De-Stress to Alpha State in 10 Steps

If we could all sit in a room with plants and flowers, oh how life would be grand. But for those who can't, I am an executive coach that works with clients on their communication and reactionary habits. Today, I'll teach you what I know about the Alpha State. The alpha state is a moment of wakeful relaxation that results in an increase in alpha wave activity in the brain. When the brain is in alpha state, people are relaxed and peaceful; they even report feeling that they are floating.

Reaching alpha state while awake helps you relax. You get to do deep work with less effort and calm becomes a natural habit and feeling as you absorb new information.?

If you’d like to try this if you’re feeling like a breakdown may be occurring, here are some tips:

1. First, choose a time of day that would be best to practice a transition into alpha state so that you won’t be interrupted. Planning is key. Perhaps early am or late night.

2. Next, get comfortable on a bed, couch, yoga mat or meditation pillow.

3. You’ll then want to remove distractions and stop the dings on your phone so that nothing can bother you for a short amount of time. You can use calm music if you’d like and even close the eyes and rest the hands.

4. The alpha state declutters the mind. When you feel the inclination to be swept up into thoughts, focus on the silence and the goodness of being a human being alive and well, present and free.

5. Take deep breaths inhaling and filling the belly with air, and exhaling bringing the belly to the spine, releasing toxins and guck that’s stuck in the brain, gut or heart. Make sure you breath through the diaphragm and not the chest so that you’re nurturing your parasympathetic nervous system vs. the sympathetic which brings you to fight or flight. Chest breathing is a reaction from anxiousness and nervousness.

6. Start a countdown from 10 to 1 to enter the mind into a meditative state of relaxation and repeat the countdown a few times until you feel as if you’re floating.

7. Visualize a fountain, a candle, a flower or a field of grass and let your natural alpha waves float you towards this object in complete relaxation.

8. As you approach your mindful spot, whether it’s next to a candle or a flower, imagine a scenario with the object and start to create a scene of peacefulness, with warmth and smiles.

9. Use all of the 5 senses to deepen the breath which leads you further into a state of relaxation.

10. Remain there and release when you feel complete.

The idea of this article is to let stressed and anxious leaders and professionals know that there is a chance to slow down. Your aggressiveness, stories, chaos and challenge may get in your way enough times that you finally raise your hand and say "Elizabeth, I'm ready! I've had it and I’m ready to change. I'd like to be a Kind Communicator.”

Nothing is ever as difficult as we make it out to be. If you’re getting in your way, you don’t have to anymore.?

Aggressive tendencies are a turn off and although it’s lovely to be around assertive leaders, alpha-aggressive usually lead themselves into a corner where they mess up friendships, relationships and business deals because their need to control everything and people backfires.

Alpha is a great state, and when it comes to being assertive, do it! But when your assertiveness turns aggressive controlling behaviors, you’ve gone too far and the ego is in control.

Try the alpha state and if you need some further help or advice, I’d love to guide you toward your peaceful place of happiness. Let’s talk.

Go Beyond the ego with me here: www.thekindcommunicator.com.

Elizabeth Barry is an Executive Communication Coach and Strategist that focusses on emotional intelligence, public speaking, confidence, mindfulness and leadership. She has written six books that continue to change peoples lives and is interested in meeting people who want to make the shift to receive coaching, but are afraid or embarrassed. Today’s the day. Click here to set up a conversation, or learn more at www.thekindcommunicator.com