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despite what may be going on in the world outside you? Here are several ways to turn off fight-or-flight and activate healing that you can do anytime. When you begin practicing these, you activate your body’s resilience and ability to heal itself, and you strengthen your connection with your inner wisdom so you can make the choices that are wisest for your health.
1. Connect with your physical body. Most of the time our attention is outside of ourselves, and we lose awareness of what’s happening inside. This strengthens our belief systems, triggers the amygdala more easily, and keeps us disconnected from what’s really going on. When we bring our attention back to our physical body, we immediately connect with what’s actually happening here and now; the truth, versus what the mind thinks is happening. Just feeling the physical sensations of your feet on the floor or butt on the seat brings your attention out of the mind and allows stress hormones and inflammation to decrease.
2. Relax your shoulders and breathe. When we’re in fight-or-flight, we breathe into the upper lung fields, taking shallow, quick breaths and use our neck and back muscles to breathe. This increases anxiety, pain, tension, and headaches and inhibits mental clarity. Simply relaxing our shoulders allows our breath to come deeper into the lower lung fields and activates the vagus nerve which is involved in the relaxation response, a known component for self-healing.
3. Let go of control. Believe it or not, when we release control we actually have more power, more clarity, and more ability to make wise choices. Trying to control what’s happening outside of us is futile and wastes a great amount of energy. It also triggers our survival system since fear is the driving force behind needing to control ourselves or our environment. Letting go of control does not mean we do not make choices that serve us! In fact, when we release fear, we are more empowered to choose what truly serves us and to let go of that which does not.
4. Accept the moment as it is. We’re taught to “fight disease” but this puts most of our energy on what we’re fighting against and actually gives it power. Fighting what we do not want only brings us into greater resistance and inhibits healing. When we embrace what’s happening exactly as it is, it immediately restores harmony to our body. The act of embracing what is decreases cortisol and inflammation and increases endorphins, oxytocin, and other healing elements. When you notice something happening that is unwanted, feel what’s coming up in you and accept it as it is. Then, instead of acting from avoidance or fight, which saps your power, you act from clarity and are immediately stronger.
5. Talk to your body. Your cells are listening, and according to your inner system, the leading authority on everything is you! Studies have shown that when you listen to your own voice, it has a far stronger impact on your subconscious thoughts and beliefs than when you listen to anyone else. That means every time you repeat “I’m a mess,” or “I can’t stand this,” you believe it! Use this power instead to strengthen your body. When you feel fear or uncertainty, place your hand on your heart and tell your body “I’m here. I feel your fear. It’s okay for you to feel this. I love you.” You will immediately feel lighter when you strengthen your connection with your body this way.
In the end there are only two things you can control: where you put your attention and what you do with your body. Depending on what you focus on, your body responds. Your cells are listening to your every thought, and your emotions directly impact your health. When you consciously use these tools, you win!
Your body absolutely does have the ability to flourish during these times of intense change, and to reside in joy and love unconditionally. You get to decide how much attention you put on what’s happening outside you. Choose instead to put your attention onto what’s going on within you. That will make all the difference in your health. <>