The Little Book of Self-Soothing: 150 Ways To Manage Emotions, Relieve Stress, and Restore Calm

From the author of The Kindness Journal this is a tiny but mighty guide to making the best of uncomfortable situations. While self-care is a popular concept that involves integrating small but lasting habits that improve one’s life, self-soothing is a more on-demand skill set that’s useful to have when facing stress, sadness, or other adversity. Raven presents 150 unique suggestions for calming activities, many of which can be done any time, any place, and with minimal resources (just closed eyes and some mindful breathing). The brief, one-page activities range from physical to contemplative. While some of the suggestions aren’t necessarily innovative (e.g., “go for a walk in nature”), there are several creative new ways to soothe suggested, for example, enjoying a mindful food tasting. Going beyond simply soothing oneself, the author also suggests plenty of ways to share peace and build community with others. While intended for an adult audience, children could benefit from many of the exercises presented.