3 steps to shut off stress hormones 

By Lori Hammond

Coach and Professional Hypnotist. Giving you simple tools to stop overwhelm and harness joyful forward momentum.

I'm going to give you this week's cheat sheet with is all about stopping anxiety and stress.

3 Tricks to Stop Anxiety in Less Than a Minute

Does it sometimes feel like peace is just outside your grasp?

Have you noticed that stress and anxiety can lead to overeating?

What is Anxiety?

Have you ever been so absorbed in a movie that you felt the emotions of the characters?

Your intense focus released chemicals in the body that make the movie feel real.

Anxiety happens when you make a movie in your mind about what might happen.

You vividly imagine something bad happening. Your body thinks it's real and releases chemicals that create a "fight or flight" response in the body.

Scary "What if" thoughts keep a person trapped in stress.

Anxiety and stress slow down the metabolism?

What's the solution?

People with anxiety are already good at using their imagination.

Here are 3 easy ways to use your imagination to stop anxiety and release positive chemicals in your body.

Positive chemicals aid in digestion, stop emotional eating, and help shed excess fat.

1. Bilateral Stimulation

• Rate the anxious feeling on a scale of 1-10.
  
  
  
• Pick up an object that fits in one hand, like a cell phone or a set of keys.
  
  
  
• Move the object back and forth between your hands. Gently swing your hand out to the side each time you switch hands.
  
  
  
• Watch the item move back and forth.
  
  
  
• Slow down and take a nice deep breath and a looong slooow exhale.
  
  
  
• Rate the feeling (1-10) again and notice what's changed.

Repeat if needed. This can take anxiety all the way down to zero.

2. Softened Focus

Look at a spot in front of you. Stare at it like you're looking at something beautiful beyond that spot.

Continue to stare and sort of zone out.

Allow your gaze to soften.

Notice. . .

• 3 things you see from the corner of your eye - without moving your gaze from that spot

• 3 things you can hear - you may notice things you didn't hear before
  
  
  
• 3 things you can feel - like the surface beneath you supporting your body.

Notice peace in your body.

Peace cancels out anxiety.

3. 7-11 Breathing

Breathe in for a count of 7 and exhale for a count of 11.

You can count as quickly or as slowly as you'd like.

This works because a long slow exhale releases calming chemicals in the body.

It turns off the "fight or flight" response from the anxiety movie you were making.

Take three 7-11 breaths right now. This will ensure you remember to use this simple tool next time you experience anxiety.

Notice the flood of feel-good chemicals in your body.

Making a decision now that skyrockets your chance of remembering when you need it. 

Have an amazing week and remember, I'm here for you. 

Love,

Lori