| Have you ever felt like your mind was spinning on | | | | until you call a time out and "re-boot" your |
| a hamster wheel? You know; you get caught in | | | | system. And just how do you re-boot your mind? |
| an endless loop, running over the same old fears | | | | Physical Change = Emotional Change |
| again and again, feeling unable to just stop the | | | | Our physical state and our mental state are very |
| ride and get off? | | | | closely linked. For example, I notice that I always |
| I think we have all felt this way at one time or | | | | feel calm and centered when I exercise regularly |
| another, and if you have a history of anxiety or | | | | and drink plenty of water. So to change a faulty |
| panic issues, you have surely done a few laps on | | | | (but temporary) mental state, like the cognitive |
| the old hamster wheel. I know I have! | | | | loop, I recommend immediately changing your |
| This obsessive re-examining of a fearful or | | | | physical state. |
| worrying situation is what I call a "cognitive loop." | | | | The easiest way to do this is to just notice what |
| It is uncomfortable at best, and at its worse, can | | | | you are doing with your body, and then do the |
| have a negative affect on every area of your | | | | opposite of that. If you're sitting-stand up, or |
| life, including your actual physical health. | | | | even go for a short walk. If you're slouching, |
| That's right. Research shows that over time, | | | | straighten your posture-chin up, chest out, back |
| mental distress of this type can actually cause | | | | straight. |
| physical distress, quickening the pulse rate, raising | | | | Notice your breathing. Are you taking short, |
| blood pressure, and even weakening the immune | | | | shallow breaths? Take a few slow, deep breaths, |
| system. All the more reason to learn how to | | | | breathing out slightly longer than you breath in. Do |
| "jump off the hamster wheel." So let's define | | | | a few slow and deliberate stretches with your |
| what this "loop" actually is, and how you can put | | | | arms and legs to increase circulation. |
| an end to this vicious cycle. | | | | Anything you can do to change your physical |
| I think of a cognitive loop like a computer "hang | | | | state will immediately begin to affect your mental |
| up." Remember the last time your computer | | | | state. And the more extreme the change in your |
| froze on you? It became unresponsive and all | | | | physical state, the more extreme the change in |
| forward progress came to a screeching halt, | | | | your mental state will be. That's one reason that |
| right? Probably your only alternative was to | | | | exercise is so good for your mental |
| "reboot" and start over, because as everyone | | | | health-especially as a preventive measure. |
| knows, once that endless loop starts running, | | | | Walking or bike-riding are both good for the |
| you're not going to get anything done until you do! | | | | nerves, but any physical movement that changes |
| And that is exactly how you handle a loop in your | | | | your physical state will have a positive effect. One |
| thinking! | | | | easy way to remember this: |
| Once the loop of fear or worry begins, all | | | | "When you change what your body is doing, you |
| progress stops. Your mind has basically "hung up," | | | | change what your mind is doing. |
| and you're not getting anything productive done | | | | |