counting and pacing

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When I'm at a bus stop I pace and count. I did the same thing at work (in my head, not outloud). I don't work anymore but when I have to wait, it makes me feel uncomfortable so I count. Anyone do the same thing? I find it hard to just enjoy the moment.

~Rebecca

Those are both good ways to calm down or proceed into meditation. I count my breaths, from zero to twelve, trying to think only of how the numbers relate to each other, or less. It isn't easy.

I can sometimes relax if I'm just waiting by myself, so long as I'm not somewhere with sun exposure or excessive heat or irritating noise that tend to overwhelm me. But if I'm waiting somewhere in public, it's a very different matter. In public I have to put quite a bit of energy into looking normal, like having a normal gaze without gawking but not staring at the ground either, keeping a normal posture and not wagging my feet or hands or bouncing (stimming) but also not keeping rock-still, keeping a neutral facial expression , and the like. The whole acting normal bit gets stressful pretty quickly and I'll often cope by counting forward and backward and sometimes including short little rhymes - sort of like occupying my mind in a way that's not visible to anyone around. If I'm just plain stressed, I'll sometimes pace or start some activity like cleaning counter-tops, but only at home...

When I took the bus I used to do a lot of pacing actually, but also, my favourite thing was "throw the rock on the yellow line." BTW, that name was my own name but I made it sound like an official name. Cool huh?

Anyways, yeah, I used to throw small rocks from the side of the road towards the yellow line to see how close I could get on the line without going over. Going over would be immediate disqualification, as an added difficulty factor. The yellow line would usually be about 7-9 feet away. Also, you had to be squatting down on the curb too.

Hey, it was fun. Something I did before I bought my first smartphone, and then Facebook came along, followed by YouTube (only used with WiFi of course because video... damn high gigabyte counts baby).

_________________
*** High Functioning Autism - Asperger's Syndrome ***

ADHD, OCD, and PTSD.

Keep calm and stim away.

I tend to count the number of steps as I go up a staircase.
No idea why, I think it's just an old habit because I remember counting my paces as a child.
Maybe I discarded the habit i general except for staircases, which actually has a use as you can work out how high up you are. Um... you know... in case there's a fire and you need to jump out the window

I don't count but I pace. Every time I wait for the bus. If there's no one else around I do more of a half-pace half-dance thing.
Have always wondered why everyone else is just standing there until I read this post. Also realizing now that my walking around the busstop probably looks way weirder than I thought.

I pace, in circles especially, a lot. And I count to relax and distract myself. But not usually simultaneously.

I fidget in meetings. Chairs never seem comfortable for long, so where it is polite, I get up and walk a bit several times an hour. Doctors recommend twice anyway. I spent a long time shopping for a good-fitting office chair, and then realized that I was better off with a loose cushion getting moved frequently.

I count and/or pace all the time when I'm waiting for something. If I don't count I feel restless.

I used to commute by bicycle through the Toronto winter. I'd pull up at a red light, beside a line of people waiting for the streetcar, trying to vanish into their collars and pockets. About once a week, someone would be so surprised to see me that they would break the British Code of Silence and exclaim "Arn't you COLD??" I'd unzip my jacket, flap it a bit to cool myself, and reply "No, I've got Central Heating!"
BTW, if you like counting, knitting is a handy use for it, and you are allowed to do it in some meetings.

I had to get the bus recently as I normally cycle to work but it was icy.

In actual fact I did pace whilst I was waiting for the bus. I thought it was a bit strange that everyone else was standing still.

I do a lot of counting as well but not whilst I'm pacing.

I don't count but I pace a huge amount, also often in circles.

It feels relaxing and I can concentrate on or get lost in thoughts.

I'm addicted to pacing, even though it hurts, and has destroyed my joints. Trying to break the habit, but it's hard.

Pacing for sure, especially on phone calls, but even out in the real world, I'll do it.

I used to count obsessively when I was younger, I like certain numbers. Even had fortunes from fortune cookies, back when they were more relevant (rather than just the new style of "You will get some amazing news shortly). I also wouldn't walk on cracks in the sidewalks.

Forced myself to stop the "luck" stuff, but counting and pacing is still a thing for me, sometimes combined at the same time.

I do a drum-beat with my feet and also under my breath.

Hopefully that means I don't look as odd as if I was doing laps around the place I have to stand.

Someone asked me if I ever walk on tip-toes. I don't think I do but this is close when I'm on the balls of my feet and bound my heels up and down on the spot when I'm waiting for someone or a bus or such.