Shake It Off

A few years ago, I read a book titled Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers written by neurologist Robert Sapolsky. He writes about stress management, but I was really intrigued by the way he describes how a zebra can have a near-death encounter with a tiger and then quickly shake it off.

Literally, shake it off.

A zebra will shake all over - an entire body shake - to release stress. After the shake, a zebra goes back to munching grass and, as far as we know, never thinks about the encounter again. Animals dissipate stress. 

Humans are good at dissipating stress when we are young. Unfortunately, we are quickly conditioned out of these crying fits, tantrums, and flailing on the floor episodes because it is inconvenient and embarrassing or disturbing for those around us. At a very young age, we learn to repress emotions and suppress our innate abilities to dissipate our stress. 

Zebras shake to process the unused adrenaline in their bodies after they successfully flee a predator. They don't hold the tension in their body nor do they reflect on the event in hindsight: a tiger chased me and I barely escaped...last month I had a very close call with a lion...why are they only after me...it is really scary to almost be eaten...it is really hard to be a zebra...Humans ruminate, zebras don't. 

Maybe we could learn to shake it off from Zebras. We are living in a lot of fear right now. All of us. It is never too late to relearn to dissipate stress. Especially during the pandemic, political, and economic crises! I think it's time for us to learn to shake it off again. 

Shake It Off

Notice where your body feels tense right now.

It is your shoulders, neck, hands, hips, or back? Is it your jaw, forehead, or temples? Are your upper arms and upper legs tight? Do your wrists, hands, ankles, or feet feel stiff?

Now, shake and move that part of your body.

Go on, really give it a shake.

Yes, I know, you feel silly, but do it anyway.

The zebra doesn't look around to see who is watching, he knows he needs to shake it off.

Allow yourself to release the stress. 

If you need a guide, here is Kim Eng with a video. 

This is a liberating practice, so don't let awkward feelings keep you from embracing it. Find a private place and let it all out! 

If you like great escapes, here is a BBC video of a zebra survival story. (Even though I know it has a happy ending, this video still makes me very nervous!)

Every day this week, I'm going to shake off some stress. And I hope you try it too!

And because this song was in my head the whole time I was working on this email for you, here is Taylor Swift shaking it off.

Your homework is to shake or dance today.

How do we survive this fear-filled time? Shake, dance, breathe, run, climb, move your body. Process the fear as energy. Burn it off. Get it out.

Shake it off. 

Sending you love and peace,