Are You Mad at Me?: How to Stop Focusing on What Others Think and Start Living for You

by Meg Josephson

making a sound with your vocal cords. Your voice will create a soft buzzing sound, and this vibration stimulates your vagus nerve. The same is true for singing or chanting, because the larynx, or the voice box, is connected to the vagus nerve. BE IN NATURE. It almost feels clichéd to say this because so much research shows the grounding effect of immersing ourselves in nature—yet we don’t even need research to know that. We feel it. Since our bodies are part of nature, by spending time in nature we’re really just returning to ourselves. Access nature in a way that’s possible for you. When I was living in New York City, I’d find a patch of grass to lie on at a local park, and I would track the phases of the moon as a way to feel connected. PLACE YOUR HAND WHERE THE TENSION IS. Studies have shown again and again how effective touch is in alleviating stress, and this benefit also comes from self-touch. Put your hand on your chest when you feel tension there; place your palm on your throat when you feel tightness. Breathe deeply.