There’s a moment, early in a flare, when the world contracts around your pelvis and your breath follows suit. You’ve tried pushing through—text messages half-typed, to-do lists ignored—but sometimes the fiercest thing you can do is pause, drop the weight of expectation, and find a sliver of stillness.

Slow the breath, steady the storm

Sit or lie down somewhere soft. Close your eyes and place one hand on your belly, one on your collarbone. Inhale for four counts—feel your ribs expand beneath your palm. Exhale for six—let your shoulders soften. Repeat, letting each cycle of breath ground you deeper into the moment. Even three full breaths can interrupt the panic of pain.

Warmth as an anchor

A heating pad, a hot water bottle, a warm bath—heat reaches the places cold can’t touch. Lean into it. Notice how the warmth seeps into your muscles, loosens the tension in your back, and offers a gentle reminder that your body is still on your side. If you can, wrap yourself in a soft blanket afterward, carrying that ember of comfort with you.

A word for the weight

Pain can feel like a roaring lion in your mind. Sometimes naming it—“Hello, Lion”—creates a sliver of distance. Write it down in a journal or type it in your phone:

“Lion: fierce cramp in right side.”

“Lion: brain fog dragging me down.”

Then set it aside. You’ve given it form, and now you can return your focus to something kinder: a line of a favorite song, the memory of a friend’s laugh, or the rhythm of your next inhale.

Gentle movement, soft resets

When you’re able, try a slow stretch or tiny walk—just a few steps to change the view. Inhale as you reach arms overhead; exhale as you fold forward. No goal, no intensity—just the reminder that your body can still carry you, even gently.

You’re not alone in this stillness.

If these practices bring even a moment’s calm, save this post. Try one tomorrow, and let me know which helped you ground. Share your own ritual in the comments: a poem you whisper, a song you hum, a sip of tea you cradle. Together we build a quiet harbor in the middle of our storms.

— Elyn