1 – To start. Focus on breathing out. Let your outbreath lengthen, making sure it’s longer than your inbreath.
Breathing out more than you breathe in will calm you down within 30 seconds or so. Note: People in panic sometimes hardly breathe out at all, but just breathe in rapidly.
This causes them to hyperventilate and produces more panic.
It’s when we breathe out that we mobilize the relaxation response known as the parasympathetic nervous system.
People naturally sigh when they are stressed, without knowing how sighing (which extends the outbreath) triggers calm.
Breathe in and count to one…… two…… three….. four…..
And breathe out to the count of one…… two…… three….. four…… five….. six..…
Breathe in and count to one….. two….. three….. four…..
And breathe out to the count of one….. two….. three…… four…… five….. six..…
Breathe in and count to one….. two….. three….. four…..
And breathe out to the count of one…… two…… three….. four….. five….. six..…
And carry on and do this any time you need to feel an inner calm.
You can use any method you know to plunge deeply and peaceably into hypnotic trance.
2 – Now (with your eyes shut if this is appropriate in the situation, or keeping them open if not) strongly imagine, just for a few seconds, stepping outside of yourself and seeing yourself in this situation as if you are looking at it from the outside.
3 – Just notice in your mind what’s it’s like to see yourself looking calm, relaxed and confident.
4 – Continue to do this for around 30 seconds, as you continue to breathe out more than you breathe in.
5 – Next take a few moments to imagine being in the future (when the situation you are in has been over for a while), looking back on this time and ‘remembering’ how calm you felt.
6 – Then come back into the present moment, noticing how wonderfully calm you feel.