Anxiety and procrastination

 
When you come to a session with me, as my clients will confirm, I talk a lot about ‘the stress bucket’ and the importance of keeping your bucket from overflowing by doing the ‘3 P’s’
Positive thought
Positive interaction
Positive action
It sounds simple, and in reality; it is, as change is very straightforward and results can be felt quickly. However, as anyone suffering from anxiety knows, the intrusive thoughts, which lead to procrastination and self-criticism, have a mind of their own. You are telling yourself to just get up and wash those dishes, clean that cupboard, make that coffee date with a friend, and whilst doing that your brain is becoming overwhelmed with all you need to do. What happens next can be likened to a scene from a toddler’s room – your brain throws its toys out the cot saying, ‘do nothing!’ It’s a state of paralysis so to speak, where action becomes an insurmountable mountain that you are not equipped to climb.
What we continue to do is what we have always done to keep safe – what we are programmed to do in times of stress or danger.
The problem with this is that our primitive brain is in control. If we were to initiate our authority over this part of our brain, we would see that actually; we are capable of being at the helm of our own ship.
Our primitive brain is at the intellectual level of a five-year-old and just as a five-year-old would do if it doesn’t get its own way, our primitive brain throws a tantrum until it gets what it wants. It’s our role as adult to learn to recognise this and take our place as captain.
Easy right?
Well in theory yes, but realistically we must deal with the feelings associated with feeling stressed – and these feelings can be incredibly debilitating and very real.
This is where neuroscience comes in, and where I can help.
Through harnessing the power of your imagination through trance, we will, together, help you take back that authority one small step at a time, so your emotional brain doesn’t feel overwhelmed.
Our emotional brain doesn’t know the difference between reality and imagination, which helps us empty our stress bucket a little each day until we are able to recognise what is real and what is just another ‘inner tantrum.’ This process gives clients the tools to continually improve even when therapy stops.
It takes action to bring about changes, as we are changing the way we perceive reality which in turn allows us to achieve the best outcome in any situation we find ourselves in.