annoyed in small things
eg rude people, getting cut off while driving, bad drivers, liars,

but I never get angry to a point where I need to calm down

 

Like @inertia - have kids to worry about.....
It changes your perspective....
Things that used to be an issue have faded to nothing...

 

... or picture drowning the person in it

I'm a bit like one of the other posters ... I have a short fuse where I got fphtt in a mild sort of way, and then it's all over and take not further action/steps

 

A bike ride around the entire lake followed by an afternoon session at Filthy McFaddens Irish Bar worked well for us. Very calming indeed.

What’s with the COLD sausages and god forbid NO onions? Can’t you take a small gas burner and a frying pan for some decent hot, freshly cooked sausages and onion. Just the thought of what you’re doing has me traumatised. And I thought the onion on the bottom of the sausage Sanger was traumatic enough. Not I’m stressed. Time for a beer meditation. In fact I’m thinking of joining a beer yoga / meditation class for greater mastery.