The familiar announcement of ‘Mind the Gap’ on the Underground system is there to keep you safe.
We can also use the same safety announcement to reduce anxiety – but this time, we want to step into it.
The primary role of the subconscious mind is survival. It is constantly on the look out for risk and when risk is perceived, it triggers the fight or flight response.
This floods the body with adrenaline, creating the optimal physical state to fight or escape from the risk.
And when risk was over, the body returns to is ‘rest and relaxation’ state.
This worked perfectly when we lived in caves. If a wild animal came into the cave, Mr Neanderthal would respond to the risk and deal with the situation which would ultimately come to a close quite quickly.
There was either sabre toothed tiger for supper, or no requirement for supper at all!!
But we don’t live in caves anymore! And this is why we need to… mind the gap.
You send a Whatsapp message and can see those two little blue ticks light up. But then there is no response.
So the message has been received, you can see they are online, but they are not responding.
Have you offended them?
What have you done wrong?
Are they ghosting you?
Your thoughts start running amok and stress and anxiety result.
And those thoughts can then kick around in your head for hours continuing to release stress hormones into your body.
This is where we need to ‘mind the gap.’
Mind the gap is the equivalent of taking a breath, a short pause. Because in that ‘gap’ the rational, logical part of the brain can come back into play.
Perhaps the friend is busy with the kids and will reply when they are free
You know logically that you have done nothing to offend them
And it is in this gap that you can shut down that fight or flight response and return yourself to that rest and relax state.
Has anyone ever said to you, “just take a breath” when you were highly stressed?
What they are doing is helping you to create a gap – create a short pause so that the conscious rational mind can step into that gap and create solutions beyond the primitive fight or flight response.
You can take a breath, count to 5, repeat a mantra. Find what works for you best to create that gap and step into it.
So now be mindful of the gap.
Create a pause when you feel that high state of agitation, stress, anxiety.
And in that gap allow your mind to flip back out of the fight or flight mode and the conscious mind to come back on line.
Caroline Cavanagh is an anxiety specialist and hypnotherapist in Salisbury, Wiltshire. She is an author and professional speaker and would love to talk to you if you would like to know more about her work
Comment