A simple solution to help you feel grounded when you are in fight-or-flight
Coach Lauren K.
Still-The-Pond
Exercise
Still-the-Pond Exercise
Body Scan Exercise Steps
Step 1: Allow yourself to acknowledge the emotions you have connected to your unwanted habit. *Sometimes you experience the emotion a few hours before you actually participate in your habit!
Step 2: Close your eyes and take 1-3+ deep breaths.
Step 3: Notice where in your body you are experiencing the emotion- Is it your head? Your throat? Your chest? Your shoulders? Your gut?
Step 4: Notice in which direction it is churning or swirling.
Step 5: Notice the chatter-box-self-talk associated with the emotion (ruminating thoughts).
Step 6: You can use your hand over the area if it helps you, now imagine unwinding the churn or swirling. You may also tap on the area if that feels better to you.
Still-the-Pond Exercise
Some tips to help you:
- take that deep breath and go into the body.
- It will take you out of the fight or flight (sympathetic nervous system) and purposefully move you into the parasympathetic nervous system, where you can make clear decisions, are open to learning, feel more grounded.
- As you move into the parasympathetic, you will be able to see things more clearly, and mindfully choose how you will process the emotion, rather than mindlessly reacting to them by turning to your unwanted or negative habit loop.
Indications you are back in the para-sympathetic nervous system
- you'll start yawning.
- you'll start sighing.
- you'll take a deep breath.
- You’ll feel lighter, happier, peaceful or released.
Still-the-Pond Exercise
ALTERNATE EXERCISE to Body Scan Exercise (to be used in quick situations)
Step 1: Allow yourself to acknowledge the emotions you have connected to your unwanted habit. *Sometimes you experience the emotion a few hours before you actually participate in your habit.
Step 2: Close your eyes and take 1-3+ deep breaths.
Step 3: Notice where in your body you are experiencing the emotion- Is it your head? Your throat? Your chest? Your shoulders? Your gut?
Step 4: Think of one thing you are grateful for. *Keep a running list of gratitudes when you are in good form, so you can refer to them in your tough moments.
The key to moving you from the sympathetic to the para-sympathetic nervous system...
When it comes to our habits, the true trigger is most often an emotional one first. It is common to find your emotional trigger could have happened hours before you start your habit!
When our habit is triggered, we go into impulse mode,
or fight-or-flight mode. Fight-or-flight is an operation of the Sympathetic nervous system. A system designed to take action first, think later. Protect without thought. In this context, it has determined your negative habit loop is the only way it knows to help you cope, or process overwhelming emotions.
The para-sympathetic nervous system allows us to feel grounded,
feel open to possibilities, and choose outcomes. Going into your body is the key to consciously make the shift!
When you become aware of the emotions that trigger your habit loop, you go from mindless to mindful. And in mindfulness is where you have to power to choose the new process, the new habits that will allow you to process the emotions in a constructive or helpful way, rather than a destructive or harmful way.
If you want to learn more, go to my website, https://bestlaurenkess.com for courses and coaching to help you finally overcome these blocks and gain back control of your mindset!