Routine 8
Hack your brain- body connection and watch your life improve.
 
Talk to your body and listen to it today. "Hey, lungs and chest. It is hurting to breathe today. I think you are trying to tell me something. What is the message you would like me to hear?"
 
Begin with grounding exercises, such as focusing on the feeling of your feet with the ground beneath you, which roots you firmly in the now.
 
When you eat, immerse all your senses in the act. Make the mundane sacred. Taste what you are eating.
 
Slow down and experience life. Multi-tasking is the opposite of this.
 
Pause mindfully before you react to stress. Notice the messages your body sends and respond intentionally -using breathing as a tool to bridge the gap between mind and body, harmonizing the physical with the emotional.
 
Make small gentle movements:
Look on YouTube for a short video of chi gong and depression or anxiety- follow the movement slowly and do that every day for a week.
 
Scan your body from head to toe and be aware of how brilliantly you are designed. You are constantly learning from your body and its wisdom. "I notice I now listen to my legs when the pain is a two or three, instead of ignoring it and my legs are forced to scream to get my attention."
 
Your body can handle so much joy and pleasure, if not ecstasy. Ask your body to be direct and unambiguous with the messages. You are your own best friend- empathy for this body, kindness and compassion and gratitude are in your mindset.
 
Live in the moment being truly where you are.
 
Pay attention to the breath, feel it go in and out- just being aware. Do this throughout the day.
Notice how many of these are about awareness rather than changing. Often, simply being aware is enough.  

Find the connection between your moods and your breath. There is a connection waiting to be discovered.
 
Do the same with posture. Change your posture and watch your mood shift.
 
Want to feel powerful? Adopt a powerful posture and watch what happens in the next three minutes.
 
Greet every part of you, every physical sensation, gently and withhold judgment. Don't shoot the messenger just because you do not like the message that part of your body is giving you.
 
What messages are you listening to from this brilliant body of yours?
 
Each clenching of the teeth can guide you, help you, providing you with information. It is just information, which I am grateful for receiving, even if it is the message of pain. Pain is telling me something very valuable.
 
That burden you have been carrying- where, in your body, is it communicating with you?
Is it your shoulder or back that is getting your attention so that you let it go?
 
Listen early on so it does not become a chronic/ignored/unacknowledged pain.
 
Are you anticipating or anxious?
How does your chest feel different for each of those? When you allow it, instead of forcing it, you are there for yourself.
 
Do not ignore or abandon this body, because it wants some attention from you. Be with yourself and your pain. Not persuading or convincing it to change. “I choose to tune in to this information and allow it to inform me and my decision.” Picture yourself at age 4 and age 4 you is telling you that there is a lot of pain. Would you disregard or dismiss a little kid in pain? Same for your body. Listen to the pain and take it seriously and move into nurturing mode.
 
Listen and let go. Discharge the extra emotion that obfuscates the message.
 
Muscle relaxation and visualization techniques can help you tune in to the joy and peace and calm of your body.
 
Your body is for enjoyment and pleasure, not just pain and tension. Your body will cry out -and if you pay attention, just like with a small child, the attention will help it cope.
 
Learn the culture and language of your body and honor the stories it tells.
 
Stretch upon waking, intentionally pause throughout the day to check in with your body’s posture and sensations.
 
End the day with reflective journaling on the body’s messages- each of these actions builds the bridge to deeper self-awareness.
 
Live in a state of full engagement, where every sense is alive and every emotion acknowledged and appreciated.
 
Move through the world with a deep awareness that enriches every interaction and thought.
 
Ideas Compiled from the book:
The Somatic Toolbox by Ashley Wellspring

Routine 6
Mind-body hacks- work with nature instead of against it.
 
Sing- the act of singing is relaxing.
 
Listening Bell:
Ring the bell
Bring your attention back to the bell - imagine paying attention to the sound and counting how long the bell rings -how long can you hear?
Notice the quiet -before the sound starts -take a breath.
Focus on the sound until it’s completely gone.
 
Hmmm sound, like a cat purring
 
On different parts of your body, put your hand on your body and then make a long sound - say one of the vowels of the alphabet and hold the sound. "Ahhhhh" "OOOOH" etc.
 
Touch or tap your arm or leg, rub your hand or foot. Come back to experience the body and get out of overthinking mode.
 
Even “suggesting touch” is enough for the client to study the response to touch. "Let's consider touching your foot..."
 
When you place your hands on your body, it is cueing your attention. You direct attention toward the area of inquiry.
 
Is there a place on your body that you would like to know more about?
 
Be present to your five senses: the past is the past; the only thing that matters is what  is happening right now.
 
"Trauma is the residue that a past event leaves in your own sensory experience."
 
What makes you feel connected?
 
What makes you feel active?

How do you support your engagement with others?
 
Your body gets calmer when you’re playful and active, moving your body to music, playing sports, journaling your thoughts, stretching your body. Calmer when you listen to soothing music, practice conscious breathing, receive a nourishing touch, hear a pleasant voice.
 
When you’re in hypoarousal (meaning you are underaroused, craving stimulation) what are you aware of?
What do you notice in your body, your thoughts, your impulses?

Instinctively, what do you want to do?

When stressed, what do you do?
What tools can you use to change your triggers?
 
In the hyperarousal zone (overstimulation ) what are you aware of?
What you notice in your body, thoughts, impulses? Instinctively, what do you wanna do when you’re stressed?
What do you wanna do when you’re in the hyperarousal zone?
 
In the expanded zone, I can use which tools to change my triggers?
 
Now look at the zone of optimal arousal. Complete these sentences:
I am aware that…
In stress, my body feels…
My body impulses are…
My strength is…
I am able to…
 
Imagine practicing regulating your emotions, with triggers present. It is easy to feel calm when no triggers are there. Start with that and then practice when triggers arise and watch how much better you cope.

List your triggers. Choose a trigger to do the following:
 
Scan your body to see what points are calm, pleasant
 
We use our eyes to scan for safety. We search for cues to confirm that we’re safe, but that we somehow need to tend to safety. We have to be safe in order to thrive. Look with intention - scan, and provide a way to start slowing down the activation of the body.
 
Outrun the tiger- create the video in your brain- What else happens as you run? How is your breathing? Be fully present in the experience.

Shame is often a large part of trauma responses. It may defy logic and so we go into the body. The body is not regulated and the emotions might feel out of control at times. If your body is having a hard time calming down, the following might be helpful. Worth trying...
​ 
Move to interrupt your pattern:
Shake your arms, jump, wiggle your toes, balance move left /right, up /down, ground yourself. Take a walk as soon as you feel the trigger. The trigger is not the issue, what you do with the trigger is the issue.

Start moving- that is an effective interrupter for most of us. Pay attention to how you train yourself to interrupt the pattern.
 
Recalibrate the original stress. We build resources to deal with it.
What do you believe about your trauma experience?
How did you come to that belief about what happened to you?
How do you view trauma currently?
What are the messages you received about your trauma?
 
Psoas muscle stretching
There are two passive ways to work with this muscle- one is against the wall, the other is with feet on the ground.
    Option one: feet on the ground. Lay on your back with your feet flat on the ground. Make sure you’re comfortable. Connect with your breath and the surface beneath you. Gently lift your feet as they sliding out of water. It should be very slow moving of lifting and takes no effort
Place your feet back on the ground. Make sure you are not lifting from the muscle, but rather from the big thighbone- might take a little practice.
 
    Option two: feet up on the wall. Lay on your back. Make sure that you’re comfortable.
Connect with your breath and the surface beneath you.
Place your feet up on the wall and 90° angle.
Working on one leg at a time, release the psoas -sliding the leg to the hips as if you were letting the leg fall.
This creates a passive movement in the psoas muscle.
Make sure you’re not guiding the movement to the hip, but simply letting the leg fall.
Do it 4 to 5 times and then repeat this process with the other leg.
 
With trauma responses, shame is discharged in restored eye contact, and shared good humor, laughter.
Guilt is released when the body is active.
It may be experienced without intense effect.
Guilt engenders a desire to undo the offense, to make amends and is discharged in an act of reparation.
 
Pay attention to corresponding body cues that may indicate shame. 
When you hear these words: ridiculous, foolish, stupid, dumb, humiliated, helpless, inept, dependent, small, inferior, embarrassed, worthless, weak, idiotic.
 
Pay close attention to the breath quality.
It’s similar to when their trauma is activated. Flat and held breath, constriction of the throat, difficulty breathing, small and measured breaths, complaints about chest construction, tight lips, short burst of breath in or out, or rapid breath high in the chest. When you notice these in yourself or others, there is likely a trauma response happening.
 
Ask yourself, "What did that remind you of?"
Then follow up with, "Now that you’re not so activated, let’s talk about what that was. You know that’s what happens when our bodies get scared we feel shame. It’s a very normal response. Shame is a healthy response and reminds us that we are moral beings. We feel and sense when something is not right. When you felt shame, you knew that something was wrong."
 
Study the response in your body. Then write down the first thing that comes to your mind.
 
I remember my body feeling the shame. It felt like…
 
I remember the shame of my past, and I feel…
 
I’m going to name this particular shame and this is the name I choose for it…

Some people like to draw a picture of it.
 
Shame makes a body feel small and contracted.

Openly invite the body back in a gentle way.
Vsualize the sun rays meeting your belly and warming you up. Gradually, you can place your hand on your belly and imagine that the sun is just right.
Begin to breathe slowly into the belly button area, underneath your hand.
Imagine the warm sun radiating into that belly button and warming you up.
Concentrate on the image of the sun rays on your body.
Concentrate and be mindful of what happens when you feel the warmth.
See what comes up.
What sensations are in the body?
Track your body and breath -does the breath slow down?
What becomes available as the breath slows down?
Observe your body as it shifts and returns to the calm state

What triggers my shame attack?
What is helpful when I’m in it?
What resources within me counteract the shame?
What do I need to remind myself of afterwards?

There are so many ways to feel better. Hopefully, you can try many of these and see which ones work best for you. Then repeat the ones that work until your nervous system is accustomed to resetting and regulating and you have a sense of mastery.

Here's to feeling better and enjoying life more!
Routine 5
 
Mind body hack
 
When nothing else works, you start trying things that you learn about- and those might be a little “out there” in our society. Eastern medicine or complementary medicine or other…
 
Visualization of sunshine on my legs when they hurt (want more color- try a rainbow bath) at least a minute- up to 20 minutes or so
 
Music sounds singing bowl- try this:
 
https://youtu.be/unCya_-8ECs?si=7zMaN7fHMscy3ddT
 
 
Music and chanting for chakras:
 
https://youtu.be/NmAHY_tg9Es?si=ydAEEfRze6_YMUTa
 
Chiropractor
 
Acupuncture or reflexology or acupressure:
 
https://youtu.be/w5XCvxI0Tjk?si=M4_Hk68Qo-Y3ssF0
 
https://youtu.be/S1zIHYS13yQ?si=8RuMN8JLRzSvtSvT
 
 
Reiki
Can be helpful- look up someone near you to help you through a difficult time with reiki
 
Comedy- listen to your favorite comedian or watch a comedy show
 
Journey - ask someone to do a shamanic journey for you
 
Disintegrating meditation-
Picture your body part that hurts. Speak nicely to that body part. Picture your body just fading away or disintegrating and becoming like dust and then the wind takes it away. Now, you grow back a new body that is healthy and energized.
 
Chants help: “May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness “ repeat throughout the day- literally hundreds of times and notice how you feel
 
Visualize sending Love to all - like a radio station- emit the frequency and send this healing to everyone on the planet- see your healing energy and love ever expanding- touching and healing everyone.
 
Another mantra that might help:
I surrender all
I am one with all
I release all negativity in my life and in my body
I remember who I am at the core
I release people who are bad for me
 
 
Visualize exercise- use sport psychology to get dopamine flowing. I picture myself exercising, maybe out running and I feel the emotions as well as picturing it
 
Pet your dog, cat
 
Cuddling helps significantly- but with someone who consents
 
Think of hugging loved one for 20 seconds - the act of picturing it starts the oxytocin flowing
 
Drink enough water - dehydrated people have no energy- drink enough throughout the day (not all at once) until you have clear urine- no yellow. Yellow means you are lacking water
 
Check your Vitamin b, d levels- ask your doctor to test you
 
Rest your eyes for 5-10 minutes - close them and no effort exerted
 
Nap for up to 20 minutes - quick reset of brain. Can’t nap that short? Meditate or do a hypnosis on YouTube (Michael seeley is a favorite)
 
Chime- ring a chime and pay attention to it until the sound is no longer
 
Drumming can be therapeutic and listening can be as well
 
Digeridoo playing will regulate your breathing
 
Hum or Sing and watch your mood shift
 
Hold your breath as long as you can to reset- then attend to your breath
 
Massager- can you get an automatic massage tool- I have one for my calves and feet.
 
Foot detox bath- I have an ionic detox bath- warm water for feet and it makes me sit still and rest while the water looks gross as it detoxes my system
 
I have an infra red massage tool for deep pain- warm
 
Hot tub- go to the nearest hotel for the night or the ymca if you don’t have a hot tub
 
Laser- can help- therapeutic grade online and they teach you how to use it
 
Neurofeedback I have a wonderful kit at my office that helps me regulate brain waves. It detects the changes when I relax and guides me to change my brain waves so I am more efficient.
 
Biofeedback can help with pulse and temperature- gauging the efficacy of your efforts
 
Pemf mat- I have one of these at work on the massage/reiki table and it emits an energy- set for migraines or depression or anxiety
 
Tuning forks emit a frequency that can help your body find its vibration to go back into balance
 
Create a different Playlist for your different moods
Need to shift your attention into a specific mood- you have the tools on your phone

​Routine 4
 
Mind body hacks to make you feel better.
 
Keep experimenting until you find what works for you. Mix and match, tweak stuff, try the routine that works for other people and tailor it…
 
Bright light daily- sit in sun or UV lamp
 
Exercise, if possible
 
If not, 100 tightening of the glutes per day. Squeeze your butt cheeks and release- 10 x every waking hour- there are benefits that are tangible. (Stimulate your memory -squeeze your glutes 100 times a day, engaging and strengthening this key core muscle for standing, balancing, and walking. It will help you reap maximum cerebellum benefits.)
 
Intermittent fasting - don’t eat anything after 6 pm till breakfast- allow your body to process and then rest and recuperate. Check with your doctor first.
 
Eat food that gives you energy instead of giving you inflammation. Feed your mood and Microbiome. Anything that grows- fruits vegetables, will help you feel better faster. Greater variety is best for you.
 
Talk with friends- being social balances most of us
 
Caffeine is good at 1-2 small cups a day before noon. There are advantages to just one cup a day- I used to work with a caffeine expert. Worth reading more, if you want more background.
 
Alcohol is a depressant and wakes you up two hours after the last drink.
Drink only around noon Saturday, if at all. How much you drink matters, as does how often.
 
FYI- The helpful bacteria in your biome gets destroyed by (eaten by) the bacteria that thrives on alcohol. (Alcohol just is not good for your biome and moods. It might have other health benefits you have read about but remember the tradeoffs for your situation -causes hot flashes, makes your hands red and swollen. Makes you sleep at the wrong times. The brain becomes alert again two hours after your last drink so you fall asleep then wake in the middle of the night and have a hard time getting back to sleep. )
 
Compassion meditation - imagine receiving compassion and being compassionate to others. Picture it in your head. do it in real life
 
Secure feelings meditation -when we feel safe and secure, we do better. Visualize yourself safe and secure. Let down your guard and walls. Release the hyper vigilance and see what changes in your life.
(Having ready access to feelings of safety and emotional warmth, bolsters resilience. Recall or imagine feelings of refuge, nurturance, peace, or freedom. As we remind ourselves of these, we begin to have influence over re-entering and remaining in the zone of well-being. When our nervous system is balanced, our health improves, along with our abilities to remain calm and think clearly even in difficult times. Awakening to the value of kindness, being safe and cared for, we became ready to venture beyond ourselves.)
 

Routine 3
Hacks for the mind-body.
 
Put your hand on the painful part on/in your body. Breathe into area that experiences discomfort.
 
Space meditation - pay attention to the space between the fingers on your hand, the ceiling and floor, the photos on your wall, the space between your thoughts.
 
“Love” meditation - say the word over and over and attend to how your body experiences that.
 
Do something nice for someone- be of service.
 
Chi gong (and stretch while moving) exercises- on YouTube there are many videos about basic stretching and energizing techniques
 
Lift a small weight 3x or do Isometrics (act as if lifting but no weights) or sit up, planks, pushups
 
Eyes- cupping your eyes with your hands on eye socket. Close eyes
 
Imagine yourself getting a prestigious award- picture it vividly and feel the feelings that would accompany that
 
Eft YouTube https://youtu.be/mHtzflsbnDA?si=bbPnCK3skFd5GXYK
Brad Yates on being centered and grounded
​

Routine 2
Mind body hacks
 
Say the word “Yes!!” Loudly and repeatedly as if something great just happened.
 
Clap and cheer to add to it.
 
Nlp (sport psychology and anchoring an emotion on your fingers)- ask me via email for an audio of me talking you through the actual process so you can immediately use it
[email protected]
 
Yoga -stretch- cat, cow, cobra
 
 
Breathing differently is easy to do yet highly effective. A good technique to use.
 
Alternate nostril Breathing is so fast and effective- learn theory and application: https://youtu.be/8VwufJrUhic?si=T9VDcGMDQX1cz4Pe
 
4444 box breathing meditation: https://youtu.be/aPYmZOhJF5Q?si=-t74sxt6gmiI8-z-
 
Breathing YouTube podcast short snippet:
https://youtu.be/kSZKIupBUuc?si=7R22zZQJAhBI1e2B
 
 
Gratitude - mentally list three things for which you are thankful - every day
 
Scan your body for calm and pleasure- actively look for the positive and you will find it

Let’s look at ways to hack our lives and moods and mind-body. There are so many different ways to feel better. Try each one that appeals to you. If you are not sure what it means, or the description does not make sense to you, let me know.

Most of these are from graduate school. Some are just from being alive and coping and then there are some that are from the Somatic Psychotherapy Toolboox (book)

There are some repeats from week to week, to reinforce that they are valuable and perhaps you are overlooking a great one. The main take away is that there are many ways to feel better, don’t stop until you feel better. Suffering is optional, pain is not.

Try the first routine for about a week. I will post all 11 of them in a row- at least those that I have so far, starting August 23. Come back to see them all. Like with home repairs, the right tool makes a big difference.
 
Routine 1
Body-mind hack
 
Want to feel better fast? Try this routine first.
 
Would you consider doing this routine or tweaking it?
 
The part of your brain that governs movement and balance also helps with depression and anxiety:
Still in bed, Move your toes, wiggle your big toes for 30-60 seconds. Rest, repeat.
 
When you don’t feel energetic enough for walking around the block, get up and walk around the table or pace for 20 seconds. These help your brain unlock or unfreeze you when you are stuck or don’t have enough gas in the tank.
 
Put your hands behind your head. It starts you getting more feel good chemicals into your brain. Do for 5 minutes or more and testosterone production goes up (Harvard study) making you more likely to be active.
 
Do something that requires balance- go up on your toes and back down or sway side to side. Or spin around 3x very slowly -Balance exercises stimulate your brain.
 
Fake smile and fake laugh if you can’t do the real thing. By exercising those muscles, your body can kick into the real thing. Practice doing it a few minutes at a time.
 
While seated, conduct the symphony using your arms only. 60 seconds minimum
 
Your body does better when you regularly move it.
 
Want to relax your whole system? Humm and sing frequently or add dancing- your brain immediately starts acting differently. Drink something and swallow or make a smoothie so you use your sucking action, which calms the system. Same for gargling- poly vagal response.
 
Not enough energy for that, yet? Listen to a comedian on YouTube or pandora- it puts your mind in a different frame.
 
More active?
Back flat against the wall, while standing. Slowly lower yourself until your thigh bone is parallel to the floor. 5-15 seconds of holding and stand back up.
 
Or
Stretch your neck muscles ever so slightly. Slow as a snail.
 
The idea is to move, not even exercise- but prime your brain to feel better.
Let me know what works for you and ask me for other exercises to add.