Finding My Way Back to Calm

This past weekend I got to spend time with family at the beach. It was something we had been planning and looking forward to for months. But by the time I arrived, I was frazzled and overwhelmed; the travel, the hunt for parking, the general busyness of the week before had all caught up with me.

My head was pounding, even though I'd eaten and taken something for the pain. All I wanted was to walk the surf alone and shake off the stress.

I wasn't disappointed.

It didn't take long before I was breathing easier, my headache had faded, and I was texting the family about the tide pools I'd found so they could come join me.

But it wasn't just the walk, or the time alone, that helped. It was being next to the water itself.

View from the tidal pools looking back toward where my family was.

I recently learned that moving water and crashing waves release negative ions into the air, and studies suggest this may improve oxygen flow and breathing. That's not all, either. Natural water settings can shift our nervous systems out of stress mode and into a calmer state. The rhythmic sound of waves or a trickling creek can slow our heart rate. Some research even links time near water to a boost in feel-good chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin.

So, it was no accident that after a few minutes on that beach, I was ready to rejoin my family and actually enjoy our time together.

I have a small tub pond with a little fountain just outside my back door, and some days, just stepping onto the porch for a moment is enough to reset me.

Where's your nearest water? The next time you're feeling overwhelmed, see if you can get to it: a creek, a fountain, even a pond in a park. It might be all it takes. Try it out and let me know how it goes.