Use Your Words
Use Your Words by Cat Wilson
Did you know you have 60,000 thoughts a day? According to Fred Luskin, Ph.D., we do a lot of thinking, and much of it creates undue stress.
Old beliefs can trigger unnecessary fears and worries. We all have an assortment of beliefs from many phases in our life. An old belief can be something you heard when young, such as, “The boogie man is in the closet. ” It’s scary when you’re little, but then you grow up. As an adult, you go to look for a shirt and a faint, fearful moment reminds you to peek carefully around the shoes to be sure it’s empty in there.
Thoughts that support you are great, but when you get a thought that makes you feel threatened your body takes a hit. According to Dr. Luskin, head of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects, stress is felt through the heart, muscles and in the mind. The heart rate picks up faster, then the muscles tense up, and before you know it, the mind is asking what is happening and the emotions come out to play. It’s good if a tiger is chasing you, because you need a rush of energy, but if there’s no tiger maybe you can use your words. Taking a moment to use your words, reframe thoughts, and inviting a few abdominal breaths can let the tiger out of the tank.
Use Your Words Appreciating
When you feel afraid, thoughts are spiraling, or when “you think you have a problem” take a break! Stop and appreciate something or some one.
Appreciate the rain for growing green trees, and use your words. Appreciate air and life all around. Appreciation makes good thoughts and good reactions in your physical body. Use your breath to bring more good into your physical body. Breathing deeply through your lower abdomen will bring that needed calm inside. To breath more deeply, place one of your hands on your chest and one hand on your lower abdomen. Now breath so you feel your abdomen fill, hold and release slowly. Many people breath shallowly in their upper chest, and you want to change that to breathing more fully into your lower abdomen. How much do you do this? Repeat until you feel calmer.
Reframe
Be gentle with yourself and remember you can be your own worst enemy or your own best friend. Use your words to give appreciation, new thoughts, and reframe, so you can enjoy your life experience more. Reframe means to change the words and frame that you reference your thinking. Instead of: “I can’t handle it!” Say: “I can’t handle it, YET” or “I haven’t figured out how to handle it, yet.” Instead of saying something is a “problem” you can use your words and change to “it’s a challenge.” Challenges are more fun.
To learn more about thinking 60,000 thoughts, you can read an interview with Dr. Fred Luskin you can add this link to your browser. http://bewell.stanford.edu/features/thoughts-on-managing-stress .
Using NLP, we work in sessions to “re-frame” the issues, so we can see it differently. You can create a new thought when you take control and use your words to describe concerns in a new way. The best way for you to learn more is to call us and come in for a session or take a class. We provide a safe space for you. We offer sessions online, on phone, or in person at Apositiva Tuesday through Sunday.
Would you be ready and willing to use your words, so you can give yourself a better tomorrow? Email: cat@apositiva.com and tell her you read the blog and receive a special gift. Call us for a session at Apositiva at 503-525-0595.