Emotion Regulation: Shake It Off

Are you feeling stressed, anxious, angry and grief? What if I told you there’s a simple tool that can help transform these challenging emotions into feelings of calmness, joy, playfulness and euphoria? If that sounds like something you need, I have just the technique for you to try.

In this track, I’ll guide you through a practice called Shake it off. You can use this technique before, during, and after a triggering situation. To experience maximum benefits, consider incorporating it into your daily routine, such as during breaks at work or before sleep.

Remember, regulation techniques aren’t about avoiding feelings. As soon as you notice that you’ve been triggered, you can use this technique to lower the intensity of your emotions to a more manageable level, allowing you to fully feel and process what’s going on inside.

Music: Our Peaceful Ocean Composed by Music Of Wisdom

Transcript

No matter what comes your way, Shake it off and move forward. Joelle Austen Hello wonderful being, I am Anisha and thank you for choosing me to be your guide today. In this track, First we will do the practice together and then I will explain why this particular tool works, What are the benefits of regularly practicing this, And when to use it and finally when this tool might not be the right fit for you. Before we begin this practice, Let's check in with ourselves. Take a moment to turn your attention inward and notice how are you feeling right now. Can you name the most dominant emotion present in your body right now? Now rate the intensity of this emotion on a scale of 0 to 10, Where 0 means complete absence of this emotion and 10 means the highest intensity. Now that we know exactly where we are, Let's start the practice. Begin by finding a comfortable standing position with your feet hip width apart. Ensure that your back is straight and your shoulders are relaxed, Feeling the ground beneath you, Ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed on both the feet. Take a deep breath in, Coming home to this present moment and a slow breath out, Letting go of the need to do anything else or to be anywhere else, Taking a moment to scan your body for areas of tension, Tuning in with how your body feels and noticing where you are currently holding tension or stress, Briefly scanning our body is crucial for understanding what you need to release over the course of this practice. Now, As you stand with your feet grounded on earth, Begin by gently shaking your arms or hands as if you are shaking water off them. If you want to, You can also open your eyes and continue shaking your arms or hands. As you continue to shake the water off your hands, You might recall from the body scan the parts of your body that were especially tensed or holding stress. One by one, Try shaking all those body parts that are carrying tension. The goal is to start loosening up your body and letting go of any stiffness. As you continue to shake, Feel the vibrations spreading in your body, Gradually increasing the intensity of your shaking, Allowing your whole body to participate, Just like how a dog shakes off water from his whole body after a bath. You might feel the shaking start in your core and radiating outwards. As you shake, Pay attention to your breath, Inhaling deeply through your nose and exhaling through your mouth, Allowing your breath to guide the rhythm of your shaking. You may find yourself bouncing up and down by bending your knees or maybe swaying side to side or maybe dancing. You might also feel like making sounds as you shake, Like ha, So trust your body to guide you into whatever feels right for you. Allow your body to move freely. As this practice comes to an end, Gradually slowing down your movements, Allow your body to settle into stillness. Notice how do you feel after all the shaking, What sensations are present in your body. Visualize any residual tension or heaviness blowing down from the body part into your feet and finally being released into the earth. Inhale through your nose and exhale visualizing all the residual tension from your body melting down into the earth. Take another deep breath in and with the out-breath letting go of this practice. Now let's take a moment to reflect on any new emotions that might have surfaced as a result of this practice. Acknowledge whatever emotions arise without any judgment. It's normal to feel a range of emotions during this process including a sense of relief, Maybe sadness or even joy. So name the emotion that you are currently feeling and if you are still feeling the same emotion that you felt initially then notice has there been any change in its intensity. Very good. Now at last briefly scan your body and notice any changes in your tension levels compared to before. Now to end this practice bring both your hands to your heart center and say to yourself thank you expressing gratitude for taking out this time to make your nervous system feel safe and calm. You did amazing. If your eyes were closed you may open your eyes gently. Now let me explain why and how this works. So have you ever noticed how animals often shake their bodies after experiencing a stressful event such as a near miss with a car or after a fight? This mechanism is believed to help reset the autonomic nervous system by discharging the excess stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol which tend to accumulate during stressful or traumatic experiences. By releasing this pent up energy shaking allows the body to return to a state of equilibrium or balance. This cathartic practice helps to release physical tension, It calms the mind and boost our mood by releasing endorphins. Beyond these physical benefits shaking also help break the freeze response. It allows your body to complete the cycle of activation releasing the pent up energy and promoting a return to a more balanced state. You can practice shaking for 5-10 minutes in one session. If you found this helpful you can replay this track 2-5 times a day and practice with me. I would highly recommend you to practice this technique for the rest of the week because this way you will develop a habit of regulating your emotions in a healthy manner and as a result it will become easier to use this technique immediately in times of crisis. While this practice is generally a safe and beneficial practice it's essential to listen to your body. If you have any physical injuries or limitations then you may need to modify the technique or maybe explore other regulation techniques. Additionally if you suffer from any severe anxiety disorder, PTSD or any other trauma related condition then you should consult with a mental health professional before incorporating this into your daily life. This will help ensure that the technique is used safely and effectively in your unique situation. Remember everyone's journey to inner peace is unique and while this practice offers a powerful pathway to that peace it might not be the perfect practice for you. So if this one tool doesn't work for you then don't worry there is a tool out there for you. Feel free to explore other techniques on my profile to find the right fit for you. Thank you for listening. You being here means a lot to me and I will see you soon till then take care bye bye.