Learning from Triathlons

http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/3-Keys-to-Managing-Your-Emotions-on-Race-Day.htm?page=2

I joined an obstacle race a couple of years ago and started getting emails about fitness training.  I came across this article in one of the emails and thought wow this is really useful.  I sent you straight to page 2 with the link.  You could read page one if you are interested but the good stuff starts on page two.  The first one that caught my attention was BREATHE.  I have noticed that when my stress levels soar my breathing changes.  Sometimes I am actually holding my breathe.  Breathing helps bring oxygen to the body. Controlling my breathing is controlling something even if it is not my emotion at the moment.  Taking a few cleansing breathes or slowing down my breathing helps me to slow down my spinning thoughts that is brought on by flooding emotions.  So I love step one: Breathe.

Step two is address the sensation or emotion or flashback or whatever I am feeling at the time.  This suggestion is just amazing.  I am putting this here for my use.

Address the uncomfortable sensation directly using the Spinning Feelings Pattern developed by Nick Kemp.

1. Think of an experience in your life that wasn't all that pleasant. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (amazingly intense), select a three or four.
2. Check for any physical sensations of this feeling: tiny tingling in your neck, slight fluttery feeling in the stomach, tightening in the shoulders.
3. If you don't know the answer to any of the next questions, make your best guess.
4. Point out exactly where this feeling is located.
5. How large an area of your body does it cover?
6. What shape is it? Is it three-dimensional?
7. Does it extend outside your body?
8. What kind of density does it have—like a marshmallow, or molasses, or wood?
9. Does it have a certain temperature?
10. Is it moving or doing anything, like vibrating or pulsing?
11. What color is it?
12. Does it have a sheen or dull finish?
13. Are the edges well defined or fuzzy?
14. If it were to be rotating, which way is its rotation—clockwise or counterclockwise?
15. Now take that feeling and spin it really fast in the opposite direction. Spin it for 10 or 15 seconds or as long as you need.
16. What number is the intensity of the feeling now? If it gets better, spin it in the same direction as last time, again for 10 or 15 seconds. If the feeling gets worse, spin it in the direction opposite of what you just did. Check to see that it gets better, then spin it again

I tried it with a small situation. I am hoping to remember to use it with bigger more difficult situations.  I wonder if art therapy partly address giving my emotions form and substances, something I can wrap my mind around.  Interesting possibilities.

Thirds step is to practice what I need to do in a given situation.  Both of my counselors gave me opportunities to practice how I could respond in a known difficult situation.  If I know I am going into a known challenging situation, practice what I could say.  I started having set answers ready for when certain comments come my way.  It does help me to practice.

So this article on training for a triathlon has some amazing ideas that are helpful with emotions every day.

Depressed

Discouraged

Scared

Confused

Seriously....REALLY!

Crushed

Excited

Loved