| You may have noticed a lot of hype in | | | | you life such as relationships, |
| the media around the race for the | | | | finances, mental health, career, |
| Stanley Cup. Teams are facing off | | | | fitness, etc. |
| against each other in search of hockey's | | | | Step 3: Learn two calming skills |
| most prestigious trophy. Many of these | | | | Calming your breath: The first breathing |
| great players have to face off against | | | | skill is "natural breathing" and is used |
| their hidden fears every time they step | | | | whenever you are not involved in |
| onto the ice. What about you? How | | | | physical activity. It involves gently |
| effective are you in facing off against | | | | and slowly inhaling air through your |
| your fears? Over the course of the next | | | | nose and allowing it to fill your lower |
| three periods (I mean articles), let me | | | | lungs first. You should then exhale |
| share my seven-step approach to coping | | | | easily. Natural breathing requires a |
| with fear. | | | | relaxed attitude and gentle breathing |
| How do the mechanisms of fear work? A | | | | pattern. The second breathing skill is |
| key notion to keep in mind is that your | | | | the "calming breath" and is used when |
| breathing pattern coupled with your | | | | you feel panicky or anxious. This |
| thoughts directly affects the body's | | | | technique is great for controlling |
| chemistry to produce physical symptoms | | | | hyperventilation, lowering a rapid |
| to protect itself from danger or harm. | | | | heartbeat and promoting physical |
| These physical responses manifest | | | | comfort. Take a long, slow inhale as in |
| themselves in the form of increased | | | | natural breathing. Fill your lower lungs |
| muscle tension, breathing rate, blood | | | | first, followed by your upper lungs and |
| pressure, heart rate and perspiration. | | | | then hold your breath to the count of |
| The sensations you feel are designed to | | | | "three". Exhale slowly, while you focus |
| happen quickly and powerfully to this | | | | on relaxing your muscles in your head, |
| perceived emergency situation. Often | | | | shoulders and torso. |
| severe reactions manifest themselves in | | | | Get into the habit of practicing these |
| the form of panic attacks. | | | | two skills on a daily basis preferably |
| Your goal is to unlearn this conditioned | | | | 8-12 times throughout the day. All it |
| response and learn to respond in a new | | | | takes is a few breathes between |
| way. The key is in learning how to alter | | | | projects, activities or situations that |
| these sensations through proper | | | | may arise during your normal daily |
| breathing and muscle relaxation. By | | | | routine. |
| shifting your breathing rate or pattern | | | | Quieting your body: This technique |
| and by helping the muscles relax, you | | | | combines visualization with the calming |
| can decrease the effects of stress. | | | | breath. It is one of my favorite calming |
| Let's take a look at the first three | | | | skills for relieving built up muscle |
| steps to facing off against your fears. | | | | tension. As with the calming breath, |
| Step 1: Change your attitude | | | | slowly fill your lungs with air and |
| Just as a hockey player gets fired up at | | | | imagine that the oxygen is going to |
| the start of the first period, you too | | | | re-energize your torso all the way up to |
| need to focus on adopting a positive | | | | your brain. You may even feel a pleasant |
| mental attitude regarding your fears. | | | | tingling sensation as you visualize this |
| Make a point of accepting and believing | | | | positive energy flowing from your core |
| that you can gain control over fear and | | | | to the top of your head. As you slowly |
| your body's response to stress. If we | | | | exhale, focus on the air flushing out |
| mentally label a situation as being | | | | all tension, alltoxins, all worries |
| dangerous or fearful, the body reacts by | | | | through your arms and legs and out of |
| doing what it is supposed to do, respond | | | | your finger tips and toes. Imagine that |
| physically. The first step to dealing | | | | the air is pushing or stripping all the |
| with fear is realizing that you can do | | | | tension in your muscles. Repeat this |
| something about it. You can learn how to | | | | process several times while you give |
| develop coping strategies that will | | | | yourself some positive self talk about |
| minimize the body's natural response to | | | | how great you feel with each exhalation. |
| the stress associated with fear. | | | | When done properly, you should feel |
| Step 2: Identify your most prevalent | | | | rejuvenated at the end. |
| fears | | | | As with any new habit, please keep in |
| A hockey player that is motivated to | | | | mind that it requires both patience in |
| become better identifies early in his | | | | allowing your body to develop and adapt |
| career those areas that need | | | | to a new routine, as well as an on-going |
| improvement. Are there areas or fears in | | | | commitment to practice each calming |
| your life that are holding you back from | | | | skill frequently. These two calming |
| being the best that you can be? Take a | | | | skills form the foundation upon which |
| moment now to make a list of those fears | | | | the other four steps to coping with fear |
| that are holding you back from being | | | | are built. I'll see you at the start of |
| successful. What do you fear right now | | | | the second period as we both face off |
| and in the future? Try to identify fears | | | | against our fears together. |
| or worries that affect all aspects of | | | | |