03/04/2022
When the world is full of uncertainty, feelings of anxiety and hopelessness can be overwhelming. It can be hard to remember how to get to that quiet, peaceful place that always exists inside of you. Today Kripalu Legacy Faculty Evelyn Gonzalez shares a few Daily Resilience Boosters, simple exercises to help train your brain chemistry to be strong and flexible even in the most stressful of circumstances.
Daily Resilience Boosters:
A is for the Amygdala
This is your “fight, flight, or freeze” center, and when managed skillfully can raise your emotional well-being by stimulating the frontal lobe, enhancing creativity and intelligence.
Best practices: Use positive slogans and affirmations, such as, One day at a time. Be happy for no reason. All is well. I am enough. Do the things you love that make you happy: dance, sing, go into nature, cook and eat delicious food, play sports or games, read a book.
D is for Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that relays messages between nerves. When dopamine is depleted, themessages aren’t being delivered properly and you may experience poor sleep, low mood, less motivation, and decreased enthusiasm.
Best practices: Get a decent night’s sleep. Get regular exercise and keep it enjoyable.
Achieve bite-size goals throughout the day to get a hit of dopamine—make the bed, eat a healthy meal, pay a bill, return a phone call, clean the dishes, take a walk. Spread it out throughout the day.
O is for Oxytocin
Oxytocin is the love hormone: It is released through physical and emotional connection with others. When oxytocin is released, we feel loved and connected. Self-love practices elevate oxytocin as well.
Best practices: Share smiles and hugs, snuggle dogs and kitties, kiss babies and sweeties. Get together with friends in real time, Zoom time, FaceTime. Treat yourself to a massage, a hot bath, a luxurious yoga session.
