There are so many things out of our control right now. It’s overwhelming. If you are getting good sleep, great. If you’re not, like me, what can you do?

What IS in our control right now, is our attitude and thoughts. To be honest, I’m even struggling with that.

I’ve have never felt like I couldn’t control my thoughts more than I have right now. My 18-year-old daughter is on the other side of the world at school. I have family in Australia that are worried about the impact of the virus on the healthcare system and people will die just because we don’t have the infrastructure in place to handle what’s coming.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and we are on “shelter-in-place,” AKA lock down.

Gun sales are on the rise and economy is tanking daily. That means crime and violence will be on an uptrend as well. That’s a lot of thoughts to control.

Did you know you have at least 50,000 thoughts a day? I feel like 49,000 are about negative outcomes right now.

Even so, that leaves 1000 positive ones. And I intend to lean into those. If I can’t control the healthcare system, the news stories, the Coronavirus or gun sales, I can focus on something positive.

I thought I could make a list. Hang it up so I can see it. I know what you are thinking because I would be thinking the same thing. Oh GAWD, not another gratitude list. I’m freaking out here, I am in no mood to make a gratitude list. My brain is spinning.

There’s more to it. But you do need something positive to focus on. If you’re not up for list making, take a couple deep breaths (6 breaths per minute for 3 min puts you in a calm flexible state), then think about 3 things that are going right.

Keep breathing and focus your thoughts on those positive things. You will feel more relaxed in a minute or two. Now think about how you would like to be in these unprecedented stressful times.

Who are you at your best self? Are you calm, solution-focused, positive? Create your affirmation from this place.

For example:

• I am dwelling on solutions.

• I am releasing stress & fear with every exhale.

• When I get worried, I take deep breaths and become relaxed.

• I comfort others.

• I am badass. (see photo above)

You get the idea. Make yourself a mantra. When you go down the worry path, say your mantra. Take your deep breaths. This has been proven to switch off your fight-flight stress system.

And the benefit is exponential. Your brain and body are a system. You calm your brain with your affirmation/mantra and the breathing calms your nervous system. It costs nothing and you can do it anytime, anywhere.

It’s time to take back your power.

#StressMastery #habits #vagusnerve #brainbodyconnection #immuneresponse