I’ve got some bad news.  I don’t think chaos ever really dies in our lives.  At best, it quiets down to a manageable level.  Maybe for a time it goes underground and perhaps lies dormant – but only for a time.  It can – and will – reappear at any given moment or season in our lives.

Hence today’s “holiday:”  Chaos Never Dies Day

Yes, that’s really a thing. (A made-up thing, but a thing nonetheless.)

I’ll be honest, the fact that someone actually named a day – November 9th each year – as “Chaos Never Dies Day” just makes me laugh and shake my head.  How true it is… so why not “celebrate?!”

How?  I’ve got five suggestions for you!  Oh and by the way… these are pretty good suggestions for managing the chaos every day, not just on November 9th.

Breathe in….

How about we start with a big, deep breath?  Never underestimate the power of breathing, especially breathing slowly and deeply.  If chaos is running you ragged right now, here are two breathing tricks I use often that might help:

1. Box breathing:  Imagine tracing the outside of a square.  Start in the lower left corner… inhale for 4 counts while going up the left side, hold for 4 counts going across the top, exhale for 4 counts going down the right side, and hold for 4 counts going back to the starting corner.  Repeat as needed – at least 3 times…. 5 is better.   

2. Belly breathing:  If chaos really has your mind, heart rate and breathing racing, lay down on your back and place your hand on your belly.  Focus on taking deep breaths that fill your entire lungs and belly.  When we lay on our backs, we can’t help but breathe deeply with our diaphragm.  When we’re stressed, we tend to start breathing only in our upper lungs.  (You can notice this by how much your shoulders move when you’re breathing.  Belly breaths don’t move our shoulders.)  Deep “diaphragm-moving” breaths are what slow us down and help to create calm – even in chaos.

Prayer, Mindfulness, and Gratitude

Deep, slow breathing is often a component of – a way of entering into – prayer, meditation, or mindfulness practices.  Whatever your spiritual connection or religious tradition, try some practices that might work for you.  Breath prayer, mantras, centering prayer, and so many more can be practiced even in a short time. 

I suggest that you pick one option and try it for a time (a week, a month).  If it doesn’t work for you, just try something else. 

You might also try to incorporate a gratitude practice. Whether it’s simply calling to mind specific things that you are grateful for, or actually writing them in a gratitude journal (or app on your phone), gratitude has been proven to be one of the best supports for mental health and a simple, yet powerful to re-frame our mindset and emotional state when facing stress and challenges.

Nature

There’s something about being closer to the natural world that can help regulate our emotions and mental state.  Even if it’s just a short walk outside, simply breathing “different air” (with those deep, diaghragm-moving breaths!) can be the respite we need from chaos. 

I know that I can walk around my block in ten minutes.  So on days that feel chaotic, and it’s awfully “loud in my head,” I press “pause” on all the work to be done and go for a quick walk.  Those ten minutes of moving my body, seeing elements of nature, and refreshing the air in my body help me mentally sort out the competing priorities or boiling emotions so that I can be more effective in managing things when I return.

Lean on a Loved One

We weren’t created to go through this life alone.  Sometimes one of the most powerful ways to manage the chaos that never dies is to spend time with family or friends.  Sure, sometimes the chaos of our lives is precisely what prevents us from spending as much time as we’d like with those we love, but I’m confident that you can find between 5-30 minutes to call or FaceTime with a friend or family member.  (Not just text!)  Just hearing the voice of someone who cares about us and having a chance to vent about our chaos and stress can help us move forward. 

And remember – chaos never dies for any of us, so they’re likely dealing with their own stuff.  By returning the favor and listening to them, maybe you can help them release some of their swirl and take their own next steps!

My favorite suggestion of all… Cancel Chaos

If chaos never dies, then the only way out is through.  It’s not enough to pause and regain our composure or positive thinking.  We need to do all of that AND create a plan to move through it.  So this last suggestion is all about cancelling the impact of chaos by Overcoming Overwhelm and Unsticking Stuck. 

This process is bigger than a blog post, so I’ve created a free mini-course to walk you through it step-by-step.  Don’t worry – it’s not hard, it’s not too long, there’s no homework, and it won’t add to the chaos!! 

It WILL give you a powerful weapon against chaos that you can use again and again to cancel its power over your life.

Click here to access this free training.  Watch or listen to it when you have a few minutes.  The minutes you invest in this mini-course will give you back so much of the time you’d otherwise spend feeling paralyzed by overwhelm or swirling in stuck.

If you ask me, learning a way to cancel chaos and take back your life is one of the best ways to celebrate Chaos Never Dies Day!

What steps will you take?

Chaos never dies.  But it can be managed – with breathing, prayer, gratitude, nature, loved ones.  It can even be cancelled in a few easy steps.

So what will you do on Chaos Never Dies Day (and any day that chaos seems to reign in your life)?

What level of chaos are you in at the moment? 

Which of these suggestions will you try today?  What about tomorrow?

And since sharing is caring…

• Share forward…. Who is one person in your life who is neck-deep in their own chaos?  Would you share this email/blog with them?

• Share back… What are your tried-and-true techniques for managing chaos in your own life?  Share back with me by sending me an email or leaving a comment!