Who’d have thought way back in 2019 that the whole world was about to change? That we would be challenged in ways we never have been before? Having to work differently, associate with people differently, shop differently and to top it all be stuck at home with people you live with……
So many emotions.
My life is always busy, and I used to think what I need is to just stay home for a few weeks to re-coup and re-focus.
Boy did I get that one wrong.
During this time, people have experienced stress, panic, fear, and anger.
Angry at the situation, at the restrictions, what they have lost, feeling insecure not knowing what will be in the future.
Fear is part of our make up, the fight or flight response is an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening. The perception of threat activates the sympathetic nervous system and triggers an acute stress response that prepares the body to fight or flight.
This response is just what’s needed when we are in a dangerous situation that needs some form of physical exertion.
Common feelings connected to fear and the stress response
Apprehension; when doing something for the first time you may feel apprehension, uncomfortable as you don’t know what to expect. Many people in this situation tell themselves things like what the worst that can happen. Then their brain goes off to think about what that could be. Thus creating more stress and uncomfortable feelings.
Fight or Flight Response; There is a huge response here with glands responding by pumping the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) into the bloodstream. As epinephrine circulates through the body, it brings on a number of physiological changes. The heart beats faster than normal, pushing blood to the muscles, heart, and other vital organs.
All of this is to prepare you, giving you extra strength and energy for what is about to happen. The process of fighting or running away uses these chemicals, and the body relaxes afterwards.
This can also happen as an escalation of anxiety and stress, leading to feelings of panic as the chemicals go through your system and instead of being used up by physical movement they can magnify and create anxiety and panic attacks.
As things have been changing since early 2020 and our beliefs, values; and even who we are has been changing.
People who thought of themselves as OK, happy with their life, their lot have had to make adjustments. Their sense of self, who they are is changing. Clients are telling me “I didn’t realise that I was an anxious person before”.
Sending different signals to their unconscious.
Remember being fearful, anxious is not who you are those emotions are connected to your behaviour. Your thoughts and words create sensations and emotions and these can be changed.
As NLPers you know how to take control of those thoughts and emotions.
I asked you to noticed the difference the other day between pleasure and the unpleasant feeling. There are various ways that you can change the unpleasant feeling, how many of you actively do this?