How to make a self-soothe box

I always keep a few photos of people or places that have only positive memories attached to them. This acts as a reminder that my life is made up of different elements – not just the mindset that I find myself in at that specific time. It reminds me that there are people who I can turn to and also that new opportunities await.

If you don’t have pictures, you could keep a nostalgic item that encourages a similar thought process. In my box is a book that I wrote when I was four years old, filled with accounts of my favourite things and days out with friends and family. It's a really nice way to remind yourself how far you have come and how far you are capable of going.

Recognising the simplicity of growing older and progressing can help to reduce the pressure to constantly achieve and improve, which often helps with the initial feelings of anxiety or panic.

I find that music alone can have a really positive affect on my emotional wellbeing. I keep a little wind-up music box in my kit. It’s a really simple way to play music that doesn’t require access to a phone or laptop.

Of course, it's advised to pick music that is calming and has a solid beat to help you breathe slowly and steadily. Slowing your breathing to a steady pace can help you relax if you are feeling stressed.

Alternatively keeping some earphones and making an easy-to-access, calming playlist on your phone is a nice, easy way of finding music to listen to.

This is entirely personal to each individual. I made up a load of little cards and wrote down my favourite uplifting quotes from films, books, poets and accounts that I follow on Pinterest and Instagram. Some people like to read their positive affirmations out loud to themselves.

I also keep letters and postcards that I have received from friends, family and teachers. Being able to see your positive attributes written down in physical form from the perspective of others can be really reassuring.

This is particularly helpful if you are prone to feeling strong emotions around attachment and detachment of loved ones when struggling.

Having an activity to complete can really help you self-soothe. Reading and colouring in are the more obvious options and both of these work for me. You can find plenty of inexpensive beautiful colouring books, pretty much anywhere nowadays - The Works, Amazon and Waterstones all have a good variety to choose from. You can also find a lot of printable colouring sheets online. I keep some colouring pencils and a pad to fill in.