DROP YOUR EMOTIONAL ANCHOR
In the same way that an anchor helps keep a boat steady in stormy seas, an emotional anchor helps you stay calm in your daily life. But unlike the anchor of a boat, an emotional anchor actually gets stronger the more you use it. this exercise will help you to cultivate an inner calm.
Before you try this technique for yourself, read through each step so that you know exactly what to do. 1. RememBeR a time when you felt really, really calm, at peace and fully in control. Return to it now, seeing what you saw, hearing what you heard, and feeling how good you felt. If you can’t remember a time, imagine how wonderful it would feel to be totally at peace — if you had all the ease, comfort and selfcontrol you could ever need. 2. As you keep running through this experience in your mind, make the colours brighter and richer, the sounds crisper, and feelings stronger.
When you are feeling these good feelings, squeeze the thumb and middle finger of your right hand together. you are associating the pressure in this place with this particular emotion.
Run through this memory several times until you feel a lovely sense of inner peace and calm. 3. noW go through this relaxing memory at least five more times while continuing to squeeze your thumb and middle finger together to lock in these good feelings. you will know you have done it enough when all you need to do is squeeze your fingers together and you easily remember the feelings of calm and relaxation spreading through your body. 4. next, think about a situation that in the past you would have found mildly stressful. this time, squeeze the thumb and middle finger of your right hand together. Feel that calm feeling spreading through your body and imagine taking it with you into that stressful situation. Imagine everything going perfectly, exactly the way that you want. see what you’ll see, hear what you’ll hear and feel how good it feels to be calmer and in control. 5. noW, still squeezing your thumb and finger together, remember that calm feeling of control and once again imagine being in that situation that once seemed stressful. this time, imagine a few challenges and notice yourself handling the challenges well. see what you’ll see, hear what you’ll hear and feel how good it feels to be so much calmer and in control of this situation. 6. stop and think about that situation now. notice the difference from only a few minutes ago. Do you feel less stressed and more in control? If not, just repeat the exercise until you do!
each time you do this exercise, it will become easier and easier.