3 Ideas to Find Calm in a Queue

Are you stuck in a queue? How can you find calm in the situation? Today we seem to be even more intolerant of delays in our everyday lives.

So here are 3 ideas to help you to find calm in a queue.

You might be at the supermarket or any shop, the bank or the bus stop. Use these enforced pauses to be more mindful and get into a balanced, calm and peaceful space.

You don’t believe me? Here’s how to find calm in a queue.

Be thankful and find calm

1. Firstly, be thankful for the chance to be still. This could be the first opportunity your body has had to stop flying around all day!

You might notice that you are getting cross at this delay, in fact, not just cross, furious! If you observe this is happening you are being mindfully aware! This fury sends a chemical rush of stress hormones around your body – so it’s best to move your thoughts elsewhere.

Your default setting might be to reach for your mobile phone to start texting. Instead, make the most of this opportunity to reduce stress.

Bring your mindful awareness to your body by feeling into your feet. Wriggle each toe and get a sense of both feet connected to the ground.

Focus and find calm

2. Next, focus on your breathing. You may notice that your breathing is shallow and fast because you’ve been rushing around.

Now you have stopped still, you can control your breath by slowing it down. This tells your brain that you are relaxing. It may only be for a few moments, but it’s enough to invite your body to relax.

So you will start to feel more balanced and relaxed as your body introduces feel-good endorphins. You might be feeling happy enough to stand in the queue for a lot longer by now!

Visualise calm

3. Additionally, the last thing you can focus on is visualising deep breaths.

Imagine that they roll right up from the earth, through your feet and out of your nose, then back down your nose through your body and out of your feet. Focus on your breaths as they move up and down, in and out.

If you are feeling particularly stressed, you can tie in your breaths with a phrase, ‘I breathe in calm’ and ‘I breathe out tension’.

At last! It’s time to move on so you can take your renewed balance and calm with you!

Happy queuing!

Yvette Jane – Mindfulness and Meditation Guide

First published November 2014