S.T.O.P. is a simple, yet very effective micro-reset tool that can be used anytime you notice you have lost the hold on yourself, be it through becoming distracted or being overwhelmed by a strong emotion.
So how does it work?
S stands for stop, which is in itself a magic word. If something is not working for you, you don’t have to keep doing it!
T is for – take a breath. Breathe in and breathe out. Something amazing happens when we bring our full attention to the breath, even for a few moments. We get out our head and, literally, come back to our senses. We become occupied with something tangible, real. Behind all the noise of the world and our own minds, the breath quietly keeps us alive. All we need to do is just notice it and our experience and even our physiology can transform. Within minutes, we can get out of stress response and access our parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for activating the relaxation response. Breathing is the only autonomic bodily function that can be controlled consciously as well. ( I wrote more about the neuroscience of breath previously - you can access the full article here)
O is for observe. Observing, noticing and being mindful are all synonymous. They all point towards the objective reality and use the non-valuative awareness - the capacity to observe and see things as they are, without the distortion of our views and opinions, beliefs, fears and expectations that so often cloud our vision. Learning how to observe helps us to reduce the cognitive bias, and it can snap us out of the habitual tendency to overthink and overreact – one of my friends calls this the unintended rehearsal for disaster!
P is for proceed. It need not take all day. Onwards. “I’m too busy” is a poor excuse for not paying attention.
Give it a try!