The Gratitude Protocol: How to reset ‘2020’ brain
A simple, daily exercise to train your stressed out brain
Even if you're a glass half full type, 2020 was a challenging year. With so many tumultuous events from Covid to civil unrest to an ugly and divisive election, it’s no wonder if you feel anxious, agitated and/or stressed. If this sounds familiar then you know, it’s an exhausting way to live. But the good news is…you can train your brain to stop fixating on all your doubts, worries and frustrations and focus on something more positive…like gratitude. There’s an exercise I learned from psychologist and master coach, Maria Nemeth that will help you reign in those anxious worries so they’re not just running amok. It’s a 3 minute exercise that you can do several times a day. All you need is 2 small pieces of paper (notecards work great), something to write with and a timer.
How it works:
1. On the top of the first card/sheet of paper write: “What I’m grateful for:” Think of one thing you are grateful for and write it as a sentence on the top of the page. It should be something that lights you up and may make the corners of your mouth lift into a smile. When you think of it your heart begins to open. It can be anything from the smile on your child’s face, the way your dog wags his tail in excitement when you walk through the door, anything. What it is doesn’t matter as much as the quality of your experience when you think of it.
2. On the top of the second card write: “What I’m anxious about:” Think of one thing you are anxious about. Even if there are a few things…just pick one for now. Write a few words about it on the page. As you write you may notice your body start to tense up a bit. Maybe your heart rate quickens slightly.
3. Place the cards/pieces of paper side by side, with what you’re anxious about on the left. Get the timer ready.
4. Now read what makes you anxious for 7 seconds.
No more, no less! You are creating a context of certainty and
clarity and letting your brain know there are boundaries.
5. Now switch to the gratitude card and focus on this for 17 seconds. That’s not a typo. Because of the phenomenon known as the negativity bias we as humans are more firmly impacted by negative experiences than by positive ones. Therefore we need a little more time for the good stuff to sink in.
6. Nice job! You’ve just done one repetition! Now you will want to do three repetitions in total to complete a set.
7.Complete three sets per day for one week using the same cards. If you are enjoying it and having good results, keep going!
Now you may be asking, ”Why would I intentionally make myself anxious?”
Consistently doing this exercise is a great way to begin training your brain to experience what Julian Rotter, PhD called Internal Locus of Control (ILOC). Rotter found that people with a high ILOC tend to feel that they generally have control of their life and are the authors of their story. In contrast, people with an External Locus of Control (ELOC) tend to feel that they are at the whims of fate and have very little say in the circumstance and outcome of their lives. Intentionally shifting your focus from what makes you anxious to what you are grateful for reminds your brain of the reality that YOU decide what thoughts you focus on, not the other way around. 2020 was a challenging year but 2021 is a clean slate with unlimited possibility!
Remember, this is just one small step in training your brain, reducing anxiety and building your ILOC. If you would like to know more or are interested in exploring coaching please contact me and let’s chat!
Wishing you an abundance of purpose and play!
