The Psalmist had the perfect idea when he sand of “green pastures” and “still waters.” There is something especially soothing about pastoral scenes and views of tranquil water. Many nervous people find it soothing to look at an aquarium with tropical fish swimming about in it. The newest of these is a fish bowl which hangs on the wall like a picture.
There you have two ideas, but it’s a personal matter. Maybe watching fish will make you hungry, and a water scene may stir up memories of the time you nearly drowned! You must choose your own decorations, but try to choose the most restful you can find.
We are on safer ground with color. Green and blue-green are generally the most soothing colors. They are a good choice for the tense person unless they involve a dispute with other members of the family. Blue also is s sedative color, but too much can go too far. We speak of being “blue” for good reason; the color tends to be depressing.
Red is all right, but for the game room where you want to get up a lot of steam. It’s for stimulation, not sedation. As for yellow and orange, they can cheer you up. But they aren’t very likely to calm you down.
Don’t over look the effect of words. If you doubt the effect that word can have upon you, just look back to the letter which gave you bad news. And to another which raised your spirits sky-high! Just words, but they gave you thoughts.
With wall mottoes and slogans, suggest psychologist Ernest Dichter, you can keep imparting relaxing thoughts to your mind. So whenever you come across a quotation or message which give you reassurance and seems to make you feel more at ease all around, jot it down. The muster all the artist you can name make a sign of it. Place it where you will see it often, for example, on the saving mirror of your bathroom, or even the footboard of your bed.
Gladstone of England, who had a stormy life, brought repose into his bedroom. To help himself relax and get to sleep, he inscribed this Biblical message on his footboard: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is tased on Thee.
Look to the Bible for the most reassuring messages you are likely to find anywhere. Don’t try to convince yourself, and don’t trouble to question. William James credits a few simple Bible quotations with saving his sanity during a period of great fear and tension. They were words that worked, never mind how.
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale tells of a harassed and jittery business man who was virtually on the verge of hysteria when he chanced to open a Bible in his hotel room. He came upon the Twenty-Third Psalm and when he finally closed the book, his tension had vanished and he was completely at ease.
These are just a few of the relaxing and comforting messages in the Bible:
“… God hat not given us the sprit of fear; but of power, and of love, and a sound mind …” (II Timothy 1:7)
“Let not your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1)
“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret no they self …” (Psalm 37:8)
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makes me dwell in safety …” (Psalms)
“In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength …” (Isaiah 30:15)
But of course there are lots of enduring words outside the Bible, too. It would be surprising if you couldn’t find dozens of saying with a certain magic in them for you. Dr. Dichter says he can calm himself down with two simple words: “So what?” They have a way of taking the bigness out of problems and cutting worries down to size.
In the same vein, Abraham Lincoln, who was a melancholy man, comforted himself with the saying, “This, too, shall pass away.” He needed to be reminded that even sadness isn’t permanent.
