3-Minute Reset

There is nothing worse than being in an ornery mood. The bad mood spreads and attracts other situations to be cranky about. Ugh.

I've been practicing the 3-minute reset, a technique that has been incredibly effective for me. I'm grateful to Dana Wilde for sharing this powerful tool.

1.     Acknowledge the lousy mood or annoying feeling. OK, thanks for being here and showing me how I do not want to feel. Do I want to keep this feeling and have the Reticular Activating System part of my find more things for me to be ornery about? Heck no.

2.     Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and say the word “reset” to yourself. For maximum relaxation, make the exhale longer than the inhale.

3.     Move your body. Jump up and down, do a dance, the sillier the better. Physical movement resets your body and brain. Laughing is also a rest for your brain.

4.     Run your hands under warm water. Combining this practice to relax and feel good, the feeling of the water resets your emotional set point.

5.     Talk in a silly voice. Say aloud, like Goofy’s or Donald Duck’s, “ I am annoyed right now.” Talking in a silly voice will help you realize how silly it is to be annoyed.

6.     Do anything that makes you laugh. I love listening to comedians like Gary Gulman or Jim Gaffigan or calling a funny friend who makes me laugh.

Declare: “I am feeling good! This bad mood is done! I am feeling good!”  

In just three minutes, you have the power to shift your emotional set point. Your brain will start receiving happier and more productive thoughts. This is a tool we all have, and I'm grateful to be able to share it with you. I hope you feel empowered by this knowledge too.