SELF-REGULATION

 

Do you want to be stronger, faster, smarter?  When we are more relaxed in our bodies, we can think better, physically respond, and verbally communicate more effectively and have full access to all of our internal resources.  We can limit unintentional overreactions and emotional outbursts.  We can also help our friends, colleagues, pets, and family members co-regulate (benefit from our calm).

​

Self-regulation is a way of noticing when we are beginning to feel/feeling distress and use strategies to settle ourselves so that we have full access to our own skills and abilities and so that we can be more conscious and deliberate about how we are responding to any given situation. 

Self-regulation exercises:

​

There is much more to learn and try but here are a couple of activities to try:

​

Scan your body slowly from head to toe and see where you notice any tension, tightness, numbness,  pain, relaxation, etc.  Just by paying attention to the body what happens?

***

Take a couple of deep exhales?  What do you notice in your body now?

***

Look around you for a few minutes to assess for any immediate danger and if safe, notice any pleasing sights or sounds.   What do you notice?