Many of us are understandably concerned about our lives, our work and our futures. To quote Thomas Paine – “These are the times that try men’s (and women’s) souls.” Yet in his day, Paine didn’t have the ability to conjure up an image that we in the computer age have readily available – hitting the reset button!
We’ve come to learn that when our computer is throwing a fit, we need simply to hit the reset button and the computer shuts down and starts up again, otherwise known as rebooting. Often this procedure is enough to clear up whatever the error happens to be. As a matter of fact, any computer geek worth his or her salt will ask you to hit the reset button on your computer before leading you through more elaborate maneuvers to fix a computer glitch.
The metaphor of hitting the reset button is an apt one for us to follow in our lives. And thankfully, there are numerous ways for us to do this.
By far the simplest one is for us to take a deep breath. I heard one of the TV physicians suggest this on the Today Show recently. She almost seemed embarrassed to suggest that people under stress should simply learn how to take deep breaths. In an age when everything seems complicated, it seems ridiculously naive to suppose that deep breathing could do anything to help, but it does. I remember hearing Dr. Andrew Weil propose that he could heal many ills by teaching people waiting in doctors’ offices simple breathing techniques.
When under stress we generally breathe shallowly. This is a natural outcome of the fight or flight response which is how our system handles stress. When wild animals were after us thousands of years ago, we tensed our muscles in reaction to quickly run away from the danger. Dilated pupils, faster heart beat, shallow and rapid breathing and even bursts of released cholesterol to increase energy became our unconscious reaction to such situations. However, today we react in the same way to cultural stressors. We can reverse the trend by simply taking in more oxygen and slowing our system down.
Another way to hit the reset button is to listen to soothing music. One of my clients created a playlist of upbeat songs. He’s determined to play that list at various turns of the day, especially when he finds himself confronting difficult situations. He finds his capacity to handle challenges actually increases the more he allows himself to listen to this music. With computers and mp3 players we also have an advantage that people in earlier times never had – we have the ability to create our own compilations of music.
For people who are visual may find it more helpful to set their reset buttons with a visual reminder. Richard Moss has created a simple tool he calls a mandala of being. Mandala is simply a Sanskrit word for circle. Picture a large circle on a page. Inside of that large circle is a smaller circle – so what you end up with looks like a donut with a hole in it. Inside of the small circle, write the word NOW. Inside the larger circle are four places to look at. At the 12 o’clock spot (as if you were looking at the face of a clock) sits the word FUTURE. At the 3 o’clock spot sits the words JUDGING OTHERS. At six o’clock, PAST and at nine o’clock, Judging SELF.
The reset position is in the center in that smaller NOW. To feel centered and in control your point of power is in the present – right now. Your job is to remember to come back to this point whenever you find yourself fretting about the future or regretting the past or judging yourself or others. Each of us has a favorite place or two on this circle that we are normally drawn to. For some it’s more natural to judge themselves. For others it’s about regretting the past. You know what your default place may be. Your job is to remember to come to the present and stop thinking about those other issues over which you have no control.
Meditation can be another way to revive yourself. You can do it even in as few as five minutes. Those five minutes can have a positive impact for many hours to come throughout the day. I know this – because I practiced this today for myself!
Don’t be scared off by the word, meditation. It’s actually a very simple process. All you need to do is sit comfortably, preferably with eyes closed and focus on a word (also known as a mantra). The simplest word you can choose is ONE. Dr. Herbert Benson, author of The Relaxation Response did extensive research to find that this simple word – one – can be universally acceptable as a meditation device.
As you sit for five minutes and think ONE, your mind will most likely drift of in other directions. Don’t worry. When you remember, just bring your mind back to that one word. You’ll find that this simple exercise can be a refreshing pause. When you come back to your day and your life, all may actually look different to you. You’ll have access to resources within you you hadn’t really tapped into for some time.
No matter how you choose to reclaim yourself, it is important to do so. If it’s good enough for your computer to recharge with its reset button, it’s certainly good enough for you! Try it – and report in with your results.
Melanie Keveles, Master Certified Coach, helps people live their dreams instead of dreaming of living. You can visit her Web site at www.startingfreshcoaching.com, send an e-mail to melanie@startingfreshcoaching.com, or call 715-394-4260 for a complimentary coaching session. Her forthcoming book Scrappy Startups tells inspiring stories of profitable entrepreneurs.
Please feel free to reprint this article as long as the following bio (and link to my site) is included with the article.
Melanie Keveles helps people make long-forgotten dreams come true. A master certified coach, she's helped her clients find greater career satisfaction, launch entrepreneurial ventures, and get their books published. Do you have a dream that you keep yearning over? Call Melanie today and take the first step to realizing it. You can reach Melanie at , at 715.394.4260, via email at melanie@startingfreshcoaching.com or www.startingfreshcoaching.com.
You'll also want to read Melanie's upcoming book. Co-author of Fired for Success: How to Turn Losing Your Job into the Opportunity of a Lifetime! (Warner Books), Melanie is under contract with Praeger Books for a forthcoming book on entrepreneurial women, Scrappy Startups: How 15 Ordinary Women Turned their Unique Ideas into Profitable Business.
Add a Comment:
Your Name:
Email Address*:
Website:
*Required. Email address will not be visible.
Melanie Keveles Melanie Keveles collaborates with her clients for Career and Entrepreneurial Success through Dream, Courage, Action! It's really about getting focused on what you want your career to be, clearing the obstacles and getting into motion. Full Profile & Contact Information...
