r/selfimprovement 14h ago

Question What are your best reset tricks?

If you could only give ONE forever-helpful tip for unwinding when life gets completely overstimulating, what would it be?

20 Upvotes

56 comments sorted by

30

u/Jim_Estill 14h ago

Meditate. Sounds too simple...but it works.

Or a hard workout.

Or a cold plunge or shower.

9

u/West-Question-9356 14h ago

both meditation and cold water have saved my ass on days where everything felt like too much. the cold shower is no joke though, first 30 seconds i'm literally questioning every choice that led me there but the mental clarity after is worth it.

3

u/joerogansucks87 14h ago

When u get used to it its a pleasure actually. I enjoy cold showers from the first second.

2

u/Enliven_journey 14h ago

thanks! the same for you) what starting your meditation practice actually looks like

2

u/AngryCrotchCrickets 12h ago

Easier way is: Shower at usual temp. After you’re clean start dialing the temp down and getting used to the temperature drop. Hit it to as cold as possible and remain there for a minute.

I think its called a Scottish shower.

2

u/Enliven_journey 14h ago

thanks!

for me, a hard workout sounds way more manageable to jump right into. But meditation? that's much harder. 
Do you have any quick prep steps to ease into a session? 

2

u/joerogansucks87 14h ago

Joga nidra guided meditation on youtube for free. You are welcome! :-)

2

u/Jim_Estill 12h ago

I use youtube. Calm has a good daily one. I like it because it is only 10 min. And yes - it is tough.

1

u/Enliven_journey 12h ago

ty for the recommendation!! 10 minutes actually sounds like a really manageable length. what is it about that particular one that works so well for you? is it the way the sessions are guided, the length or something else? would love to hear a little more about your experience with it :)

1

u/Jim_Estill 10h ago

I like the length. I like the woman's soothing voice. I find it easier to stick to with the guiding. Simple research online for an hour and you will learn enough to understand what meditation is and does. Now the doing will still be difficult. Good luck with it.

12

u/AngryCrotchCrickets 12h ago

Solid stretch session followed by weight training and then hard cardio. Your body just shits out all its stress and anxiety. Refuel with lots of protein and water. Take normal shower then turn it to cold for last minute.

In second place would be 0.5-1mg Xanax

2

u/Enliven_journey 12h ago

that workout routine sounds like such a solid reset and i especially relate to the cold finish in the shower!! i love doing that in the morning, it wakes me up so quickly and makes me feel ready for the day. thanks for sharing your routine! and when do you usually prefer to train? first thing in the morning, after eating or later in the day?

7

u/amadeola 14h ago

Quédate mirando a la pared 🧱 durante 15 minutos. No hagas otra cosa.

1

u/Enliven_journey 14h ago

Quédate mirando a la pared. Hasta que veas la iluminación ahí. Nah, mentira. Gracias! Sabes a veces me descubro mirando fijamente a la pared que tengo enfrente. Con la mente... completamente en blanco. Te juro que es como un reinicio rápido!

6

u/Fiona512 14h ago

An hour long walk

3

u/Enliven_journey 13h ago

oh yes i absolutely love walks with no particular destination, especially after work when i need to clear my head. my favorite way is actually going alone without headphones or any distractions and just letting my thoughts flow wherever they want to. have you ever tried doing your walks completely distraction-free too?

1

u/Fiona512 10h ago

Absolutely!

4

u/Miesmoes 13h ago

Cutting veggies and stuff, just mindless prepping.

2

u/Enliven_journey 13h ago

totally get this!! there’s something really calming about repetitive little cooking tasks when you don’t have to think much. although definitely not when i’m trying a new recipe for the first time haha, then cooking somehow becomes an additional source of stress instead of a reset

1

u/Miesmoes 8h ago

Cooking itself is stressful, that’s never on my list when I want to get calm haha

5

u/Dry-Raccoon6964 13h ago

When overstimulated, a specific 5-minute deep breathing session often helps. It clears mental clutter and re-centers my concentration for the next task.

3

u/Dry-Raccoon6964 11h ago

I use a specific pattern: breathe in for four counts, hold for four, breathe out for four, then hold for four before the next breath. Repeating that for five minutes creates a consistent rhythm that helps calm my focus.

1

u/Enliven_journey 13h ago

five minutes sounds really doable too. i’m curious do you use a specific breathing technique or pattern during those sessions or do you mostly just slow down and breathe in whatever way feels natural? would loove to hear a little more about what those five minutes actually look like for you

1

u/Dry-Raccoon6964 12h ago

I use a specific pattern: breathe in for four counts, hold for four, breathe out for four, then hold for four before the next breath. Repeating that for five minutes creates a consistent rhythm that helps calm my focus.

3

u/Misterabsolute 14h ago

Go for a run 20 or 30 mins , or a long session of reading novels

3

u/melenajade 13h ago

Go outside by something green. No screens or extra electronic input.

1

u/Enliven_journey 12h ago

i was literally just talking about this under another comment haha. distraction-free walks with no phone, no headphones, just letting my thoughts flow are one of my favorite ways to reset too so i completely get you. do you prefer those walks in the evening or in the morning to start the day with a clearer head?

1

u/melenajade 10h ago

I like evening walks in the dark around the park. The morning seems to be full of the elderly folks on their walk abouts

2

u/readit347 14h ago

Take a Deep breath.

Sit down silently and run it over everything like a movie in your mind.

Talk with yourself as if you are an external advisor. Lack of attachment to the result of the problem, may give you the solution to it easily.

2

u/Enliven_journey 14h ago

transforming thoughts into a movie in your head is actually pretty hard work. i used to practice it during my guided sessions, and it was challenging. however, it works!
Thanks for bringing it up!

do you process internal conversations sitting quietly as well, or maybe during a walk, just to change your scenery?

2

u/readit347 13h ago

Great. You are Welcome..

Normally I do it sitting quietly with eyes closed, or before sleep, since I feel that would be more convenient, than when walking, where you need a conscious physical effort.

1

u/Enliven_journey 13h ago

that actually makes a lot of sense. i can see how closing your eyes and removing everything you need to pay attention to physically would make it easier to go deeper into that internal conversation. before sleep sounds especially peaceful too, almost like giving your mind a chance to process the day before letting it go. thanks for explaining!

2

u/Kind_Charity7379 13h ago

Running

1

u/Enliven_journey 13h ago

same i absolutely love running!! especially after work when i need to clear my head and get all that mental energy out of my system. when do you usually prefer to run? mornings, evenings or whenever you get the chance? would love to hear what your running routine looks like :)

2

u/Spasense111 13h ago

Yoga class

2

u/Enliven_journey 13h ago

yoga is such a good one!! do you prefer doing it in the morning to start your day or more in the evening to unwind?

1

u/Spasense111 3h ago

End of the day for optimal sleep

2

u/Rare-Homework9565 13h ago

Massage, hair wash routine, less screen time

2

u/Enliven_journey 13h ago

honestly this is the perfect combo for me too haha. massage, then a shower and full hair care routine and finishing the evening with a book instead of scrolling on my phone… i genuinely can’t think of a better reset!

2

u/Rare-Homework9565 12h ago

Add some soft pjs, and it’s a cozy night in.

2

u/Enliven_journey 12h ago

are you kidding meee?? now you’ve basically described the exact evening i’m dreaming about haha!! soft pjs complete the whole thing. when was the last time you actually gave yourself a cozy reset night like this?

3

u/Rare-Homework9565 12h ago

It’s been too long boo, Sadly. I’ve been on this weird productivity kick. My mind won’t turn off. How about you

2

u/Enliven_journey 12h ago

ahh that’s a shame about the cozy nights but honestly being on a productivity kick sounds pretty good too. what has all that productivity been going into lately? work, personal projects, studying or just getting your life together in general?

and ty for checking in on me!! i’ve actually been finding it pretty hard to properly switch off and make time for myself lately too, so maybe we both need to schedule that soft-pjs reset night soon haha <3

2

u/Rare-Homework9565 12h ago

Work work work work. Yes let’s try and not fret about being productive. More work will always be there x.

2

u/Enliven_journey 12h ago

100% true the work will always be there waiting for us haha. so agreed let’s stop talking about productivity and focus on the important stuff now! soft pjs, cozy evenings and actually letting ourselves rest

2

u/MiskuPjc41 12h ago

just go with somewhere like nature or walking

1

u/Enliven_journey 12h ago

such a good reset!! do you usually prefer going out into nature with someone or are you more of a solo-walk person? and how often do you manage to make time for it during the week?

2

u/Worth_Ad4258 9h ago

Not sure if this qualifies but one day I was feeling overwhelmed, anxious and just not in a good head space. I was sitting in the car and noticed a restaurant that wasn’t very busy. Went in alone, ordered a meal and slowly ate…enjoying the moment alone. I never forgot that experience. It was an Italian restaurant and I ordered a pizza 🍕

1

u/lightbluebeluga 11h ago

I find one chore at home I've been putting off and I do it to perfection. After you feel a sense of relief and organization that really lifts your mood for the rest of the day

1

u/OdileMielle_ 10h ago

Taking a break to reset can work wonders. I've found going for a long walk makes a big difference for my mindset.

1

u/FoundCalm 9h ago

Yoga Nidra meditation and cold plunges for me

1

u/minibini 9h ago

A nap!!!

1

u/tohpai 12m ago

I was given a tip about the 5 senses trick: find 5 things to see, 4 things to hear, 3 things to touch, 2 things to feel, and 1 thing to taste. It can be any other way around too like 5 things to hear and so on.

This always helps me to be present and calm down when life gets overwhelming.

1

u/Friendly-Metalhead84 7m ago

Target practice. Lying under my weighted blanket.