If you struggle with anxiety or worry on a regular basis, these 80 simple mindful activities are something you can try to help you calm your thoughts and enjoy the day more fully!
I’ve always been a worrier, and I have seen firsthand how difficult it can be to cope with thoughts that give you anxiety or depression.
I know that, in the moment, there is no real solution.
Sometimes we feel these emotions because of a particular situation that is happening in our lives. But other times, we just feel that way because that is how our body decided to feel.
No matter what the reason, your emotions are valid and should not be ignored or brushed off.
Before anything else, don’t feel weak or guilty because of the emotions you are experiencing.
We are human, and there is a season for every emotion, not just happiness.
It’s definitely important to recognize these emotions and to accept them, but it is also good to do things to try to help them along.
Though we can’t always make ourselves feel all better, we can help feed our body good things to help it return to a more peaceful state of mind.
I’ve got 80 ideas for you that you can use to help calm your emotions. Some are meant to be relaxing, while others are meant to challenge and encourage you.
A few of these ideas are things that you would implement over a long period of time, while others are something you can do quickly.
You can pick and choose what activities seem right depending on your personal situation and what you feel like doing.
I hope that you find something in this list of ideas that can help you feel at least a little more comfort during this time.
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How do you create a mindfulness activity?
Mindful activities don’t actually take much to achieve. In fact, the main point of any mindfulness activity is that you are doing less, not more.
To create a mindfulness activity, you basically just need to involve yourself so deeply in the activity that you are only focusing on that one moment. You’ve achieved mindfulness when you are no longer dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
Instead, you are fully invested in the present moment.
All of the mindful activities shared below help to foster that presence of mind but if you bring distractions with you (like trying to multitask or by focusing on your phone the whole time), then these activities won’t help much.
In order to make them mindful, you need to make sure that you are focusing all of your attention on them.
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Mindfulness activities that will help you with your anxiety and worry
Mindful activities that involve spending time with nature
Some ways that you can calm your mind and your body involve interacting with nature.
There is something so healing about surrounding yourself with the creations of the world.
It is a nice reminder that the God who cares so deeply for every plant and creature cares about you, too!
#1: Go for a walk
#2: Tend to your garden or care for your indoor plants
#3: Sit in your favourite landscape, whether it is the beach or the forest or your local park
#4: Pick some flowers and decorate your home with them
#5: Spend some time with animals
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Mindfulness activities that involve taking care of your body
I’ve noticed that whenever I get upset, my body starts to fall apart because I stop caring for it.
As a result, I end up in a deeper funk.
Not only am I sad, but I feel gross, I’m self-conscious, and my body aches from lack of movement.
You can at least stop yourself from falling deeper into a slump if you push yourself to care for your body.
Find ways to calm your mind with soothing care for your body!
#7: Give yourself a manicure or a pedicure
#8: Go for a run
#9: Do a restorative yoga session or simply do some stretches
#10: Dance to your favourite music
#11: Do a face mask or a hair mask
#12: Take a relaxing bath
#13: Have a restorative shower
#14: Give yourself a massage
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Mindful activities that involve spending time with loved ones
Sometimes all you need in order to feel better is a distraction.
Being with friends and family who can lift you up is a great way to help you through difficult emotions.
And if big groups aren’t your style, going out with one friend who you can confide in is another great way to get help.
#15: Have a night out with friends
#16: Go out with a friend for coffee and just chat (learn how to do a proper Swedish coffee break)
#17: Spend time with family
#18: Volunteer for something
#19: Send a letter to a friend or someone who needs encouragement.
#20: Go to an event and meet someone new
#21: People-watch at a café, mall, or park
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Mindfulness activities that involve doing something creative
When emotions get a little out of control, it can be helpful to sit down and simply create something.
Creativity offers some easy ways to calm your emotions when nothing else can.
Additionally, at the end of your session, you have a beautiful masterpiece to enjoy! It can also serve to give you a sense of control when everything else seems to be spinning around you.
#22: Play or listen to music- make sure it’s something uplifting!
#23: Write in a journal or write a story/poem/song
#24: Draw
#25: Paint
#26: Make zentangles or do an adult colouring book
#27: Knit, Crochet, or Embroider something
#28: Go on a Photography Walk (go on a walk for the sole purpose of taking pictures)
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Mindful activities that involve healing your spirit
When you are going through a difficult time, it helps to engage with God and his Word.
It is a good way to refocus our minds on the things that truly matter.
By spending time engaging in Christian material, you can feel comforted by God’s presence and assured that you are cared for.
#29: Pray
#30: Read the Bible, particularly the New Testament (or Job)
#31: Join a small group or a Bible study
#32: Listen to a Christian podcast
#33: Get encouragement from a Christian Youtuber
#34: Read a book from a Christian author
#35: Practice “Grounding“
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Mindful activities that involve freshening up your routine
Sometimes our emotions make us feel like we’re stuck in a rut.
Doing the same things every day can start to feel monotonous and stifling.
If your emotions are coming from this struggle, it might be time to switch up your routine. It helps things feel a little newer without much extra time or effort.
Some of these ways to calm your anxieties might also be good things to implement long-term!
#36: Add morning pages to your routine
#37: Do weekly brain dumps
#38: Do a Morning Brainwash daily
#39: Correct your sleep habits or readjust them
#40: Give yourself an hour of self-care time every day
#41: Switch up your morning routine
#42: Add a fun activity to do on your lunch break
#43: Do an activity you normally save for the weekend or special occasions
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Mindfulness activities that involve exercising your brain
Doing something to challenge yourself might be exactly what you need in order to help you through a tough time.
It is always a good idea to do things that help train your brain, and this could be a good time to focus on it.
It can feel nice to accomplish something, however small, when you are feeling a little helpless.
#44: Learn more about your MBTI type (aka Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator)
#45: Read a psychology or self-help book
#46: Learn something new about your current hobby
#47: Practice a new skill
#48: Re-learn an old skill that you have trouble with now (something you used to know how to do, but forgot because of lack of practice).
#49: Enroll in a class
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Mindful activities that involve nourishing your body with food
This is another area that is so easy to forget about.
When some people are feeling low, they overeat, snacking on whatever is around.
In contrast, other people forget to eat when they are feeling upset.
For those in the latter position, I would recommend boiling a bunch of eggs and having them on hand. If you don’t want to eat, have one or two eggs as a meal replacement. This way, you don’t have to add “malnourished” to the list of things you are feeling.
I have personally struggled with this, and I found that having some hard-boiled eggs at the ready was a good alternative to not eating at all.
For those who overeat, some of the ideas I have below will be helpful. They are supposed to help you re-center on eating intentionally rather than snacking on foods that might be making you feel worse.
#50: Try making a new recipe you’ve had your eye on
#51: Make a healthy comfort recipe of yours (maybe a stew or a homemade mac and cheese recipe)
#52: Do a detox (cut out something that is making you feel bad. Maybe that’s sugar, caffeine, lactose, etc.)
#53: Take extra time to make your table and your meal look delicious
#54: Bake some treats and give them to friends and neighbours
#55: Cook a meal with a friend and enjoy eating that meal together
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Mindful activities that involve doing a simple productive task
There are productive tasks that you do daily that get a little…tiresome over time.
On the other hand, there are some productive tasks that make you feel like you just conquered the world!
I know you know what I’m talking about.
They’re different for everyone, but I’ve got a few ways to calm your nerves just by doing some of these tasks.
#57: Organize any papers that are starting to pile up
#58: Go through your email and arrange everything so that it’s clean again.
#59: Organize your phone
#60: Find items you want to donate
#61: Run an errand that has been on your to-do list for a while now
#62: Wash your bed sheets so you have a fresh bed to sleep in
#63: Re-arrange your furniture or any small pieces of décor
#64: Create a new learning goal for yourself
#65: Create a vision board (you can do a physical one or make one on Pinterest)
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Mindful activities that involve doing something that’s just plain fun!
In this list, I have ways to calm your mind that mostly involve chilling out and having a good time.
However, this portion comes with a warning.
If you take ideas exclusively from this area, you run the risk of being upset with the way you chose to spend your time. They are activities that are good in moderation, but over longer periods of time might be detrimental to your wellness.
So use these particular ideas with CAUTION. Be careful that you are being intentional with your time and are not ignoring the other areas of your life that need attention.
#66: Watch a sitcom or a funny movie- something to make you laugh
#67: Watch your favourite, most comforting Youtubers
#68: Scroll inspirational boards on Pinterest (you can follow mine here)
#69: Listen to an entertaining podcast
#70: Go to bed early (ONLY do this one if you are genuinely tired)
#71: Play a board game
#72: Do a puzzle
#73: Play a videogame
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Mindfulness activities that involve inviting joy and gratitude into your life
Sometimes when I’m upset, it is made worse by my horrible thoughts. If I continue to stay in my own head, my mood is just going to get worse and worse.
As much as I kick and scream, when I am forced to be around other people and engage in joyful conversation, I catch myself getting happier.
Now, this doesn’t always happen, but it happens enough that it’s usually worth a try.
These next ways to calm your worries are all about inviting joy and gratitude so that they might influence your mood a little bit.
#74: Sit down with a warm drink and make an effort to notice its warmth and comfort
#75: Light a candle and watch the way it dances. Let yourself get lost in it
#76: Bask in the sun, taking note of the sensation as it touches your skin
#77: Smile, and keep smiling until it becomes real
#78: Practice gratitude by noticing things you are grateful for
#79: Think of times in the past that you have felt this way, and notice how it was solved
#80: Imagine how you will feel 10 years from now about this day. Will you still be upset? Will you even remember it?
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I hope that some of these ways to calm your worries and anxieties can help you today and in the future. Everyone deals with emotions differently, but if you try enough things, eventually you will find what helps you.
And in the meantime, just know that this, too, shall pass.
Everything has its season, and soon you will move on to the next. Take care of your body and your mind, let people help you, and NEVER feel guilty for feeling the way you do.
What activities do you do to practice mindfulness and calm your mind?
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