HOW TO KEEP YOUR COOL by Jeffrey Brantley, MD

In addition to the inspirational quotes, the beautiful images, my own personal and business blogs, the recommended reading list, and information on my consulting business, I would like to share some of the writings of various thought leaders.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR COOL by Jeffrey Brantley, MD

Ever feel like blowing up — or melting down? Whether it’s due to cramped living quarters or cranky coworkers, almost everyone feels stressed occasionally.

Example: Your ex threatens to boycott your son’s graduation, or your department is given an impossible deadline. Your body reacts by producing the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which elevate your blood pressure and flood your bloodstream with glucose (sugar). Heart racing, palms sweating and stomach churning, you feel like your body has been hijacked by your emotions. The more you worry about losing control, the more your stress hormones rise.

Solution: Practice mindfulness, a technique rooted in Buddhist tradition. It can calm and focus the mind, slow the heart rate, reduce the need for oxygen and quickly ease muscle tension. The basics…

1. Assess what’s happening — not in the situation, but within yourself. Are your hands shaking? Head pounding? Recognizing these signs for what they are — normal responses to stress — reduces their power to upset you further.

2. Be compassionate toward yourself. Instead of a judgmental rebuke (“Crying again? Big baby!”), silently say, “My body is giving me a message. I will listen and learn from it.”

3. Shift your focus. Rather than fretting about a physiological response that you can’t control, such as a flushed face or choked voice, concentrate on one you can control — your breathing. Slow, deep, rhythmic inhalations and exhalations help you to regain a sense of mastery over your physical reactions.

4. Reconnect with your body — and disconnect from the crisis around you. Take a quick walk, do some yoga poses in the restroom, or simply close your eyes and gently massage your temples for a few moments.

5. Take action. Consciously free your mind from resentful or hopeless thoughts (“My ex is a jerk!” or “I’m just no good at this job”). Reflect calmly on specific solutions, such as family counseling or assistance from coworkers, that will allow you to regain control over the situation — and yourself.

– Jeff Brantley

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