How to Calm Your Brain During Any Storm

How to Calm Your Brain During Any Storm

There is a major storm in our economy currently. Understandably, this situation adds stress to negotiations. When you’re overly stressed the chemistry in your brain changes. Your problem solving abilities are reduced and your judgment is greatly diminished. In fact, it is a very similar state as being drunk! This is no state to be in when making important decisions during negotiations.

Here are some simple steps to take to begin to relax and reduce the effects of stress on your brain:

• Take at least 3 deep, slow, regular breaths – this will start to slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure and restore cognitive clarity.
• As you breathe, let your shoulders relax and loosen your jaw – you may be surprised at how much tension you hold in your jaw.
• Focus your mind on the present moment – to help with this maybe focus your attention on your breath passing through your nostrils as you breathe, or pick a spot on the wall and focus your eyes gently on that spot. When focusing on the present moment you prevent yourself from regretting the past and fearing the future – both of which increase stress. (For a deeper understanding of this concept, read The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.)
• When uncomfortable feelings arise, don’t try to ignore them but acknowledge and label them – recent research at UCLA proves this allows you to detach from negative emotions so they do not hijack your calmness.

Once you begin to relax your mental clarity will begin to be restored in your brain. Will this calm the outer storm in our economy? No. But it will calm the storm within you and make you less likely to do something irrational during negotiations that you will later regret.

About the author: Jonathan Jordan, a member of the prestigious Society for Neuroscience, is an entrepreneur, Certified Business & Executive Coach, international speaker and ocassionally speaks at ICN conferences.  You can contact him via e-mail at Jonathan@MindfullyChange.com.