Alarms

If you think of your body as the house your soul lives in, then the amygdala in your brain is the home alarm system.

This is the part of your brain that triggers the fight or flight response...and sometimes when we can't fight or run away, we have a freeze or faint response. Your amygdala is the control center for telling your body how to react to danger.

Your brain's job is to help you navigate life and to keep you safe.

Our survival relies on our brain helping us know what is safe and what is not. Our brain is always trying to help us and protect us. We love it for doing this.

But, have you ever been in an actual home or building when an alarm went off and you can't find any cause? You check all of the doors, windows, smoke detectors. You look in the basement. You go outside and check the roof. All is well. Once you are convinced of this, you shut off the alarm. Some have an "override" button. When the sensors are overreacting, we override the alarm.

I know you already know where I'm heading with this....

Our amygdala overreacts sometimes too.

When you have anxious thoughts or those worry wheels are spinning, try a conversation like this with your brain:

Your inner wisdom: "I know you are sounding the alarms to protect me. Thank you for keeping me safe. However, I can handle this."

Your amygdala: "I'm not sure you understand all of the things that could go wrong here. If you think through it all a few more times and imagine every worst-case scenario, then you might be better at protecting yourself. In fact, I'm going to wake you up at 3 am to make you run through them all again."

Inner Wisdom: "You are right about me having thoughts that a lot of things could go wrong. But, that is really just my imagination. They are just anxious thoughts and I'm scaring myself. I'm not really in true danger. I really need to sleep. So I am asking you to turn down your sensitivity setting. Let me know if my life is truly in danger, but most of this worrying I do, it isn't really life-threatening."

Amygdala: "Are you sure? Double triple sure?"

Inner Wisdom: "Let's try it tonight, you be quiet and let me sleep. Then tomorrow will go better for both of us."

You have a control panel on the alarm system in the House of You.

You don't have to be controlled by irrational, worried, or imagined thoughts. You have the option of turning it off when it isn't helpful.

This week, experiment with becoming more aware of the alarm system in your brain and see if you can turn it off when you are truly safe. This will also help you have clarity when it sounds the alarm and you are truly in danger.

If you are seeking inner peace and confidence, this is a great place to start!

Sending you love as you find more peace,