If you’ve been in the personal development space as long as I have, you have learned to notice practices that truly support growth and well-being. Here’s one developed by cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf, which I’ve modified. It’s called the 63-Second Reset—simple, short, and surprisingly effective for shifting from reacting to responding, especially when you feel triggered or want to cultivate calm.
Here’s how it works:
- Notice when something someone said or did triggers you—you can feel it in your body and mind.
- Get out some paper and a timer. Set the timer for 63 seconds.
- Focus on the situation and write about it until the timer goes off. Then stop.
It’s remarkable how much clarity and calm can emerge in just over a minute. While you can do this mentally, writing it down tends to deepen the effect.
You can use prompts like:
Calm anchor: “If I could shift to a calmer state right now, I would…”
Working with a trigger: “This situation is triggering me because…”
Image Aaron Burden Unsplash
Sometimes quick fixes help and there are lots of practical tips in Dr. Leaf’s recent publication Help in a Hurry: Simple Tips for Finding Peace When You’re Overwhelmed, Anxious, or Stressed.
Here are a few other practices for you to check out…A memory, resilience and an enduring practice, Spiritual practices for the Enneagram, Worry Wisely, and 9 Practices to Live Your Intentions.
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