CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?!
🫢
Oh sorry, that was just my brain having a stress temper tantrum.
‘What about THIS thing that happened? HUH?! WHAT ABOUT IT?!?’
‘Oh, and what about this OTHER thing that might happen?!??’
💥POOF concentration GONE.
Thanks a lot, stress!
Don’t carry stress around!
I can’t focus when I’m stressed.
Not as in ‘it’s hard to focus when I’m stressed’.
As in I literally CANNOT physically focus my brain when I’m stressed.
And neither can you.
You can’t think your way out of stress.
Because focus and stress CANNOT physically exist together.
And if you’re wondering why things are off, feel stagnant or are moving in the wrong direction, part of the culprit is probably thinking you are managing them together.
Do you carry stress around?
If you’re able to focus (to be present with whatever task, thought, person, etc. you’re with right now) you’re not in a stress state.
That’s the proof! You can’t think your way out of what’s stressing you.
Focus and stress don’t exist together.
If you’re brain is all garblyblarbly🤬 over something that happened yesterday (or last week or last year or even a fraction of a second ago) OR all about something that hasn’t happened at all – you are in a stress state.
Stress absolutely serves an important purpose for everyone because it’s an alert – a 🚨flashing red light that something needs attention like, now.
Beyond that though – once you’ve taped the boo boo, issued the apology, folded the laundry or whatever stressor was all CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE – the job is done and the stressor is now neither needed nor helpful.
- You do NOT have to carry stress around 24/7.
- You SHOULD not carry stress around at all.
You simply cannot think your say out of stress.
So, how do you put it away?
Calmly.
One of my favorites is the 4-4-4 x 3 breathing technique is my favorite – and I’m not even a math person! Hahaha – but I’m super interested in how YOU do it!
The 411 on 4-4-4
When you feel your stress starting to rev up – try the 4-4-4 breathing technique.
Simply breathe in for a count of 4
HOLD that breath for a count of 4
Exhale that breath for a count of 4
And do that 3 times.
You will naturally lower your heart rate, which will reduce your blood pressure and help move you physically and mentally into a calmer state – simply by regulating your breathing.
This more relaxed state is so important because it is when you can access more of the functions of your prefrontal cortex – that yummy part of the brain where creativity and problem-solving happen!!
Try this – and please let me know how it worked for you!!
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👋I’m Gretchen
👉I am a career and personal development strategist on a mission to teach you to do what you love without losing yourself.
🎯Sane strategies. Serious results.
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