Hello, It’s Barb Earle, NeuroTransformational Coach and Health and Well-Being Expert on a mission to help you get to know your brain and why it matters.
Stress. Whew. It’s overwhelming right? Seems to affect everything we do. What it comes down to is: if we don’t have internal ways of dealing with stress it will always be present. Let’s change that!
Try this three step method.
The moment you realize you are stressed out or you feel overwhelmed:
1. STOP. That’s it. Just stop.
2. Heart rate. Notice it. More than likely it’s fast.
3. Extend your Breath. Breath in four counts and breath out for four counts.
Let’s take a closer look at how and why this method works.
Step one STOP This gives the control back to you. It’s like a circuit breaker between being stuck in stress and being able to step away from it. This action also brings you closer to the region in your brain responsible for clear thinking.
Step two Heart rate Your heart rate increases when it detects stress and is much faster to react than your brain. Once your brain goes into stress mode, its not in a state to think clearly, but your heart is. That’s because your heart has its own functional brain. It comes complete with it own nervous system, has the ability to process, remember, learn and precedes this brain in decision making. Checking in with your heart first influences your brain’s perceptions and slows down your stress response.
Step Three Ahh your breath. Consider it a superpower, one that empowers you to think more objectively. By regulating and extending your breath rate you bring on a sense of calm. Your thinking brain finally comes online and you’re able to re-evaluate and revise the issue at hand. Something that’s simply not possible when your brains’ overwhelmed in stress.
Why not indulge yourself, connect to your heart, reduce stress and engage in some self-love, after all it’s Love & Heart Month.
This has been a Brilliant Brain•Bold Body Moment
Until we meet in Person.
Brain to Brain.
Heart to Heart.
Ciao!