We often stress because we are trying to control every outcome. As author Ronald Shapiro noted, you can't tranquilize others' emotions or external events, but you can control your preparation. Sometimes the most tranquilizing thought is accepting that you’ve done all you can, and the rest is out of your hands. 4. Use Your Senses to De-escalate

The ancient practice of samatha aims to tranquilize the body and mind to bring the mind to total stillness.

Put the phone in another room. If you aren’t looking at the noise, it can’t shout at you.

In the wild, animals are tranquilized when they become a danger to themselves or others. In our lives, the "danger" is often internal. Is it a looming deadline? A social media spiral? Identifying the specific source of your agitation is the first step toward sedating it. 2. Practice "Samatha" (Mental Stillness)

Even a five-minute walk can act as a natural sedative for a frantic brain. The Takeaway