Looking for practical advice for being more chill? Here are 30 simple tips for you.
You know those people who just radiate peace? The ones who seem to float through life’s chaos with a serene smile, spreading good vibes wherever they go?
They’re not just chill; they’re like human anti-anxiety pills—making everyone around them feel safer and calmer just by existing.
I get it because I’ve been on the other side.
My default setting used to be permanently set to “panic/overreact mode” with a dash of hot-headed reactions and a sprinkle of anxiety-induced meltdowns. But I’m in a way better place now.
Here’s the thing—being chill isn’t just about saying “no worries” to everything. It’s an art, and like any art, it can be learned.
If you find yourself stress-eating chips while overthinking a text message from three days ago or losing your temper because someone doesn’t support your point of view, consider this your action guide to becoming a more chill person.
What Does It Mean to Be a “Chill” Person?
A chill person is someone who has found a balance between caring and not letting things consume them.
Being chill doesn’t mean a person is apathetic or emotionless. It means they know how to keep their cool when life throws its inevitable curveballs.
The beauty of becoming more chill is that it’s a ripple effect—as you get calmer, you’ll notice the people around you catching that vibe too.
30 Tips to Be More Chill & Laid-Back
Being chill is a natural antidote to anxiety and irritating moments. If you want to build a super chill personality, these 30 tips will help you become more laid-back:
1. Embrace Your True Self
Before I get into all. the. things you need to become someone you’re not, let’s start with embracing who you are.
Trying to be chill while not accepting yourself is about as effective as wearing a paper bag in the rain. The real secret to being chill starts with radical self-acceptance.
- Love your quirks and weird laughs
- Acknowledge that you’re NOT a chill person
- Be more self-compassionate
When you stop fighting against yourself, you naturally become more relaxed. This self-awareness allows for emotions of chill to flow through you.
2. Find Out Your Triggers
Make a conscious effort to study yourself and identify triggers in your daily life.
What makes your anxiety (or anger) go from zero to a hundred? Maybe it’s when people interrupt you, when plans change at the last minute, or when your roommate leaves dishes in the sink (again!).
You can start journaling about these triggers to find patterns. This trigger moment awareness lets you prepare ahead and keep your cool in tough situations.
3. Learn How to Read the Room
This is one thing I do when I get into a place I’m “supposed” to mingle. I read the room. Start paying attention to the energy in different situations.
- Is the vibe serious or playful?
- Are people tense or relaxed?
- Does it look like the discussion will trigger you?
- Can your sense of humor win the show?
When you can read the room, you can adjust your frequency to match it. You can choose to participate, excuse yourself, or be determined to stay calm.
4. Soothe yourself
I have a friend who likes to play with a stress ball when he’s tense. I’ve seen movies where people use puzzle cubes to stay calm and focused.
I like to practice deep-breathing for 10-15 minutes, listen to meditative sounds, vent to my partner, or take a cold shower.
Everyone needs their emotional first-aid kit.
Find what calms your nervous system and keep it in your back pocket. Maybe it’s playing video games, watching cute cat videos, or pressing your thumb and middle finger together while taking deep breaths.
5. Live Mindfully
Being mindful doesn’t necessarily mean you need to meditate for hours on a mountaintop (although you should totally do that IF it’s your cup of tea).
Mindful living is about being present in whatever you’re doing—whether you’re washing dishes, writing an email, or enjoying the cool breeze.
When you catch yourself spiraling about the uncertainty of life or dwelling on the past, gently bring yourself back to the now. It’s like having an anchor in the present moment to keep you consistently chill.
6. Sleep Well
A well-rested you is naturally more chill than a cranky, sleep-deprived you.
So, create a bedtime routine that helps you wind down and sleep for an average of 7-8 hours (which is the research-approved recommended sleep hours).
Think of sleep as your nightly reset routine button. You can also create a simple morning routine to wake up productive and without anxiety daily.
7. Get Things Done
Speaking of productivity, nothing kills your chill faster than a mountain of unfinished tasks and that feeling that you’re behind (in life or on your goals).
Want to get more work done in only 2 hours than most people do in an entire day? Read this.
If you want to have productive days, weeks, and months, learn to make your tasks “doable.” Break big tasks into tiny, manageable bits.
So, instead of “clean the house,” try this: Clean the living room chairs and gadgets > arrange the bedroom drawers > deep clean the kitchen cabinets.
Checking things off your list, no matter how small, gives you a sense of control and accomplishment, and this makes you more laid back.
8. Spend More Time with Yourself
Getting comfortable with solitude is developing a friendship with yourself. This doesn’t mean becoming a social outcast. Instead, enjoying alone time helps you to develop a super chill mindset.
Start with simple solo dates. This can look like a coffee run, a walk in the park, an at-home spa, or spending an afternoon in a bookstore.
When you enjoy your own company, you become less dependent on external validation to feel good. You can focus more on being a chill person.
9. Find Peace in Stillness
In a world that’s constantly buzzing, embrace stillness.
Now, this might sound or even be boring at first. So, my advice is to start small. Try sitting in silence for just five minutes a day. No phone, no TV, no music. Just you and your thoughts.
It might feel uncomfortable at first, but gradually, you’ll start looking forward to these little moments of quiet in your day.
10. Change Your Life Cycle
Break free from the everyday “rush-rush-crash” cycle of how you’re living your life.
Instead of hitting snooze five times and then racing through your morning when you realize you’re 25 minutes behind time, wake up earlier.
Develop a productive morning routine that gives you breathing room between activities.
If you want to wake up to productive mornings that are free of anxiety, here are 11 practical tips to try.
11. Be Optimistic
I’m not talking about toxic positivity or pretending everything’s sunshine and rainbows.
It’s more about being a “realistic optimist.” It’s about shifting your perspective to NOT being discouraged even when something goes wrong.
- So, instead of “It’s a shame. I failed,” you think, “Well, this sucks, but what can I learn from it?”
- Instead of “I may not pass,” you think, “I will pass because I did my best, and even if I don’t, it will be an opportunity to learn and be better next time.”
This optimistic mindset makes you prepared mentally for any outcome, and this way, you never have to lose your cool.
12. Give It Five Minutes
When something triggers you, wait for five minutes before you freak out.
Most of the time, that initial surge of panic or anger will settle into something more manageable after a few minutes have passed.
This advice has helped me so many times in my work and relationships. If you want to be more chill, take five minutes as a cooling-off period for your emotions before you react.
13. Listen to Chill and Soulful Music
Music can literally change your brain chemistry, so use it intentionally. It’s like a mood medicine cabinet.
Create different playlists for different vibes—one for calming down, one for lifting up, one for focusing. This can include songs from different genres like lo-fi beats, jazz, and acoustic covers. It can also include soft instrumentals or meditative sounds.
Feel free to experiment with what helps you maintain your chill.
14. Ignore Negative Gossip & News
If you know watching the news makes you panic, avoid it and find other ways to stay current like reading news blogs or keeping up with Twitter (now X) trends.
When someone starts spilling tea on a trigger topic, imagine yourself wearing invisible headphones and playing your favorite chill beats instead.
This way, you can keep your energy clean. You can also be proactive about changing the subject to something positive.
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15. Build a Positive Aura
Your vibe attracts your tribe, as they say.
Start consciously projecting the energy you want to receive. Smile at strangers, give genuine compliments, and recite positive self-affirmations every morning.
Think of yourself as a walking, talking dispenser of chill, calm vibes. The cool thing is, the more you act this way, the more natural it becomes.
16. Find a Job That Makes You Happy
We spend most of our waking hours at work. If your job makes you want to scream into the void every Monday, it’s time for some changes.
Here are some hilarious Monday quotes and motivational Tuesday sayings to help you scale through the week.
A frustrating job can make you less chill. So, find ways to be happy at work. Maybe that means switching careers, setting better boundaries, or starting that side hustle you’ve been dreaming about.
Your job should energize you, not drain your soul.
17. Spend Time in Nature
Nature is a free chill pill.
You can watch the birds cooing without caring about deadlines. You can go hiking or just sit under a tree and enjoy the wind. You can watch as ants form colonies and fetch food.
Getting some green time can help calm anxious moments, reset your nervous system, and, generally, help you be more chill.
18. Expect Less From Others
Really—expect less from people. Not in a cynical way, but in an “everyone’s fighting their own battles” way.
When someone cancels plans, shows up late, or forgets to text back, instead of spiraling into “they hate me” territory or losing your chill because, well, you had to cancel plans, imagine them dealing with their own chaos.
Lower expectations often lead to higher appreciation. Plus, it’s way more chill to be pleasantly surprised than constantly disappointed.
19. Create an Alter Ego with a Chill Personality
I know of a colleague who once said she created the alter ego of a “white man” in her mind.
She knew she wasn’t a man, but every time she had sales calls with big software companies, she got into that alter ego. She said it made her confident and assertive.
I found it weird at the time, but soon after, she grew quickly to the top of the career ladder.
Likewise, I think this advice would be helpful for you today. Create a chill version of yourself in your mind.
When a stressful or annoying situation occurs, ask yourself: What would “Chill You” do in this situation?
You need to act like your dream self to become that person. You can even name her. Maybe “Beach Wave Barbara”—because she never gets road rage and always has time to watch the sunset.
20. Have a Role Model
Find someone whose chill personality you admire, and study their ways.
It can be a friend who never seems rushed, a co-worker who stays calm even in the face of deadlines, an easygoing celebrity, or even a fictional character like Kung Fu Panda.
- What makes them consistently chill?
- How do they handle stress?
You don’t need to copy them exactly, but let them inspire your own chill journey.
21. Take Time to Destress
Stress and anxiety mostly link back to each other.
So, instead of letting work or relationship stress get the best of you, create a go-to destress routine.
Find a feel-good way to unwind after work or when you are at home. It could be having a cold shower, getting a massage session, or doing the robot dance in your room.
22. Focus on What You Can Control
Here’s a life-changing hack: draw a big circle.
Inside the circle, write out what you can control, such as your reactions, choices, and attitude. Outside the circle, write everything you can’t control—weather, life changes, other people’s opinions, the past…
Only spend your energy on what’s inside the circle.
Weather, the past? These aren’t your circus. Not your monkeys. But your reactions, choices, and attitude? That’s your playground. Focus on these things to build a more chill personality.
23. Love Without Attachment
Loving without attachment means caring deeply about people while accepting that you can’t control them or what happens to them.
Attachment makes you “cling,” and this can affect your mood when things don’t go as planned. It’s like holding water in your hands—the tighter you grip, the more it slips away.
Let people be who they are, let relationships flow naturally without clinging, and watch how much lighter you feel.
24. Find Joy in the Little Things
Being chill is a lot about appreciating the small stuff too—that first sip of coffee in the morning, the way sunlight hits your window, and having friends who cheer you all the way.
Find ways to romanticize your life and be thankful for “tiny joys,” not just the macro moments.
When life feels overwhelming, you can look back at the little things that surround you and make you happy. This will keep you chill.
25. Set SMART Goals
Being chill doesn’t mean floating through life without direction. It means setting goals that don’t make you want to hide under your bed.
You can learn how to set achievable monthly goals, as well as goal-setting tips for every new year.
Instead of setting unrealistic expectations that you never meet up with, make your goals SMART. That is,
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Instead of setting a goal like “get my life together” (panic!), try “organize one drawer each Sunday” (chill).
26. Practice Gratitude
Gratitude journaling seems so overdone that it’s practically a meme. But it works!
When you feel frustrated and look back on how your day, week, month, or year went, you can find simple things to be thankful for.
The more thankful you are about your progress, even in the face of your failures, the more chill you’ll become.
27. Have Creative Fun
If your current version of fun is getting in your way of becoming more chill, try some creative fun activities.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of creative fun is artist dates. These artist date ideas can be for self-improvement, reminiscing about life, or stepping out of your comfort zone.
Do something creative just for the joy of it, not for likes or validation. Paint badly, write silly poems, or make a fort out of your couch cushions.
28. Read Mindfulness Books
If you want to be more chill, there are meditation and mindfulness books that will teach you how to live mindfully.
These self-help books like Ikigai, Man’s Search for Meaning, and The Happiness Trap are great for finding happiness in life and developing a good sense of calm.
29. Stop Trying to Impress Others
You can’t please everyone. In the end, you’ll lose your self-esteem, chill, and happiness.
Let this be your permission slip to stop doing things because you want external validation or because that’s what you’re “supposed” to do.
Start doing things because you want to. Own your choices.
The moment you stop living your life as a performance show for others… That’s the moment you start enjoying life.
30. Take Things Slowly
In a world obsessed with hustle culture and FOMO, choosing to slow down gives you an edge and a more chill personality.
Eat slowly enough to taste your food. Walk slowly enough to notice the sky. Reply to non-urgent messages when you actually have the energy to engage.
Life isn’t a race to the finish line. It’s more a scenic route worth taking your time to explore.
In Summary: Your Journey to Being More Chill
If you want to be more chill, embrace little moments of peace, celebrate tiny victories, and start with small choices.
It’s not going to be smooth or perfect, and that’s totally fine. Just focus on finding your own rhythm to navigate life’s ups and downs with a bit more grace and a lot less panic.
The chillest people aren’t the ones who never feel stressed or anxious—they’re the ones who’ve learned to surf the waves. Keep it real, keep it chill.
