Welcome to the tribe.
Of makers, builders, and creators.
Folks who rarely need to be told to get off the couch and get moving. To lend a hand and contribute. More often than not, we need reminders to sit down and rest, to take a load off.
To stop all that moving and shaking.
So that we can fill our cups -- and heal.
Welcome to the tribe.
Of change agents who are changing what it means to lead in the home and the workplace.
Who strive to be of service in the world and who make choices with the greater good in mind.
Who connect easily and are deeply empathic.
And who are prone to "bandwagon."
Say what?
Let me explain what I mean by that.
As someone who values relationship, community and connection, you are a go-to person in your family, organization or community.
Folks come to you often with their wins and their worries.
And it is easy to get caught up in their excitement and anxiety. In fact, studies show that these emotions are equally contagious, so whether folks come in triumph or in tears, it is easy to bandwagon without thinking. That is, to move from empathy -- acknowledging and honoring the feelings of others -- to sympathy -- internalizing or trying to fix them.
To bandwagon, as I define it, is to get lost in the external noise, and in doing so, minimize your own voice. If you've taken my Forgiveness Masterclass, you know that this is the first step down the path of broken commitments and broken relationships. And there is an antidote. If fact, today I'm sharing three ways to stay in your lane, no matter what's going on around you, so that you can act from a place of personal power. 1) Breathe I can almost hear you saying, "yea, yea, I know..." Well, you may already know that excitement and anxiety live in the same part of the brain, and impact the physiology in similar ways. Both activate the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates the body's fight-or-flight response. And often, during moments of high intensity, we hold the breath. By remembering to exhale -- to breathe -- we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which governs the body's relaxation response. So when you breathe deeply, in and out, your brain and body automatically begin to relax. Pretty straight forward, right? Now let me share something that you may not already know. You eliminate the majority of your body's toxins through the breath. I'm talking 70%! Only about 10% are released on the toilet, and 20% through the skin. Which means that by breathing you are literally detoxifying on every level. There's no better way to clear the air, cut through the noise and get back to your center. 2) Take a Digital Detox The bandwagon effect is not limited to direct interaction with people and groups. If you live in the modern world, you've probably been thrown off by the over consumption of digital news, videos, articles and social media posts. A growing body of research is showing that excessive time in front of the screen (tv, computer, handheld, cellphone) can have a negative impact on the body. But excessive screen time takes an emotional and spiritual toll as well. After a few hours, you are effectively 'in' the collective voice -- the noise, the anxiety, the worry. And detached from your own.
While I am not suggesting that you ditch your screens, it is important to experiment with an amount of online time that gives you just enough connection to the people, places and things that lift you, but not so much that you lose yourself.
3) Watch this Video
Here's a video that I created in 2016 that applies as much today as the day I made it. In it I share a two-part technique to help alleviate anxiety that takes about a minute to do.
Easy peasy.
