Leverage the Power of Your Heart for a Happier Life
Four Science-Based Tools from the HeartMath Institute to Improve Mental and Physical Well-Being
Feeling good is not only good for you — it’s good for the world. When you are uplifted and empowered, you are much more likely to do things that will further empower you and that will help others.
Positive emotions are regenerative — acting almost as fuel for our brains and bodies. They allow the brain and the heart to work together more efficiently, thus boosting physical and mental performance. When our body systems are synchronized in this manner, it is known as the state of coherence.
This article summarizes four tools provided by the HeartMath Institute that I’ve outlined in my Science of The Heart article series. They can all help you shift into more positive, regenerative mindsets for greater peace and improved performance.
1) QUICK WAY TO RELIEVE STRESS & GAIN MORE CLARITY
The Quick Coherence Technique
This tool is especially useful when you’re feeling stressed or before important meetings or communications. It releases neurochemicals that boost your system and clear your mind, resulting in an overall boost to your mental and physical well-being.
1. Heart-Focused Breathing Bring your attention to the center of your chest. Imagine your breath is flowing and out of your heart area. Breathe a little slower and deeper than usual in an easy and comfortable rhythm.
2. Activate a Positive or Renewing Feeling Make a sincere attempt to experience a regenerative feeling such as care or gratitude. Perhaps you can think back to a time when you felt love or appreciation for a person or a pet, or a time spent in nature, or even a past accomplishment. Breathe this positive feeling into your heart. Continue doing this for as long as needed until you feel a sense of more calm and peace.
Read the full article here:
2) SHIFT FROM POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
The Attitude Breathing Technique
This tool will help you move from depleting to regenerative emotions more consistently as you replace negative attitudes with ones that are more effective and energy-saving.
- Observe What You Are Feeling Recognize the feeling or attitude you want to change.
- Identify a Replacement Attitude How would you rather feel? What’s the attitude you’d like to replace your current attitude with? For example, if you feel Stress, you may want to focus on Calm. If you feel Judgemental, you may want to focus on Compassion.
- Heart-Focused Breathing Focus your attention in the area of your heart. Imagine your breath is flowing in and out of your chest area, breathing a little slower than usual.
- Breathe in New Attitude or Feeling Imagine breathing the replacement attitude (calm, compassion etc.) into your heart. Allow it to fill your body as you remember what it feels like to feel that emotion.
- Anchor and Maintain Bring your focus on this attitude whenever needed — when a challenge arises and you start experiencing that negative emotion again. Or use Attitude Breathing on the go to replenish your energy and focus throughout the day.
Read the full article here:
3) ACCESS YOUR INTUITION FOR BETTER DECISION MAKING
The Freeze Frame Technique
This tool can help you access your intuition at will by shifting your physiology into a more coherent state. Use it to help you with difficult decisions or to gain clarity and insights on creative projects.
1. Identify & Acknowledge Think of a specific situation that’s been difficult to solve or where you’d like your heart’s guidance on the next steps. Write down a few words about the situation and how you’ve been feeling about it — mentally and emotionally. Acknowledge those thoughts and feelings without judgment.
2. Heart-Focused Breathing Focus on the area around your heart. Keep your attention there as you breathe in a comfortable rhythm. Imagine that your breath is flowing in and out of your heart area.
3. Activate a Positive or Renewing Feeling Make a sincere attempt to experience a positive, regenerative feeling such as love, gratitude, or peace. (See article mentioned above for the Attitude Breathing technique to help you do that.)
4. Ask Ask your heart: What would be a more efficient or effective action, attitude, or solution in this situation?
5. Observe and Act Listen to the response of your heart. Quietly observe any changes in attitudes, perceptions, or feelings. Remember that shifting an attitude towards a situation can lead to new solutions. Commit to sustaining these beneficial attitude shifts and to acting on these new insights.
Read full article here:
4) INCREASE YOUR POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE WORLD
The Heart Lock-In Technique This tool helps you intentionally amplify the power of your heart qualities to help bring individuals relationships, groups, or communities into more coherent (happier) states.
1. Heart Focused Breathing Close your eyes and focus your attention on the area of the heart. Breathe into your heart in an even rhythm.
2. Activate a Positive Feeling Activate and sustain a regenerative feeling such as care or compassion.
3. Feel Renewed by the Positive Feeling Imagine that you are sitting in the warm sun and feel the warmth radiating from your heart. See it permeating all of the cells in your body. Feel a sense of renewal from that warmth.
4. Radiate the Positive Feeling Outwards Radiate this warm feeling outward to your environment. Send thoughts of care and compassion to someone who needs more heart qualities in their life. Radiate these feelings to the planet and to all of humanity if you wish.
Read full article here:
Why are these tools so effective?
Read more about the science behind how uplifting emotions increase our mental clarity in the first article of this series:
Your heart has always had the power to help you improve your life. The more you use it, the more it will benefit not only you — but also the world.
Credit for most of the information in this article series goes to the HeartMath Institute and their HeartMath Experience course (now offered free on their website).
The HeartMath Institute is a non-profit research organization that studies the science of the connection between the brain and the heart. Through its scientific findings, it provides the knowledge and tools that help people reduce stress and cultivate regenerative emotions that result in increased resilience and greater well-being.
I have NO affiliation with HeartMath — I simply believe in the power of this information to help people align with their true state of joy and thus I feel inspired to share it as much as possible. That is why 10% of the proceeds from the sales of my new inspirational ebook “You Are Essential: 101 Reminders of Your Magnificence” will be donated to The HeartMath Institute. :-)