Have you ever shaken a snow globe?
For a few moments, everything inside it is swirling.
You can’t really see what’s behind all those tiny pieces floating around. The more movement there is, the harder it becomes to see clearly.
But then something happens.
You put it down.
And slowly, everything begins to settle.
The scene that was there all along becomes visible again.
I sometimes think our minds are a little like that.
When life feels busy, stressful, uncertain or simply loud, our thoughts can start swirling too.
What needs to get done?
What did I forget?
Who needs something from me?
What if this doesn’t work out?
What do I need to fix next?
And when enough thoughts are moving at the same time, we may start believing that the solution is to move faster.
Do more.
Think harder.
Solve everything immediately.
But sometimes the opposite is what we need.
Sometimes, we need to let the snow settle.
Calm Doesn’t Mean Nothing Is Happening
I think we sometimes have an unrealistic picture of calm.
We imagine calm as a quiet room, an empty calendar, a peaceful vacation or a life in which everyone around us is cooperating beautifully.
Wouldn’t that be lovely?
But that’s not always real life.
There are deadlines.
There are family responsibilities.
There are difficult conversations.
There are unexpected changes.
There are seasons when a lot is happening at once.
Calm isn’t necessarily the absence of challenge.
Calm can be the way we choose to meet the challenge.
It can be the space between something happening and our response.
It can be one deep breath before answering.
It can be remembering that not everything needs to be solved this second.
It can be asking yourself:
What do I actually need right now?
1. Pause Before You Try to Fix Everything
When we’re stressed, there can be an urgency to make the feeling go away.
So we start fixing.
Planning.
Doing.
Scrolling.
Overthinking.
Talking ourselves in circles.
Instead, what if you paused long enough to notice what is actually happening?
You might simply say:
I’m feeling overwhelmed right now.
Not, “Everything is a disaster.”
Not, “I can’t handle this.”
Just an honest observation.
I’m feeling overwhelmed.
That tiny shift matters.
You are no longer inside the swirl quite as much.
You are noticing it.
And awareness gives you choice.
2. Come Back to Your Body
Our bodies often know we’re stressed before our thinking mind catches up.
Maybe your shoulders are tight.
Maybe your jaw is clenched.
Maybe your breathing has become shallow.
Maybe you’re rushing through everything without even realizing you’re rushing.
Try something incredibly simple.
Take one slower breath.
Drop your shoulders.
Unclench your jaw.
Put your feet on the ground.
Feel the floor with your big toes.
Give your nervous system a moment to receive the message:
I am here.
You don’t have to solve your whole life with one breath.
You are simply creating a little more space.
And sometimes, that is enough to change what happens next.
3. Ask Yourself What You Want
One of the most powerful questions I come back to again and again is:
What do I want?
When we’re stressed, our attention can become completely absorbed by what we don’t want.
I don’t want this problem.
I don’t want to feel this way.
I don’t want them to react like that.
I don’t want this to go wrong.
Our minds can become very good at rehearsing the unwanted outcome.
So gently redirect.
What do you want instead?
Do you want to feel grounded?
Do you want clarity?
Do you want to communicate calmly?
Do you want to handle the situation with confidence?
Do you want to focus on what is actually within your control?
You don’t have to pretend the challenge isn’t there.
You are simply choosing where you want to place your energy.
4. Make Calm Smaller
Sometimes we make calm another impossible goal.
“I need to stop being stressed.”
That’s a lot of pressure.
What if you made it smaller?
Instead of asking:
How can I become completely calm?
Ask:
What would help me feel 5% calmer right now?
Maybe it’s stepping outside.
Maybe it’s smiling big and looking up at the ceiling.
Maybe it’s closing your laptop for ten minutes.
Maybe it’s breathing.
Maybe it’s turning off notifications.
Maybe it’s asking for help.
Maybe it’s saying no.
Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to finish one thing before starting another.
Small shifts matter.
In fact, many of the changes that transform our lives begin as very small choices repeated consistently.
You Can Become the Place You Return To
There will always be moments when life shakes the snow globe.
That’s part of being human.
The goal isn’t to never experience stress.
The goal isn’t to control everything happening around you.
The invitation is to become better at coming back to yourself.
Back to your breath.
Back to your values.
Back to what matters.
Back to what you can control.
Back to the part of you that already knows more than the noise sometimes allows you to hear.
Perhaps calm isn’t somewhere we finally arrive.
Perhaps calm is something we practice returning to.
Again.
And again.
And again.
A Small Reflection
The next time life feels loud, ask yourself:
What would help me feel a little more grounded right now?
Then listen.
You may already know.
Ready for More Inner Calm and Alignment?
If you are craving a consistent space to slow down, reconnect with yourself, receive coaching and intentionally focus on the life you want to create, the Inner Alignment Collective was designed with exactly that in mind.
It’s an uplifting space for ongoing growth, reflection, coaching and inner connection.
Learn more about the Inner Alignment Collective through Ballantyne Coaching and discover what it could look like to make your own inner alignment a priority.
About Amy Ballantyne
Amy Ballantyne is a 2x TEDx Speaker, Executive Life Coach, corporate trainer, team culture builder, author and accredited coach trainer. Through Ballantyne Coaching, she supports leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs and organizations in creating meaningful and lasting change from the inside out.
Amy is an ICF-credentialed coach and Certified Executive Coach, as well as a Board-Certified Trainer and Coach of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Hypnosis and Creating Your Future Coaching Techniques®. She is also a certified Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, Coach Practitioner of Imposter Syndrome and Advanced Wellness Coach. Most recently, Amy became an accredited coach trainer and now certifies NLP Coaches.
Her work focuses on intentional thinking, resilience, emotional intelligence, confidence, worthiness, workplace wellness and work-life harmony. Through executive, life, breakthrough and wellness coaching, Amy uses a whole-person approach to help clients shift limiting patterns, reduce stress, strengthen confidence and reconnect with their own inner resources.
Amy is the bestselling author of Celebrate Yourself: Become Your Own Cheerleader Through Mastering the Art of Self-Love and Unshakeable Confidence. Available here.
She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and three athletic kids and can often be found at a ballpark, hockey rink or dance competition. She also enjoys reading, meditation and spending time in nature.