What If I Can Get Unstuck? Havening For Procrastination

A short Havening practice for those moments when you know you need to switch tasks, but your brain just won’t make the shift. Especially supportive for neurodivergent minds, this practice uses gentle touch and powerful “what if” questions to help you release what you’re locked into, get unstuck and take the next small step without forcing it.

Transcript

Hello my friends, This is Alison and this is a havening self-touch practice for getting unstuck and making a transition to something else and I'll guide you through the touch. Sometimes the hardest part isn't doing something, It's stopping what you're doing and shifting to something else. You may know perfectly well that it's time to move on and part of you may even want to move on and still your attention seems locked into what you're doing. Perhaps you're having the opposite experience. There's something you want or need to begin but sometimes you can't quite cross that invisible line between not doing it and doing it. I know this experience from the inside too. I have ADHD and I know that strangeness of being completely aware that you need to move on to something else and still somehow not being able to make the shift. And it's not a lack of motivation or caring, We often care deeply. It's that transitions themselves can ask a lot of our brain. So, We're not going to push. We're going to use this simple self-applied touch to give our body and brain an experience of transition. So you don't have to suddenly feel ready or make yourself let go. We're simply going to explore the possibility that you can loosen your grip on this moment and allow the next moment to begin to appear. With you in it. So this is the touch and it comes in three parts and you're free to follow my guidance or simply choose one of the three or two if you like. Firstly, We stroke our hands together, Our palms together, And move them from side to side of our body, Slowly. The second part is to stroke down from your shoulders to your elbows. A soothing touch with an element of a self hug. And thirdly, Stroking anywhere you like on your face, Just a gentle massage, Maybe your cheekbones or your temple. So I'll guide you through it. I'll also offer you some words, Some what-if questions that you can just allow to come along with you. As always, Take a moment to settle a little bit. And as you become conscious perhaps of your breathing in and out. You can feel yourself letting in some fresh new air. And you're safe to take this pause. It won't be very long and it'll make changes for you. Inhale. . . And when you exhale, Soften. Soften your face. Soften your bite. Soften your skin. Feel your breath softening and landing in your belly without having to try. And then begin by stroking your hands. From side to side. And let these thoughts come in. What if I don't have to feel ready? What if my mind can loosen its hold just a little? What if I only have to cross the first inch? Now breathing and stroking down from your shoulders to your elbows, Soft touch. What if this task can stay here while I move away from it? What if I can leave something unfinished for now and still be okay? What if I can come back? They're now touching anywhere on your face. Soft, Soft touch. What if there can be a little space between this thing and the next thing? What if my brain is allowed some moments to change gear? Stroking your hands. What if I only need to make one tiny movement in that direction? What is the next step can be ridiculously small. Now stroking down from your shoulders to your elbows. What if standing up counts? What if closing the tab counts? What if looking away counts? What if putting this thing down counts? What if taking a single step towards the next thing counts? Now stroking your face. What if I let my body lead? What if my body can begin the transition before my mind has caught up? What if I don't need to know how the whole task works? Will unfold. Just the first step. Hands, What if I can begin? What if beginning doesn't mean committing to the whole thing? What if I can just make contact with it? Arms, What if starting is simply opening the door? What if starting is much smaller than my brain has been making it? What if I can make it easy to begin? Stroking your palms together from side to side. What if changing direction is safe? What if I can give myself the cues and support I actually need? What if my way of transitioning is allowed to be my way? Alms. What if choice is beginning to become back online? What if I am already shifting? What if I'm already shifting? Face What if I'm already shifting? Right now, Right here, Beginning to cross the bridge. Continuing but gently bringing to a close the havening touch, Just slowly. Now breathing and feeling your body now. Your body and the support you're on. And the here and now of what your body is feeling. And sensing into any shifts. Even the smallest ones. What might have eased or loosened or opened up. And seeing that and noticing it. And also noticing this, You've already made a transition. A few minutes ago, You were inside whatever you were doing or not doing. And now you're here. You made a change. Something's already shifted. So we don't need to wait for a huge feeling of readiness. Sometimes it's about noticing what the next visible moment is or can be. Not the whole task, Just the movement. Maybe your feet go to the floor. Maybe you stand up. Maybe put one thing down and pick up another. Maybe you turn your head, You open a door, You close a screen. You walk into another room. Maybe you open the document and do nothing more than that. But you're showing your brain and you're letting your body show your brain, We're moving now. And that's what makes the difference. So as we prepare to leave this practice, Maybe you can ask yourself, What if I can carry this little bit of momentum with me? And when you're ready. Maybe you can let one physical movement mark the transition, An intentional movement, A stretch. Are standing up. An intentional step forward with one foot. Rawr! You've already begun. So well done and thank yourself for practicing and know this is here and this is a practice that creates actual neural change. So it's worth keeping doing. I wish you all the best for the rest of your day or night. Until next time, Bye for now.

Reviews

Thank you Annie for this wonderful practice for a big insight into “small” steps.
Bill

Of course, this came at the perfect time. Thank you 💛

Thanks for the guidance exercise. I struggle with neuropathy in my hands so the extra tenderness was a goid feeling. 🙏

I really loved this. The gentle Havening touch creates a little safe space instead of trying to force yourself into the next thing. What stood out to me was that it isn't only useful for switching between tasks. I can see it being helpful when I'm not doing anything and getting started is the hard part. It gives you something physical to come back to while making that first step feel a little more approachable. Thank you, Alison, for making this.