Reese Witherspoon Just Shared a Brilliant Hack for Calming Your Nerves

Reese Witherspoon might have the solution to an age-old problem: calming your nerves. In a recent Instagram post, Witherspoon shared an encounter with her friend’s daughter, whose high school life causes her lots of stress—and Witherspoon had the perfect response. “I was with a friend’s daughter last week, and she was telling me that she gets really nervous,” she explains in the video. “She’s in high school; we all get nervous, right? It’s a stressful time.”

“I said ‘whenever you get nervous, get out of your head and into your hands,’” the actress and lifestyle expert says. “So she and I went and made chocolates. It doesn’t matter if you’re making chocolate, you’re picking flowers, you’re painting by numbers, you’re cooking a meal for your family and friends—you’re busy doing something.”

And it’s not just Witherspoon who swears by turning stress into action. In fact, a 2013 study showed that regular activity can positively impact our pathophysiology. While exercise is a popular choice for those trying to work through their thoughts and feelings, any form of physical activity alerts our brain that we’re in control.

How to Apply Witherspoon’s Advice to Your Real Life

While certain pieces of advice are much easier said than done, there are multiple ways to try this coping strategy for yourself. For example, you might engage in dopamine-boosting hobbies to increase your feel-good hormones, turn to some grandma-inspired hobbies for ultra coziness, or connect with your inner child through some nostalgic hobbies. If you’re more inclined to head to the kitchen when stressed, consider whipping up one of these comforting recipes, just like Witherspoon.