Mastering the Mindset
Mastering the Mindset
From Stress To Clarity: 6 Tips
Are you stressed? Of course you are. You have a lot going on. You're on your journey. I give you some techniques that will help you show up for yourself daily and overcome stress with a newfound strength. Not to mention all of these techniques are backed by science. Let's talk about ways to transform that stress and anxiety into stepping stones for success.
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What's up everybody and thank you for listening to Mastering the Mindset. My name is Darius Dodge and I'm an actor, hip-hop artist and fitness and life coach, and I'm here to personally help you train and improve your mindset so that you can, one, become the best version of yourself mentally and, two, gain focus and motivation to be able to take action and achieve the success in life that you want and deserve. Before we get started, please like and subscribe to my channel and at the end of this episode, if you liked it, please share it with a friend or a loved one or someone who would benefit from hearing this message. I'm so glad you're here and I'm ready to go on this journey with you, and that journey begins now. That journey begins now. Hey, thank you all for joining me for another episode. Thank you all for being here. I always say if you're on YouTube, please go ahead and like and subscribe to my channel. If you are listening to me on a podcast platform, please leave a review and also leave a donation. These things greatly help me keep these episodes coming out to you and it will greatly be appreciated. So let's jump right in and get right to it.
Speaker 1:So we all go through it. It happens no matter who you are, and that is stress. We all get stressed at some point, and especially since 2020, stress overall for the world feels like it's just going up, and I can't speak for everybody. World feels like it's just going up and I can't speak for everybody, but I think it's a little safe to say that you've probably been dealing with stress more now than normal, and it's important to have some things, some tools in your tool belt to be able to pull out and use when that stress and anxiety starts to set in, when it shows up, because the thing we don't want to do is for it to boil over, to overflow, to not be in charge of it, right. So today I'm going to give you six tips, six techniques to use when you feel those moments of stress and anxiety. And so the first one and it's really simple and it might sound a little cliche, but science tells us that this works and that is to focus on your breath.
Speaker 1:When those negative feelings come up and you feel terrified or stressed or angry, or anxious, uncertainty, the first thing you need to do is focus on shifting your breath. Why? Because this is going to change your heart rate when you feel that shift in your body and it's going to. It's going some way that you don't want it to go in your body and it's going to. It's going some way that you don't want it to go. Breathe you should take about six deep breaths in through the nose, out through the mouth, like you're blowing out in a straw Right, a long exhale, deep, deep inhale and long exhale. And again this changes your heart rate. It slows it down.
Speaker 1:When your brain and your body feel those negative things, your brain goes into fight or flight mode and your heart rate increases and that only amplifies things. Right, but taking deep breaths, this brings your heart rate down and then your body will follow back to normal, back to its normal state and it counters that fight or flight mechanism in your brain. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system and that is the calm part of your brain. So you have a sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system and the para is the calm. The sympathetic is the anxiety, right, the nervousness, the intense, the stress, the excitedness. All of that tightens right and all the things you don't need happening when you feel success. So the para is the calm and this is what deep breathing activates.
Speaker 1:And again, cliche, right? How many times have you heard that phrase? Take a deep breath, breathe. Now, even mental health professionals tell you they give you breathing exercises to use, right, to keep you calm, to help regulate your mind and your body. And it can sound cliche, but it works. Focus on breathing, get that heart rate regulated. So that's number one. Number two is gratitude Again, another simple one.
Speaker 1:But focus on what you have, focusing on what you're grateful for. The things that you don't want to do is focus on all the things you don't have, all the things you wish you had, all the things going wrong, because by doing this, the more you do it, the more you notice it, the more that's all you see. It starts to be this snowball effect and it'll just keep eating away at you and all you're going to notice is what you don't have, what you used to have. Change that perspective. And this one probably sounds cliche too, but now that we're talking about it. But you got to focus on gratitude, focus on all the ways you've been blessed, all the things that are working out for you. Right, and again, there is science behind it.
Speaker 1:When you focus on something, no matter what it is good or bad, you're activating your reticular activating system and what that is is. So basically, it's like a filter, right? It also regulates your sleep rhythms, which we're not talking about right now, but the part that's affected by what you focus on is the filter part. For example, if you ever been to the Grand Canyon, or if you've never been to the Grand Canyon and you go there for a trip, well, your particular activating system won't filter out all the scenery and the weather and the beautiful views and how pretty everything is, because it's new and you're looking to enjoy all the things you've never seen before. Right now, on the flip side, let's say you're somebody that can, that can fall asleep on a plane and sleep through the plane taking off. But if you have a baby at home, the slightest sound they make will wake you up to check on them. Why that particular activating system can block out all those loud playing sounds and the bumpiness of the takeoff because you're not focused on it, it's not in the front of your mind, but that baby, that infant, is constantly in the front of your mind. So you're going to notice and hear and look for every little thing, every little change in that baby.
Speaker 1:Or my favorite example is when you buy a new car or you're looking to buy a certain car, and now when you drive in, it feel like, damn, I'm seeing a whole lot of my car on the road right now. Right, has it ever happened to you? It definitely happened to me. I got my car and all of a sudden I can't stop noticing a whole bunch of other cars just like mine and it ain't like they all of a sudden started buying the same car as me. No, my particular activating system wasn't activated and now all I see is my car on the road.
Speaker 1:Same things when it comes to negativity and gratitude. If you constantly focus on how things going bad for you, then that's all you're going to see. If you focus on gratitude and what is working for you, what you do have, how things are working out, I promise you you will start to see more and more. And if you've been stressed about something, or just in general, what kind of mindset do you think you want to be having? Which one do you think is going to be more beneficial for you? So that's number two. Can you focus on gratitude?
Speaker 1:Number three, the third thing you can do to help relieve stress is going for a walk. Again, there is science in it. Walking has therapeutic benefits for emotion, and seeing things pass you as you're walking by, seeing that terrain or trees or houses or buildings go by as you walk, actually lowers cortisol levels in your brain, and cortisol is a stress hormone, and I'm going to read this one verbatim to make sure you get it. But walking can help ease symptoms of chronic mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. The rhythmic pace of walking can soothe the mind, and physical activity can trigger the release of brain chemicals that can make you feel happier and more relaxed. That's what the science is.
Speaker 1:I feel like I can just move on to number four right now. Just going for a walk calms you down and lowers your cortisol. And no, don't go for a walk with your phone. You have to actually see things passing you by, and this is actually why I started to like going for runs around the lake. Now, four years ago, if you would ask me about going for a jog, the answer would have been hell. No, I hated running, long distance running, oh no. But now, during the pandemic and when all the gyms were closed, I started getting my cardio in outside, and over time, I realized that I feel different after I go for a run. Huh, am I craving a good run right now? Who am I? My brain started to tell me that, hey, we need this. This is good, go do it. So go outside, disconnect from the world for 10 minutes, go to the park, walk around your neighborhood and if you go, if you can go out and be slow down, if you can go out and be in nature, that's even better. Humans are naturally drawn to nature. Believe it or not, we are, even though we all got those friends that never actually want to be outside Right. The thought of going out in nature sounds like hell to them. Maybe that's you, but get your butt outside, go for a walk. Nature ain't gonna kill you. Humans need nature. So that's number three Go for a walk. And number four is write it out, write it down, put it on pen and paper Journal.
Speaker 1:A lot of times, problems are way more complicated in our minds, right? There's benefits in being able to write out your problems cognitively. Think about it as you're writing it down, the things you're stressing about. It gives you some clarity. You can start to plan things out. You can be able to look at these problems from a different level, not just in your mind, but abstractly. Like I always say, if you had to solve this complicated math problem and they got all these steps you got to take and it's multi-layered Would you try to solve it all in your head? No, you grab a pencil and paper and write it out. Why? Because it's easier to solve that way to see it all in front of you. Same thing when it comes to stresses in our lives being able to see it, it always makes it easier to be able to attack it better from a different perspective. If the problem only lives in your head and you don't want to talk about it or think about it, of course it's going to stress you out. The more you leave it in the dark, the more it can control you. So that's number four.
Speaker 1:Write it down at number five and this one might not be what I want to hear and I won't stay long on this because it's probably the most straightforward but cut back on caffeine. Yes, you might need to cut back. Caffeine can add to your anxiety levels, especially if you're drinking a lot of it, and I would just read this again verbatim Caffeine is a stimulant that can speed up the brain's chemicals, which can lead to anxiety and increased heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure. Caffeine can also activate the stress axis, which increases the production of cortisol. And I know I'm about to butcher this word, but catecholamines yeah, I did not say that correctly, but let me keep reading this can also contribute to the duration and intensity of stress and blood pressure responses, especially during times of stress. I mean, come on, that's, that's a mic drop. Could there be a correlation between you drinking a lot of caffeine and you having stress or anxiety? And the answer is yes, pretty straightforward again. So let's move on. So that's number five Cut the caffeine. I know, I'm sorry, might not be what you want to hear, but which one is more important to you being sleepy for a couple of hours or you being less stressed and having less anxiety? And number six and this one you got to be careful with because it can lead you down a rabbit hole.
Speaker 1:But put on some comedy laughter, laughter releases dopamine, and dopamine actually fights against cortisol. Again, there's science in it. And let me just say I know I ain't talking about things y'all don't already know. I understand that this ain't no profound knowledge, but, like I think I said on the last episode, it's good to hear the obvious out loud from another mouth sometimes, because, of course, laughing is better, right? It makes you feel better than being stressed, right? Anyway, dopamine lowers your cortisol levels again.
Speaker 1:Cortisol is a stress hormone. It's why, after hanging out with friends or family and y'all had a great time, the next day you feel good. Also, laughing releases endorphins which make you feel good. Laughter also believe it or not, can temporarily reduce pain. And another thing it does is it can cause physical relaxation. Your muscles can remain relaxed for up to 45 minutes. The physical act of laughing actually requires a lot of muscles. So after laughing a lot for a long time, your muscles are going to feel relaxed afterwards. So, after laughing a lot for a long time, your muscles are going to feel relaxed afterwards.
Speaker 1:And so, if you feel stressed or anxious, put on your favorite comedian or favorite comedy or watch something funny and of course, this can run you a risk of getting caught up in scrolling Right. So set a timer. Really, focus on the fact that what you're doing is strictly for your stress and anxiety, not for entertainment, because we all know how easy it can be to get caught up on social media. But watch that funny thing and let it help lower your stress levels. And that's number six. Watch something funny. And again, all these are straightforward, all of them are easy to grasp conceptually. But again, a good reminder.
Speaker 1:Now, I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being stressed. I'm tired of it. I feel like I don't need not a now, another thing to stress me out in my life. But we all know we can't control life. We can't control the things that get thrown at us. We can't stop it from happening. All we can do is control how we handle it, how we respond and also how we prepare for it.
Speaker 1:And having these kind of tools Simple, yes, but scientifically proven to help you can really be beneficial to you. Because I know you got a lot going on. I know you do and I'm proud of you. And you should be proud of yourself for pushing through, for figuring it out, because it's hard. It's so much easier to just stop, to just throw in the towel, but you didn't and you won't. So keep showing up for yourself, keep working on yourself. Keep working on yourself, keep focusing on growth and when those moments of stress and anxiety come up, use some of these tools. We got goals to go after. Stress is inevitable, but that don't mean we got to let it hold us back. So that's what I got for y'all today.
Speaker 1:Another short but sweet one. Let's just recap. Tip number one focus on your breath. Get your heart rate regulated to help calm the brain, to focus on gratitude. Your particular activating system is going to focus on what you aim it at.
Speaker 1:Number three go for a walk. Science proves that this literally helps lower stress. For Write it out, don't try and solve this complex problem all in your head. Number five do you need to cut back on caffeine? Do you Be honest with yourself? And six put on some comedy. Laugh at something. Laughter fights your cortisol levels, cortisol levels. And again, simple but effective. So let's go ahead and get to the music.
Speaker 1:The song I got for y'all today is Lakeside and let's ride out. See, I'm a grind from sunrise to moonlight to daytime. Stay focused and be patient and understand it. Take time. Couldn't walk them out of my shoes. They probably couldn't even lace mine. Game face, we'll be right back.
Speaker 1:They, sad, want to talk about day lives. They don't want to talk about killing us, treating us like canines. Cop killers keep piling up like four, six, seven, eight, nine. But who the hell said break time? It's take three, we don't take five. Go ahead and make your point. Please hurry up, we don't waste time.
Speaker 1:She, mad cause I'm busy, said if I really cared I would make time. She want to have date time like margaritas on the lakeside. They talking about they on the wave. I, I don't see them. I'm lakeside and I can't make her wet. I can feel it. I'm lakeside. They say life is a beach. Tell me about it. I'm lakeside. Don't be fish of a compliment setting thirst traps on my lakeside. And we been through all kind of shit. Now it's time to sip on this lakeside. So pass my cup Been to get lit right now. Take another sip right now.
Speaker 1:I'm feeling bougie by the lakeside. We drinking top shelf liquor. It's mixed good. I don't taste mine. Surprised, somebody took shots at me. Okay, fine, won't take mine, but I'ma take every one of these and I bet I still walk a way better than I talk it. That's why lately I ain't been talking, sipping my tea like a big coffee.
Speaker 1:Never seen nothing fly like me. I'm a UFO, I'm a flying saucer. Never been a follower, not behind you. Don't look back, cause you lost me. And we getting saucy. We turning things to a party. This ain't dancing. I'm shaking demons out of me. My favorite team should be in Milwaukee Because we bought bucks and we at the top and it never was up.
Speaker 1:I used to be down at the bottom. I used to be stuck, used to be struggling, used to be bad at making it, used to be riding the bus. I was just trying to go get me a slice. Life just kept on handing me crust. Had to trust, trust the process, trust my ability that when I pivoted, I could adjust. I'm a big fish in this lake. They talking about they on. I'm lakeside and I can make her wet. I can feel it. I'm lakeside. Basic life is a beach. Tell me about it. I'm lakeside. Don't be fish up a compliment. Setting dirt traps On my lakeside and we been through All kind of shit. Now it's time to step On this lakeside. So pass my cup. Lakeside. I got my name on the wave Bye.