Slow Down, Breathe, & Smile

The world can be an overwhelming place to adventure, especially with a visual impairment. There are several ways to self soothe and calm down when overwhelmed.

Take a Moment to Control Your Breathing

Any time Dorlyn starts to feel overwhelmed by the world and the current adventure, she takes a moment to focus on her breathing and works to control it. Try taking three deep breaths; if possible, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. This exercise can be used anywhere at any time. You can take time to do this anywhere you are. If you are moving, consider taking a step to the side so you are out of the way, stopping, and taking control of your breath. If the three breaths are enough to calm your nerves, wonderful, but if you need a little more calming, try breathing in for three counts, holding the breath for four counts, and then exhaling for five counts. Repeat this pattern for several cycles, or until you feel less stress, more centered, and can continue on the adventure.

Engage Your Parasympathetic Nervous System

You may be familiar with the sympathetic nervous system; it controls our fight, flight, or freeze instincts when danger is perceived. The opposite of these responses, which soothe us, is controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system. To engage this, you must cross your hemispheres. This can be done by placing your hands on the opposite upper arms. So your right hand should be resting on your left upper arm and your left hand should be resting on your right upper arm. Then rub your hands up and down along your upper arms. The friend who let Dorlyn in on this life hack pointed out that you simply look like you are a bit cold to an outside observer, but you are engaging a powerful inner system to allow you to calm your nerves. Dorlyn will hook her cane inside her crossed arms as she does this. Another way of crossing your hemispheres is done by rocking your hips side to side in a figure eight. Stand with your feet planted about shoulder width apart and begin moving your hips in a figure eight motion. This movement is similar to the motion people use when rocking a baby to sleep.

Smile

The simple act of smiling triggers the release of dopamine in our brains. This endorphine makes us feel happier and less anxious. Putting on a half Buddha smile can made a bus ride less stressful. It can be particularly helpful to put the smile on you catch yourself getting overwhelmed by the next steps of a journey. Smiling also seems to attract positive vibes from the world around us and the people we come across.

Just Keep Swinging

It can be very helpful to adopt a mantra, or a phrase you say to yourself when you need to refocus and calm the mind. Ever a fan of animated movies and Pixar, Dorlyn adopted, and then slightly altered, the mantra of Dory, the forgetful blue fish from the movies Finding Nemo and Finding Dory. Just Keep Swimming, a reminder a keep moving forward and to not become discouraged because you are unsure of exactly where you are, is so fitting for blind adventuring! Now combine this with the back and forth swinging of the cane, and you get Dorlyn's adaptation.... Just Keep Swinging.