Dropping anchor in mental storms

How can I manage overwhelming emotions? Learn to ‘drop anchor’ by acknowledging thoughts, connecting with your body, and engaging in the present moment.

Storms of painful emotions and distressing thoughts are often overwhelming. We cannot fight the storm, but we can learn to ‘drop anchor.’

To drop anchor, we first need to get acquainted with the practice of ‘noticing and naming.’ This is the practice of noticing your thoughts and feelings and naming them in a nonjudgmental manner. Doing so activates the prefrontal cortex, which moderates the other parts of the brain that amplify the storm.

For example, you might say to yourself “I’m noticing anxiety,” or “Here’s an urge to smoke.” Saying “I’m noticing anxiety” instead of “I’m anxious” helps us to step back a little. After all, we are noticing the feeling, the feeling does not comprise us. The same holds true for thoughts. For example, “I’m noticing the thought that I’m a loser” can be observed with curiosity, “I’m a loser” cannot.

Dropping anchor

Dropping anchor follows a simple three-step formula:

  1. Acknowledge your thoughts and feelings,
  2. connect with your body, and
  3. engage in what you are doing.

The best way to lean this practice is, again, through practicing the following exercise.

Exercise: how to drop anchor

The effect is best experienced when you bring to mind something that’s difficult in your life today. See if you can tap into the storm that accompanies it.

Acknowledge your thoughts and feelings

Tap into your childlike curiosity and acknowledge whatever is showing up inside. Thoughts, feelings, memories, sensations, urges… Use a term like “I’m noticing” or “here is” to name whatever you notice.

Connect with your body

Try to find a way that allows you to experience your body, most clearly and accessibly. You can focus on your breath, or the pressure of your feet onto the floor. You can also move: stretch an arm or tap a finger, as long as you can be very aware of the movement itself.

Keep in mind that you are not trying to push away your difficult thoughts and feelings. Nor are you trying to distract yourself. The aim is to keep acknowledging your thoughts and feelings and at the same time tune into your body. This will give you more control over your physical actions so you can act more constructively while the emotional storm lights up.

Engage with what you are doing

Once you have settled with the sensations inside of you, connect to—experience—where you are in the world. What do you hear, smell and see? Can you bring your full attention (back) to what you were doing?

Some people first connect with their body, and then acknowledge what is going on inside, and then Engage in what they are doing. That is fine too. You can experiment with your own order, ways of naming, and connecting with your body or settling into the outside world. Try to find what seems to work for you!

You can practice this on command (bringing up moderate storms as through the exercise above) or at other moments throughout the day. For example, whenever you notice you feel anxious, angry, irritable, worried, or sad. Also practice this any time you are unfocused, distracted, or on automatic pilot. This will also help you refocus and engage.

The more you do this, the better, and the better you will be prepared for the heavier emotional storms. Take as many moments as possible during the day, no matter how small, to practice.

What to do after dropping anchor

After dropping anchor, take a moment to reflect on what you were doing. If it was a ‘toward move,’ keep doing it while giving it your fullest attention. When you do that, you will give it your best and it will yield the highest result. If it was an ‘away move,’ stop, and reflect on the situation. Realise who you want to be and find a way to act accordingly.

LinkedIn
X
Facebook

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search
PAGE CONTENTS

    LATEST POSTS & ARTICLES