Hi there. Welcome to another episode of ABGW. Amazing. Brilliant, gorgeous, wonderful. Where we're delving into the world of trauma recovery. I'm your host, Cheryl, and today, we're focusing on simple yet powerful techniques to help you manage any trauma or stress-related disorders. Whether you're taking your first steps into recovery or looking for new methods to add to your toolbox, this episode is for you. So, let's create a sanctuary of calm amidst the chaos.
ABGW is brought to you by her guru coaching and hypnotherapy
But before we start, I want to introduce you to my friend Rachel. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • This episode of ABGW is brought to you by her guru coaching and hypnotherapy. • • Exploring the potential within. • • • • Her guru provides both physical and mental fitness coaching and hypnotherapy services. • • You can find out more details by visiting herguru UK. • • • • • • • • Rachel was known for her charming personality, intelligence and incredible work ethic. • • She was always on the go and admired by her colleagues. • Rachel was an unstoppable force. • • Rachel being a high-flying exec • • who just seemed never to sleep. Why would she chase success with her unwavering determination when she was making important decisions? • • • However, • • behind her guise, Rachel was neglecting something very, very important, in my view. And that was the need just to relax. • • Every day, Rachel would wake up before sunrise, dive straight into her hectic schedule, and continue to work long hours into the night. She was constantly chasing deadlines, rushing from one meeting to the next, and putting herself and her well-being on the back. Uh, • • • • • deep, deep down inside, Rachel was fighting a silent battle. And as time went on, exhaustion started to affect her performance. • Rachel would find herself making more and more mistakes, mixing up important details and becoming increasingly forgetful, • • but still • • • refusing, of course, to slow down. • • Fearing that at any moment she would be a missed opportunity for her continued success, • • Rachel carried on. But this morning, • • • Rachel woke up feeling ill. And as Rachel lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, unable to move, • • she started to reflect on her decisions. M • • • • • • • • • • • she realized that her relentless pursuit of success, • • • • she had lost sight of a valuable • • • insight. And that was balance, self-care and self-compassion. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Deep breathing is a fantastic bridge between conscious and unconscious mind.
So, welcome back to our journey into the realms of the unconscious mind. • • • • I particularly feel like starting with a well-known fact • • that elephants only breathe twelve times every minute. So , let's start with deep breathing. You know, our breathing is more than just a physical necessity. You probably realize that already, haven't you? But the thing is, it's an amazing bridge, that physical action, breathing in and out to our subconscious. • Because the thing is, when we breathe deeply, we're not just filling our lungs with air. • • • We're sending a compelling signal to our brain. This signal • • bypasses our conscious thoughts, which means it speaks directly to our subconscious, • telling it to calm down. All is well • • , and maybe it's time to reset. It's a bit like whispering a secret code to, uh, our inner selves that says, • • all is well, it's okay to relax. So , for me, deep breathing is such a powerful tool that gently nudges, • • gently nudges our unconscious mind into a state of balance, • • peace and serenity. And it's not just about that momentary relief. The fact is, the more we do it, we're reprogramming • your response to stress, to anxiety, • • at a, uh, fundamental biological level. • • Deep breathing is just cool • • now for me • • • • • because it sends that powerful chemical signal to our bodies that all is well. • • • It's almost like a self-fulfilling feedback loop. The more we relax, the more we feel calm, the more our brain feels calm. And that way , it tells us all is well , and we can relax. So , the more we do it, the more it happens. And the thing is, like I said, elephants breathe twelve times per minute. Imagine the calmness of their slow and deep breathing. Do you remember that scene in eat, pray, love? The one where Julia Roberts is playing? • • I, uh, can't remember her name at the moment, that character. And she expresses • • moments of tranquillity • • and self-discovery during a breathing exercise in India. • • Um, • • • • amazing. • • So • • • • let's remember, • • • • • • when we're feeling in particular challenging situations, we can always pretend we're elephants and go and do deep breathing. • What, um, I'm particularly going to do • • • is • • • for me, think about, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • so what might be particularly useful for you to reduce the stress hormones that may be flowing for your body at any one time, is to focus on your breathing. • • • • Go back and focus on the conscious in and out and how that feels. And the more you do it, the more you get that self-fulfilling feeling of calm, peace and tranquillity. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
M progressive muscle relaxation teaches your subconscious how to let go of stress.
M • • • • • • • • • • • • progressive muscle relaxation. • • • Oh, I get so, so excited about this. The reason is that I do it with all my clients. Or when I say I do it with all my clients, I don't do it with all my clients. But one of the things, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • the m reason why I get so, so excited about this is because I do this with all my clients. I mean, I don't mean I do it with all my clients, but what I do is I call them moments of joy. • • And the thing is, when we talk about progressive muscle relaxation • and its • • powerful dialogue with our subconscious mind, because the thing is, our muscles, your muscles often tense, um, up • • during periods of stress. They're almost like storage units for all your emotional baggage. And when we consciously • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • m progressive muscle relaxation. Oh, I get so excited talking about this. The reason is that I do it with all my clients. I don't mean I do it with all my clients. I mean, what I do is if they haven't experienced it before, I teach them progressive muscle relaxation. I call them moments of joy. And the reason why I do that is because • • when we allow • • our bodies to have this dialogue with our unconscious mind, our muscles, which often tense up due to stress, are, uh, like storage units for your emotional baggage. And when we consciously tense and then relax our muscles, what we're doing, we're not only just releasing physical tension, but we're communicating • with our subconscious mind. We're showing • • • your subconscious • how to let go of accumulated stress. And this practice teaches your deeper self, • • your deep, deep self, the art of release and relaxation. It's like a beautiful message that says, hey, it's safe to let go now. And over time, • • your dialogue with your unconscious mind helps your mind to understand • • and implement that concept of release and, um, • • relaxation, not just on a physical level, but on an emotional and psychological level as well. How amazing is that? • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The thing is, research • has indicated that this progressive muscle relaxation, or moments of joy that I call in , significantly decrease symptoms of trauma and stress. So • • , as the proverb goes, tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you think you are. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Amazing, brilliant, gorgeous, wonderful, • • • helping women just like you who are unhappy, perhaps even with your supposedly quote-unquote good life. • • • • • • This is a mum and daughter duo, not, ah, pulling any punches as we explore trauma recovery and ideas for building resilience • • • • • • so you work smarter and not harder to create a transformational life, a life you love more often than not. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Using your imagination can reshape your subconscious into a more peaceful state.
Visualization. • • • • • Okay, I know what you're thinking. • • I can't visualize. No, I understand that. Visualization is just a fancy word for saying using your imagination. So , let's delve into the power of using your imagination. Visualizing. So , the scenes • you can create in your mind's eye are not mere fantasies. • • • They are a language that your unconscious understands at such an intimate level. And the thing is, when you visualize • • a peaceful garden or a tranquil breach, what you're doing • • • is you're saying • • to yourself, • • I am not just imagining a pretty picture. What you're doing is sculpting your internal • • • • landscape , and your subconscious mind • • • uh • • absorbs these images and begins to mirror them, transforming your internal state to one of calm and serenity. One of the most beautiful things is • • this form of internal architecture, where you're rebuilding your mental space • • into a sanctuary of peace . It means that the more you practice this ability, the more you will find that you are reshaping your subconscious, • gradually steering it towards a more peaceful and resilient state. Can you imagine what it's like to have more peace, resilience, and tranquillity in your mind? Can you imagine what that will be like and how it will manifest in everyday interactions with people? How cool is that? • • So the thing is, when we visualize • • • • that peaceful scene, our brain processes it as if we're there. It's almost like taking a mental vacation • from stress relief. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Mindful meditation is about having a conversation with your unconscious mind.
Mindful meditation. So, let's explore mindful meditation. • • For me, this isn't just a practice of focus. And, um, I'll be honest with you, I am really bad at it. I often find that when I try to meditate, my mind thinks about everything and everything. So I know that I need to practice this. But what I do do, • • • which I do do, • • is that I allow myself to meditate in different ways, not just sitting still. I will go for a walk. I will enjoy the fresh air, the birds singing, the bees humming, and the beauty of nature. But the thing is, whether you sit still or you go for a beautiful, long walk, it's about having a conversation • • • with your unconscious mind. When you meditate, • • you're observing your thoughts. You're observing your feelings • • without judgment. And the thing is, this act is incredibly powerful. • • • The thing is your subconscious. • • This non-judgmental observation is a form of acceptance. And acceptance is the perfect way to start understanding yourself. And the thing is, • • it teaches your deeper self that it's cool and it's okay to have these thoughts and emotions and that they don't define you. They're just what they are. They're just thoughts. They're just emotions. • • • The thing is, and, um, what I have found is • • • • this. Understanding is crucial when you want to • rewire your subconscious responses to trauma and stress. So • • • , however, you choose to do it, in whichever way, mindful meditation fosters a compassionate relationship • • with your inner self, with your subconscious mind, leading to profound healing and transformation at that subconscious level. • • Now, • • in mindful meditation, we're not just trying to change our thoughts because our thoughts are our thoughts. What we're doing is learning to observe our thoughts without judgment • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • did you know that mindfulness is an ancient practice that has been part of Western medicine only since 1970? How mad is that? I remember a scene from The Peaceful Warrior um, where the protagonist learns to live in the now, a key aspect of mindfulness, to overcome his challenges and get more of the life he loves. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Short breaks and stretching. • • • • • M • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • short breaks and stretches. • • So, let's talk about the importance of short breaks and stretches. • • Now, as you're probably aware, these things seem mere physical exercises on the surface. But what I want you to think about is the impact they're having on your subconscious mind because I believe they're having a real significant impact • in a way that • • • • can't be just thought about on the surface level. • • Because the thing is when we take a break , or we stretch, • • • yes, the physical stuff's going on, but what we're really doing is we're signalling to your subconscious mind that it's time to reset. It's time to take a break. It's time to think about things in a new way. And this action tells your inner self • • • that • • you're taking care of yourself, that you're acknowledging its need for rest and rejuvenation. • • And isn't it nice to know that it's such a nurturing gesture, uh, • • that way of telling your deeper self that you value it and that it's important to you because • • the practice • not only helps you to cultivate an inner, uh, environment of care and respect, it also allows you to get down to the essence of healing, healing those wounds that you've been carrying around in your unconscious mind. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Rachel discovered that taking short breaks improved her mental and physical well-being.
So, as we come towards • • • the end of this episode, what I'd like you to do is take some time out to explore deep breathing, um, muscle relaxation, visualization • • and mindfulness, and the importance of taking • • • short breaks and doing what you can, • • especially at this time of year, where it's so easy to • • fling aside new ways of thinking and being and integrate those things into your daily life, maybe one thing at a time. • • • • So you get a small doe to this because the thing is, they significantly increase your journey and the impact you can have on any trauma or stress that you are experiencing. • • Remember, every step you take is part of your path towards recovery. You're not alone. And I would love to encourage you to try these techniques and share your experiences with me. Um, maybe even to test topics for future episodes. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • So, let's see what happened with Rachel. • • • During her recovery, Rachel started • • understanding that taking time to relax, • • • • • • • to recharge was not only important, it was vital for her overall well-being, especially her mental health. So when Rachel decided to return to work, she committed herself. • • She vowed to create a healthy work-life balance. • • Rachel discovered that by taking short breaks, going for walks, and enjoying nature-engaging activities that she enjoyed, like dancing, she became more focused, energized, and ultimately more successful. Rachel's colleagues noted the positive atmosphere. They admired her newfound balance and were inspired to follow suit. Consequently, the work environment became healthier, happier, and more productive. M and Rachel • • were admired by her team. And so Rachel lived the rest of her days as a testament to the fact that success is not merely about achieving goals but also about finding inner peace, cherishing good health, and embracing the moments of rest that allow us all to thrive in all aspects of life. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
ABGW explores trauma recovery and resilience in this podcast
Thank you for joining us for this episode. I hope you enjoyed meeting Rachel. You know, we get really excited about producing this podcast because we love that we can explore trauma recovery and resilience so that you can create more of the life you love more often than not. So please stay tuned for more empowering content from ABGW. And remember, your resilience is a powerful force, so may your force be with you. • • Don't forget to like and subscribe and even leave us a rating so we know how we're doing. Until the next time. Bye for now.