Thnking yourself an endorphine rush

You can reduce stress, promote self-healing and make positive life changes by invoking your endorphins.

It's not a case of emptying your mind - that's very difficult to do. It's about filling it with pleasurable thoughts, which in turn will produce a feeling of wellbeing. The endorphins will turn off the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, and have a positive impact on your body chemistry.  Bodel Rikys in The Standard

No matter how *positive* and upbeat you try to be, there are occasions when you may find yourself drifting into negativity, lack of motivation or doubt.  

I know that there are times when I feel emotionally lackluster or dispirited as if I’ve wandered into a gloomy fog and the view ahead is far from clear or enticing. 

Where has my passion gone?  Why am I not feeling as expansive and playful as I would like to feel?  Why don’t I feel inspired?  Where has the Ground of Infinite Possibilities gone?

Have you felt that way too?  And have you found an effective way of dealing with this despondent state of mind?

Perhaps the following will help.

Firstly, remind yourself that this state is only temporary, a passing cloud (not that there is anything wrong with clouds) and that, sooner or later, it’s going to be history.

Now, that can often be all you need to reassure yourself that there is nothing to run away from or be concerned about.  It’s all part of the spectrum of human emotions.

However, there may be occasions when this reminder is not enough to stir those Passion, Play and Purpose hormones in your body.  Sometimes, you do want the shift back into Infinity Consciousness to be more rapid.  After all, you’ve done your share of finite, conditioned, less-than-joyous living.  You really want to get out of this fog quick smart.  

I have found that one of the best ways of doing it is to refocus my mind and one of the most effective techniques I know to do this is to give it something unusual and exciting to think about.  I do this by asking myself some really fun and even frivolous questions.

Now, I must stress that the purpose of doing this is to refocus your mind and therefore your energy and attention to something that is uplifting and invigorating.  

You should not at all feel obliged to follow any of it through.  That would only be adding further stress and pressure on yourself with the result that the fog thickens rather than thins.  So, think of this as a game, something to have fun with.  That’s key.

That said, it’s also important that you get into the spirit of the game.  This is not an intellectual game, it’s more an emotional one.  This is not about coming up with the *best* answer, it’s about coming up with the most fun answer for you.

Now, before you dismiss this as child’s play and a waste of time, let me remind you that every thought and feeling you experience has a biochemical and physiological expression in your mind-body-spirit continuum.  

This is why thinking of something exciting (like the holiday you’re planning or the next encounter with your new friend/partner) makes your heart beat a little faster, your pupils dilate and induces a general feeling of euphoria.  

Yes, your thoughts are the signals your brain responds to by releasing (or inhibiting) those gorgeous, feel-good hormones called endorphins.  So, loosen up and really get into it!

The following are just some of the questions I asked myself the last time I wanted a quick emotional boost.  Try them and see if you don’t have fun too!

 

• What can I do right now, right here, that I’ve never done before, no matter how small, silly or meaningless it may seem?

 You don’t have to actually do it, but it can be even more fun if you do.  For instance, I decided I would kiss my right toe.  Silly?  Sure!  Fun?  You bet.  

First off, it was funny just thinking about it.  Then, it became funnier attempting it especially when I realized I wasn’t as nimble as I thought I was.  But, I decided I really wanted to do it and after a couple of attempts, succeeded.

Now you know why kids can have so much fun so easily J

 

• What would I say to the person I admire or lust after most if he/she were to appear right now?

 How good did this one make me feel!  I actually felt myself blushing (ah yes, the hormones were doing their job alright!)

 

• What would you do if you had in your hands right now all the money you ever wanted?

 Now, I’ve thought about having oodles of money many times before but the image of having it in my hands was a different experience altogether – it felt a lot more real and tangible.  Before I knew it, I was traveling through Europe, taking my kids on a holiday to New York, helping my favorite humanitarian organization build a cottage industry for disadvantaged women in Peru… Fun and immensely satisfying.  Sort of like a rehearsal for the actual events J

 

• Imagine holding the book that you have always wanted to write in your hands right now.  What is its title?  How do you feel?

 Okay, I love writing so it was natural that I’d choose something like this.  But you can substitute *book* and *write* for whatever it is that you feel passionate about. 

Perhaps it’s a business you’ve always longed to have (and yes, that would not fit in your hands but the product you’re selling or the flyer for your business might) or the key to your new home or the ticket to that destination you’ve dreamed of… 

Try to find something tangible that represents that dream or aspiration and that would fit in your hands.  This adds a *realness* to what you imagine and will get those hormones racing J

 

• If a genie appeared before you right now and you could ask it one thing, what would it be?

 I have to say that I had some trouble with this one.  So many things to choose from, which do I pick???  If you like, go through them all, one by one, as I did but make sure you give each one your full attention and energy.  Not only will you have that much more fun, you might also discover how you truly feel about each and how much of a priority it is J

You know, it’s easy to get yourself right back on the Ground of Infinite Possibilities without having to leave your seat.  All you need to do is get into that mental laboratory, think fun by asking yourself some unusual questions feel the instant joy!

Super Easy, Super Fun and Super Fast!