Stressful situations come up all the time. How can you handle them without getting overwhelmed?
Although this video focuses on teachers, the techniques work for anyone in a stressful situation. You can change the chemicals inside your body by moving when you’re feeling stressed.
Here’s how it works:
Transcript:
“Hi, Joan. Oh, rough day?” Asked Shamika.
“Hi, Shamika,” Joan replied, “That’s an understatement. And not just today, I’m so stressed out. Maybe I’m not meant to be a teacher.”
“Yeah, teaching seems harder these days,” Shamika agreed. “You know, I’m not sure what I’d do without Michael Grinder’s #1 stress buster. Don’t tell him I call it that.”
“Oh, what is it?” Asked Joan.
“Michael calls it Break and Breathe, an easy way to get rid of everyday stressful situations!”
Break and Breathe, Adult-to-Adult
Shamika continued, “When I use his technique, I can either avoid or manage stress.”
“Break and Breathe, how do you do it?” Joan asked curiously.
“Well, the whole technique is based on a simple fact, your mind and body are connected. If you lead with your body, your mind and emotions will follow. Do you want your emotions to change? Then change your body.” Shamika explained.
“Okay, but how do you do that?”
“Simple. Learn to recognize what personally stresses you out. And when those things happen, take a deep breath and move at the same time. It only takes seconds.” Shamika replied.
- Notice the need (what is causing you stress?)
- Move and breathe (at the same time)
Notice the need.
Shamika continued, “The hardest part is that you need to learn what causes your stress and what situations cause those unmanageable emotions.
Is it the person who cuts you off on your drive to work?
Is it people criticizing your work, or how you teach your kids?
Or is it trying to schedule something with people who are spontaneous or unorganized?
It’s different for everybody. And you need to train yourself to notice the need to get rid of stress. When you realize, ‘Oh, this is stressing me out.’ Then you break and breathe.”
“Right, so if I know what to look for, I guess I can prevent stress before it sneaks up on me. Easier than trying to fix it later.” Joan said knowingly.
“Right, you really get it.” Shamika encouraged.
Move and breathe, at the same time.
“The trick is you have to move, break, and breathe at precisely the same time. That’s what makes it work so well.”
Joan replied, “But my mom always said, ‘Just take a deep breath. You’ll be okay.’ So, why do I have to move?”
“It might surprise you, but when you move, you take a deeper breath. It’s how the chemicals in your body work. Let me show you how it’s done.”
Shamika took a step to the side while breathing.
“That’s it?” Asked Joan.
“That’s it. The hardest part is learning to recognize what causes you stress, but it’s worth it because then the stress can’t control you. You won’t have to worry about losing your cool in front of your kids, or your parents. And when you go home, you’ll be able to leave your stress and work behind you and actually get a good night’s rest.
So do you want to practice with me?” Asked Shamika.
“Okay!” Replied Joan. She took a step to the side and then took a deep breath.
“Almost, let’s try it again. And this time, focus on breathing while stepping,” Shamika encouraged.
Joan took another step, this time while breathing.
“You got it!” Exclaimed Shamika.
“Be sure to practice this and think about what causes you stress. And maybe you can take a look at the Break and Breathe section in Michael’s ENVoY book tonight.
Next time, I’ll teach you how to use it as a management technique in your classroom.”
Did you miss part one? Watch it here.