You can reprogram your nervous system to respond with calm clarity, instead of emergency upset when facing stressors. You can do this by 1) holding these points when a stressor occurs, 2) by holding them several times a day, and 3) holding them with a stressful thought or memory in mind.

For the third method: start by thinking of something that is mildly stressful. NO MORE than a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most stressful. Hold these two points while holding these points. You can sit, stand, or lie down. Do this for 1 to 5 minutes. You’ll notice that, as minutes pass, you’ll feel less upset and agitated by the original stressor. Blood flows to your forebrain (the thinking, problem solving part of your brain) instead of the hind brain (the fight/flight/freeze part of your brain). Stop when the stressor is lessened. If it is not entirely gone, in your mind – place the issue in a locked box. Leave it there until you would like to lessen it again through this process. Eventually releasing the emotional ‘hold’ this stressor brought. Once at that place, you can react with calm clarity.

Repeat this process with other thoughts and memories that bring stress to you. In this way, you train your brain to react calmly.

Isn’t this great? The body and the brain working together for you!