Your 5 Senses

Okay, so now that we have a small understanding of why your brain is "overactive", and why you feel like you are always worrying, overthinking, getting anxious with every thing, let's jump right into how we can "short circuit" this process.

Your first line of defense (or the first one I am going to teach you), is something you have with you every where you go, no matter where you are, and no matter who you are with.

Your Senses!!! 

"So our senses can help shut down the "alarm center" -- great!! 

Now what am I supposed to do, smell everything when I'm anxious??"

Not exactly, but glad you're thinking about what this means, lol.

Since our senses can override the messages being sent, we can use this to our advantage!!!

Here are two ways I have found that really do work in quieting that alarm center (and stopping the physical symptoms of anxiety).

The first is "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" and I'm going to show you instead of telling you.

But first, let's do a check in -- on a scale of 1 to 20, where 1 is absolutely calm, ready to fall asleep, perfectly fine/content/at ease/chilled out, and 20 is "I need hospitalization because I cannot control my anxiety", what number are you right now?

Got it??

Now watch this video, and be prepared to actually do what I'm asking!!

Okay, now check in again, same scale .....1 to 20, where are you now? 

Same?  

Lower?  

Higher cause you had no idea what I was going to ask you to do?? Lol

It's okay if the number changed -- actually, that's what we want; to change the state of your mind, just for a moment.

Here's a picture you can save to your phone, to do it "in the moment" and see a difference

Didn't like that? Well here's another way to use your senses, to shut off the alarm system!!

Create a sensory tool kit!!

Now I need you to be really intentional, serious with this .......
You HAVE to pick items that REALLY make you feel good -- without any if's, and's or but's !!!

You have to choose, AND have available things that really create a sense of happiness/peace/calm -- the cue for that, is a short/small/brief smile when you see, feel, hear, taste, smell it.

You must pick things that are really powerful for just you --- doesn't matter if someone else doesn't like it, thinks it's "weird", or doesn't understand why. It really has to mean something extremely good for just you!!!

Get a bag/pouch/container of sorts -- you want it to be portable, not bulky, and something you will remember to take with you, or have near-by. You can definitely choose different bags/pouches/containers for different places -- think ahead about the places you want to have this bag/pouch/container, and choose based on that.

Next, find at least 1 item of each - you can choose more than 1 for each sense, but each sense has to have at least 1 !!

Some tips/reminders/"heads up" .......

- Think about the things that make you smile - not those that are just okay;  for example, seeing a really nice landscape may be good, and be "okay", but looking at your ideal backyard or living environment that says to you "ugh ......this is great" is what you want

- Go with the strong "gut" happy responses, over those that "everyone" says is beautiful or peaceful

- You need one for every sense you experience -- sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing

- You may not have one for every sense right now; so start with those you do have, and be on the look out for those you don't

- Get creative with how the sensory tool kit can be "portable"; you don't just experience anxiety in your home, so make sure what you choose can be transported in some way