I can feel the water quickly move over my toes and up to my ankles as I breathe in. It’s a bit cold but feels nice on my hot and sandy feet. My toes sink into the wet sand leaving an imprint on the sand floor. The water recedes as I breathe out. I hear the waves rolling in and out, in and out. I hear a faint song from a seagull probably looking for a lost goldfish or discarded sandwich. I can smell the salty air as it moves through my nose to fill my lungs. The sun beats down on my face bringing more warmth to my body. My hair sweaty and salty from the heat and sea.

Does this sound relaxing and soothing? It is where I go when I am feeling overwhelmed and anxious. For many years now, I have brought the ocean and the waves to mind when feeling stressed. As I breathe in I imagine the waves rolling in and as I breathe out, the waves move out as well.

Bringing a safe and soothing place to your mind in times of stress is called safe place imagery. When we bring soothing images into our mind during moments of stress, it allows a healthy moment of distraction and may even allow us to feel a bit less overwhelmed. It may slow our heart rate and slow the release of the blood and stress hormones moving about our body.

What do you think your safe place would be? The warmth of a summer day? Laying under the trees with a cool breeze? Maybe even standing at the top of a mountain with your arms spread above you rejoicing in the glory of nature? Pause for a moment and find your safe place. Try bringing in all the 5 senses (images, smell, taste, sounds, sensations). If something negative comes to mind, gently push it out and continue to build your safe place. You can get as creative and detailed as you like! It’s your safe place after all. Next time you are stressed, try and find that place for a moment of calm.

Image Credit: Unsplash/Frank McKenna (@frankiefoto)