Before You Give-Up

The modern world moves at a remarkable pace and we have not evolved quickly enough to compensate. We are constantly moving at a rate our minds do not have the ability to process fully. Confronting this speed on a daily basis leaves most with uncontrollable feelings of frustration, anger, stress, confusion and anxiety that subconsciously have the power to directly influence a person's relationships with those closest to them. This happens without a true understanding of the origin and usually leads to conflict and confrontation. Lucky for us there are exercises we can engage in that can help slow the pace of the world we live in, while simultaneously giving us the skills to cope with these negative feelings we are left with as a side effect of our daily chaos. Our brain is working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The brain does not cease functioning even in sleep so it is forever carrying out its responsibilities to our mind and body without rest. The main function of your brain is to protect you, and it is our primal instincts, for the most part, that direct our reactions, perceptions, thoughts and beliefs. Given our primal instincts have been embedded in us since the dawn of man, these instincts are often outdated and unable to keep up with a world that changes so fast it is often unrecognizable from day to day. When our brain is introduced to stimuli or triggered by factors in our environment, thoughts first travel to the frontal and pre-frontal cortex. If your “human or modernized” brain does not know how to respond your “cave-man or primal” brain takes over, trying to compensate by releasing stress hormones (Cortisol, Adrenaline) into your blood stream. These hormones, instead of helping as the brain intended, have a tendency to manifest themselves in symptoms including shortness of breath, anger, anxiety, fear, disorientation, confusion and a host of other reactions that usually carry negative consequences. In other words, once activated a downward spiral begins, slowly pulling our mind into an uncharted abyss where we do not have the power to truly grasp what we are experiencing. Given the unbreakable connection between mind and body, once the brain is in this abyss the body reacts in coordination, leading to aches, pains, fatigue and many other debilitating conditions. If this sounds familiar, then you are in fact a human being. Congratulations! The good news is there are steps you can take to counter these self-imposed handicaps and help keep your balance in turbulent waters. Here are some relatively easy 5-Minute exercises anyone can do to smother the raging fires our primal brain inevitably lights in its effort to protect us. These 5-Minutes self-meditation/self-hypnosis exercises work because they directly target a very specific area of your brain. This area is called the Nucleus Accumbens,. It is a very small area in the brain, but it has a powerful connection to a person's physical and mental health and well-being. This area of the brain is responsible for the production, storage and release all “feel good” hormones (Seratonin, Dopamine). In essence, it is the reason we have good feelings at all. By practicing these 5-Minutes exercises on a regular basis, you will undoubtedly recognize the positive impact they have on your physical and mental health. They are like a super food for the subconscious, making sure it is operating in a way that benefits both the body and the conscious mind. 5 Minute Self-HypnosisThis is a simple 5 minute exercise intended to give a sense of transformational calmness and relaxation. This exercise, when done properly, is equivalent to and has the same impact on the body as 5 hours of sleep. Needless to say, it is a powerful technique and a valuable tool to have in the arsenal.

Note: Do not do this exercise while diving or operating heavy machinery. This is strictly a self-development exercise intended to educate and guide your journey to self-improvement. This is not medical advice. If you have any medical concerns, please contact your medical doctor immediately.The general goal of this exercise is to get in touch with your internal workings and in turn become more aware of your external environment.Please follow these directions :I start by counting myself down using the back of my mind to initiate the process, taking each step as slow as needed to accomplish the desired result. I understand there is no need to rush. 5) I am aware of my surroundings and environment. I am aware of and using all 5 senses. I smell the air, feel my surroundings, hear my environment, see the world around me and taste the inside of my mouth4) I do not feel my physical body position (sitting, standing, lying down), instead I am completely relaxing every muscle one section of the body at a time. I start with my feet and systematically work my way to the top of my head3) I feel my breathing pattern and it gives me a sense of calm because it is rhythmic and syncopated (In and out, deep and slow, breathing using my stomach)2) I feel my eyelids are getting heavy (I also feel my senses drowning out the world around me and slowly relaxing with the rest of my body). I have found my center and it is a wonderful escape from everything I am engaged in outside of this special place1) My eyelids are closing because I want to fully relax and sink into the calm. I want to fully immerse myself and leave the outside world behind0) I am in deep sleep I stay silent for 5 minutes; I do not talk or listen or do any thing at all. Just 5 minutes of complete silence and a clear mind.When I am ready to come up, I start counting myself up. Coming up calmly, gently and slowly (still in a soothing, intentional breathing cycle: In and out, deep and slow, breathing using my stomach)1) I am coming up slowly, calmly and gently (I am in no hurry and do not rush this step)2) I allow myself to go back to deep sleep, as deep as I like, as deep as I want3) I am bringing a calmness up as I start to come back, knowing I will use that calm to carry me forward through the day after this exercise4) I take a deep breath and release5) I open my eyes, wide awake and feeling greatYou can repeat this exercise as many times as you’d like during the day. Share it with the world, because when you share it shows you care. Always stay awesome and amazing.