Below are some examples of some green choices. These can be things we do to help ourselves stay in the green, of course one of the most important things we can do is to communicate and getting it out. Talk to your support network and contact the CARE Team. Allow yourself time to sit with your thoughts but don’t let them linger unnecessarily long, talking and getting it out is a key step for your brain to start integrating a stressful experience.
Exercise
When you exercise, endorphins are released leading to improved ability to sleep and lower stress levels. Looking for some exercise inspiration? Here are a few videos that may just do the trick! Even if you just have 10 or 15 minuets, it’s worth it.
6-7-8 Breathing
Breathe in for 6 seconds hold for 7, out for 8, repeat multiple times. This technique helps normalize your breathing and blood pressure.
1-2-3-4-5 Grounding Tool
This tool helps get the mind out of the past stressful event and into the present. Sometimes the brain can get stuck reliving a stressful incident to the extent that it doesn’t realize the event has passed. This technique helps bring the mind back to the present. What you do is focus on one thing you taste. Now two things you smell. Three things you can hear. Four things you physically feel. For example, I feel the socks on my toes, the denim of my jeans, the seat I’m sitting on, the paper I’m holding. Last one, look for five things you can see. This is a great way of grounding yourself in the present and not getting stuck in your thoughts, to not dwell on past events and to remember that the stressful event you endured is in the past.
5 Positive Thoughts
Sometimes your brain can get going in a loop, it can latch on to one scene and play it on repeat. A very simple tool is to think of five positive thoughts such as the great hike you went on the other week or how cute your pet looked the other day. Thinking of 5 positive thoughts can help your brain get out of the mental gutter it was in. Why five? Research has determined this is number we need to out weigh one negative thought.
Mindfulness Guided Exercise
Bellow are short guided mindfulness exercises, use them to help clear your mind and help you find that sense of calm.
