DISCLAIMER

This book is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or the guidance
of a mental health professional. The reader should regularly consult a
physician in matters relating to health, and particularly with respect to any
symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

OVERVIEW
Breathe Fire Productivity Boost

Ask the Right Question Stop and Smell the Roses

Rise and Shine Rewiring Borrowing Confidence

Out with the Old Shake It Off

Getting Grounded Adopt a Power Pose

Distraction Techniques Music Is Medicine

Affirm Your Goal First Things First

Tense and Release

Embrace the Chill

Give Thanks
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

TRANSFORMATION
Is one of the most exciting journeys we can take in Make your mind work for you and use
life, yet so often we stay stuck because we don’t neuroplasticity to your advantage. Simply having
have the knowledge we need, and without that this knowledge, the kind outlined in this book,
knowledge, we don’t have direction. gives you a head start.

By beginning Exipure, you’ve opened the door to a The mind can be a complicated arena. It helps to
new life, a new body—and with this book, Renew know how to work with it and optimize its inherent
You—a new mind. You don’t need to feel powerless processes. The little hints, tips and techniques
or a victim of the present situation of your life. mentioned here are designed to do just that. Your
Transforming your mind and emotions may feel an new life is easier to achieve than you think, or
impossible task, but it’s not. You can change them, putting it in other words, your new life will be
with a little know-how—and even better—with achieved by how you think; let’s do something
science to back it up. about that.

Science used to believe the brain was fully formed

after childhood and adolescence, that no other
progress could be made beyond this. There was
simply a slow decline through the years. Now we
know this isn’t the case, and this belief is not only
inaccurate but unhelpful for those who want to
grow. We now know that the brain can form new
neural networks throughout life, not just
childhood. Your brain will change based on how
you use it. This is termed neuroplasticity, and it

choices
allows us to keep changing and evolving.

So how will you use

your mind? What

choices
choices will you
make now, in the
present, to determine
your future?

This book is about giving you tools to build on the

success you’ve already achieved and helping you
go further. It’s about taking what you have and
making it better, making you feel better—on the
inside, so how you feel on the inside matches how
good you feel on the outside.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

BREATHE FIRE
Breath of fire is a fundamental breathing technique
that originates from kundalini yoga. This is an ancient
practice, stemming from time-tested wisdom, but it’s
accessible and easy to incorporate into your day
without requiring an entire kundalini yoga practice for
you to reap the benefits. When you’re not looking to
calm down but instead want to amp up your energy
and personal power, you’ll want to use specific
breathing patterns. Long inhales and exhales are great
for calming the system, but breath of fire gives you
something different.

Initial research has shown this method supports efficient digestion, enhances cognitive abilities
(such as concentration, memory, and reaction time), improves respiration capacity, and provides
stress relief.

First, if you experience health conditions like seizures, high blood pressure, vertigo, or heart disease,
you don’t want to perform this breathing technique. Likewise, if you are pregnant, this method isn’t
for you. Instead, focus on the calming techniques in other sections.

How to Breathe Fire

01
To practice the breath of fire you need to This should create a breathing pattern
find a comfortable place to sit. you can easily fall into. (If you’re a
beginner, repeat this breathing pattern
for a maximum of 30 seconds and only

02
Sit cross-legged with a straight, tall
increase the time with practice.)
seated posture.

After your last exhalation, pause and

03 05
Hold your hands upright, toward the
take in the moment. Feel the different
ceiling, as they rest on your knees. If you
sensations in your body. Take a mindful
want to become more in tune with your
moment to soak in your new state.
body, you could place a hand on your
lower stomach and notice it expand as
you breathe deeper.

04 Inhale through your nose, like a sniff, and

without pausing, exhale in a brief burst,
ensuring you contract your abdomen.
The inhalation should be of equal length to
the exhalation.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

ASK THE RIGHT

QUESTIONS
Life isn't always predictable, so when an unexpected hurdle pops up one little
trick can help reframe the entire experience: asking what else could this mean?

This is fine if you want to live the same old life and This makes a tremendous difference when you
simply live out of your past, but if you want a new face challenges or any situation that causes you
life, you need a new interpretation of what you see. distress. In that moment, you have a choice to rely
You break out of these old interpretation patterns on outdated, subjective, conditioned beliefs or to
by widening your vision through the question select a new meaning.
“what else could this mean?”. This one question Get used to asking this question. It will bring more
encourages your mind to search its intellectual peace to your day. Practice with both big and
database for a new answer, one that doesn’t rely small scenarios and you’ll soon find seeing life
on your past and helps you think innovatively. from a new perspective becomes easy.

If you want to learn more about asking wise questions that crack open your perspective, check out Byron Katie’s
work. She helps you craft a new perspective using 4 simple questions that she calls ‘The Work.’

Get used to asking this question:

What else could this mean?
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

RISE AND SHINE

REWIRING
For many of us, waking up with a sense of dread and anxiety is the norm; we’ve become
used to the panic attack that awaits us once we open our eyes.

This doesn’t need to be the case, but it makes sense since

cortisol—the stress hormone—is highest “in the first hour
after waking from sleep.” It’s part of a natural process that
activates your system to give you the catalyst to wake and
launch yourself into the day. Yet this cortisol awakening
response (CAR) can work against us in our modern world.

This cortisol peak is the prime time to use intentional

techniques to counter your usual stress hormone-induced
panic attack. You can diffuse your anxiety in the moment,
instead of letting it build all day, by practicing EFT (aka
Emotional Freedom Technique.)

This stems from acupuncture and uses the foundational

knowledge of acupuncture without needing to see a
professional or—thankfully—use needles. EFT works with
the body’s energy meridians by tapping on specific points
on the hands, head, and body.

As westerners, it’s easy to doubt something we don’t

understand, but not only is this technique founded on
ancient Chinese wisdom, science is proving its power too.

To illustrate this point, a 2013 study focused on using EFT

on veterans with PTSD and found that within a month,
these veterans presented significantly less psychological
stress, and over half the test subjects were no longer
classified as having PTSD.

It can take a moment to learn the sequence and what you

say, but once you’ve learned the technique, you can use it
anywhere and readjust it according to the specifics of
what you’re facing and feeling. Rewiring your brain will
become second nature.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

Here’s the basic

EFT Technique outline
(If you’re a visual learner there’s plenty of online videos to show you how this looks.)

01
Select a physical symptom or emotional
issue to address. 02

01

02
Rate the intensity of your particular
issue, 1 indicates a very low level of
intensity, and 10 means the highest. 04

So, for example, if you’re having a major

panic attack, you’d rate yourself on the
high end of the scale. 03

03 Then, you repeat a ‘setup statement’

three times, inserting your particular
issue into the statement. You say, “Even 05
though I have this ___________ (name the
issue), I deeply and completely love and 06
accept myself.” Say this while tapping
on the fleshy edge of your hand, just
underneath your pinky finger.

Now you’re going to literally tap on

04 certain parts of your body (you can find
videos and illustrations online if you 07
want a visual illustration.) You’ll need to
follow the order of this list: 08
Photo by: Getty Images

01 Crown of the head

05
Tap on each part several times before
moving onto the next.
02 Inside end of the eyebrow

03 06
Outer corner of the eye Breathe for a few seconds to stabilize,
then rate your selected issue again on a
scale of 1 to 10 to check for any changes
04 Under the center of the eye in how you feel.

05 Between the nose and top lip Don’t be concerned if you experience strange
physical or emotional sensations while tapping.
It’s not uncommon to release suppressed
06 The dimple of the chin
emotions, so you may experience a feeling
coming up out of the blue and then disappearing
07 The collar bone (between just as quickly.
the sternum and first rib)
You may also experience things like tiredness,
yawning, sighing, gasping, feeling a knot in your
08 Under the arm (on the side of
chest release, watery eyes, or coughing. These
your ribcage where a bra strap
can be signs that the energy around a particular
would be for women or level
issue is shifting.
with the nipple for men.)
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

OUT WITH THE OLD

Making space in your immediate environment is an easy way to shift how you feel.

Just like a cluttered mind doesn’t leave you feeling

free and breezy, neither does a cluttered
environment.

Your home gets to be an expression of you. What

does it say? Consciously look around your space
and evaluate with a detached eye what your
belongings say to you. Even if you’re not aware of
it, your possessions are talking to you all the time.

Marie Kondo’s method introduced the world to

filling your space only with items that ‘spark joy.’
Doesn’t the new you deserve a new and improved
home?

Her method is simple. Hold a single belonging,

close your eyes, and notice how you feel. Listen to
your body as you hold the item close. Open your
eyes, look at the object, and keep noticing how
you feel. The aim of this exercise is to go through your possessions, only keeping what makes you feel
good. Don’t underestimate the power of what you see around your home; possessions aren’t just
possessions, they carry emotional weight and take up headspace.

Doing a deep dive into the piles, cupboards, and corners, discarding all that feels lifeless and
uninspiring to you (obviously, ensuring you keep important documents and other must-have items)
will help encourage a healthy mindset.
Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

GETTING
GROUNDED
When we get stressed we can become lost in our thoughts and out of
touch with the present moment, but mindfulness practices aren’t for
everyone. If you want to reconnect with the moment, get your
attention away from your head and get back into your senses,
grounding techniques are a great alternative.

This method takes its inspiration from nature and has ancient roots.
Yoga features tree pose (Vrksasana) where you practice standing like a
tree, and likewise, Qi Gong often uses Zhan Zhuang, roughly translated
as “post standing” or “standing like a tree.” This metaphor is used in
various traditions because of our affinity with it. When we practice
standing like a tree, we borrow its nature, if just for a moment. Your
legs and torso become the trunk, your arms, and head, the branches.
This helps you feel steady, stable, and still.

Here’s a basic, informal grounding method:

Stand upright with your feet parallel to each other about

shoulders' width apart. Your head should float above your
shoulders, not too far forward or back, with your chin
slightly tucked.

Loosely rest your arms by your sides.

Feel the weight of your body, sensing it sink into your

feet—still keeping proper posture—and feeling your
weight being supported and absorbed into the ground.

Now, imagine this weight passing through the floor, out

of your feet like you’re growing roots. Imagine actual
roots extending beneath you deep down into the earth.

Breathe deeply and slowly as you continue to visualize

your connection and oneness with the earth.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

DISTRACTION
TECHNIQUES
You may associate distraction with time-wasting, but the truth is it can be
an effective way to rewire your brain.

Distraction is the flip side of focus and can be just Simply by using distraction throughout the
as purposeful and intentional. What you focus day, especially when troubling anxious
upon builds new neural pathways, and likewise, thoughts and feelings arise, he shows how you
so can distracting yourself from certain will rewire the brain away from anxiety. The key
thoughts/emotions to refocus on something is to be engaged and passionate.
more productive and healing.
Create a list of things you love, things you’ve
To be clear, this is not the same as repression. The always wanted to learn, or enjoyed doing as a
goal is not to deny how you feel and never kid. You want to ensure you have activities to
acknowledge important emotions, it’s hand and know what you can do in an empty
acknowledging the simple fact that what you moment. Trying to generate an engaging
focus on grows and there will be times when distraction when you’re already stressed or
focusing on a problem simply makes it seem anxious won’t work well.
bigger. So if nothing can be done, if you can’t
change a situation or you’ve already come up Formulate a list in advance so no thinking is
with a plan of action and there’s nothing involved. And if your emotions are more
else you can do, distraction will help give your intense than the occasional moment, you may
brain a break. want to follow the Linden distraction method
more closely and craft an entire day around
For a distraction to work it must be effective. engaging “distractions.”
Switching on the TV won’t do. You need to
discover activities that can be engaging enough Rewiring the brain can be as simple as
to refocus you away from the issue at hand. detracting from an unwanted mental,
Charles Linden bases his anxiety and panic emotional experience and toward a healthier,
attack recovery program around this one desired one. This means the less attention you
technique. give certain neural pathways, the better.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

AFFIRM YOUR GOAL

To effectively work with your brain, you’ll need Here are some examples:
an understanding of the role thoughts play in
your wellbeing. When it comes to thinking I am happy just being me
most of us are like fish, our thoughts are the I am discovering more amazing things about
myself with every passing day
water we swim in, we’re immersed in it—and
Motivation, drive, and passion are a part of my life
consequently—it’s not something we notice.
Instead, we simply blindly react to them. I am safe and secure
I am capable of achieving my dreams and goals
Cognitive Behavior Therapy established I am loved exactly as I am
something called the CBT Triangle; this
perfectly highlights the interconnectivity of our Look for a statement that resonates with you
thoughts, emotions, and behavior. and emotionally ‘hits the nail on the head.'
You want something that is true to what you
Specifically, it shows how a thought will want without feeling totally unbelievable and
produce a feeling within us and then— when you get lost in negative thoughts, start
consequently—generate a particular action, repeating your chosen counteracting
which influences our thinking… forming an affirmation, slowly, feeling the words as you
ongoing cycle. This cycle occurs whether you say them (or silently repeat them in your
know it or not, it’s what’s behind every head.)
situation you face in your life.
If you want to create your own affirmation,
Your personal power can interrupt this cycle, there are certain guidelines that will help you
turning a negative cycle into a positive one by craft them effectively:
consciously inserting something new. The
1. Use the present tense
easiest way to do this is by introducing a new
thought or behavior. Emotions are harder to 2. Use emotionally stirring words
change directly; they tend to be the result of a 3. Be precise
particular thought or action.
4. Keep them concise

Affirmations are a simple way to introduce a 5. Make them attainable

new thought; they are quick to learn, easy to 6. Make them personal
use whenever you need, and easy to tailor to 7. Make them positive (avoid words like can’t,
your particular situation. An affirmation is a don’t, never, etc)
short statement that emphasizes something 8. Use them consistently and routinely
you desire.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

TENSE &
RELEASE
Utilize this quick method at the onset of a panic attack or simply when you need speedy relief from a
stressful emotion. It will allow you to manage your stress response, bring your anxiety down, and
release physical tension.

You can take this parasympathetic activating technique with you into the world since it doesn’t
require a lot of memorizing. However, you may prefer to do this technique when you’re not out in
public with people around.

01 Start by taking a deep inhalation with an open

mouth so your chest expands and your lungs feel
full.

02 Then, hold your breath at that maximum

inhalation point and tense every muscle in your
body. Tense your feet, your hands, your face, every
part of your body. Squeeze your eyes shut, clench
your hands, flex your feet, curl your toes, tense,
tense, tense… Tense everything as hard as you can
and hold for 5-10 seconds.

03 After this time, release the tension, relax every

muscle, and slowly exhale.

A longer version of this technique can be practiced if you have more available time; it’s a technique
called progressive muscle relaxation. This isn’t classified as a quick fix, it helps you develop and access
a relaxed state. This technique is particularly suited for use before sleep.

Unlike the previous technique, which involves tensing all your muscles at once, you focus on a muscle
group at a time, tensing that one area with all your energy and then releasing it. This approach allows
you to target certain areas that may hold more tension or signs of stress, to help the tensive dissolve.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

You’ll want to devote time to each muscle group: the lower legs, thighs, buttocks, and lower
abdomen, the entire abdominal area (so long as you’re not experiencing stress-induced abdominal
issues), the chest, the back and shoulders, the neck, upper arms, lower arms, hands and fingers, the
forehead, eyes, cheeks, mouth, and jaw.

The process is simple.

01 Breathe in and tense the first muscle 04 Work through the body in an orderly,
area, holding for up to 10 seconds. sequential manner until you reach the
top of the head.
02 Exhale, and abruptly and totally release
the tension. (You want to release the 05 After this last portion, take some time to
tension all at once, not gradually.) breathe before coming back to the
present moment.

03 Take a few seconds to soak in the now-

released muscles, notice the newly
created sensations, and prepare to tense
the next body section.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

EMBRACE
THE
CHILL.
Cold showers don’t only produce physical This is why exposure to cold water (and
benefits, in recent years they’ve become the sometimes alternating cold and hot water) is
focus of research that notes their mood- also known as hydrotherapy—a legitimate
boosting benefits and ability to ‘relieve therapeutic method.
depressive symptoms*. This may be, in part,
thanks to a man known as the Ice Man, aka Although a shock to begin with, cold showers
Wim Hof, who has garnered plenty of media are something you adjust to, and even come to
attention for his fantastical feats of climbing look forward to in time. The payoff and the
Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts and other sense of invigoration that comes with
unbelievable acts. continued exposure to cold makes it feel like a
daily essential.
He believes that the body thrives on cold,
producing positive responses when exposed to You can begin a cold shower routine anytime.
it, and while he doesn’t believe people should It’s easiest to end your current shower with a
replicate his record-breaking stunts, he firmly blast of 10-30 seconds of complete cold and
believes in the power of a cold shower for those increase the duration over time.
who want to dip their toe in what he does and
reap the benefits.

Science agrees. They’ve confirmed that cold

can stimulate the “blue spot”, the brain area
that produces noradrenaline, as well as acting
as a catalyst for various neurotransmitters like
endorphins and norepinephrine.

*https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17993252/
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

GIVE THANKS
Many sections in this book highlight the importance of focus,
and for good reason, since the subject of your focus
determines how you feel, and can play a key role in how your
brain is wired.

With such power, it’s crucial to use it wisely. Gratitude is

another specific kind of focus and researchers consider it a key
part of maintaining wellbeing.* To understand why it’s so
influential you need to consider its impact on the brain.

When you practice gratitude you’re crafting a mindset that

supports positive feeling neurochemicals such as dopamine
and lowering stress hormones like cortisol.
This, subsequently, supports healthy biochemistry—another example of the mind-body connection
and how you can make it work for you—that helps keep your body functioning optimally.

Simply by instigating a gratitude practice in your day you’ll be more likely to make healthy lifestyle
choices, enhance immunity, increase your chances of getting a good night's sleep, as well as improve
various health biomarkers, and reduce your chances of suffering from anxiety or depression during
your lifetime.**
Becoming more grateful for your life the way it is and for what
you have isn’t as hard as you might think. Although it's hard to
shift from a burdened, pessimistic mindset to one that looks
for the silver lining, you can achieve it with small steps
and a basic structure.

For the most benefits you’ll want to set aside some time every
day to think about things you’re grateful for. Even a couple of
minutes is enough to feel a difference. Incorporate it into what
you already do. Do you keep a journal? Begin writing a small
gratitude list in every entry. If you have a planner, write a few
bullet points alongside your schedule. You can even take a
couple of minutes to list your gratitudes in the notes on your
phone. The how doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you
make it part of your life and you practice feeling grateful.

This isn’t just meant to be a mental exercise it will help you connect to the positive feelings that
accompany acknowledging the good in your life. It’s this acknowledgment that will produce changes
in your mind and body and over time being grateful, having a gratitude-focused mindset, will become
second nature.

*https://health.ucdavis.edu/welcome/features/2015-2016/11/20151125_gratitude.html

**https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1359105312439733?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed&
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

PRODUCTIVITY
BOOST
In our modern society productivity is crucial. We have a
million things to do in a day and need to ensure
everything gets done and done well. Whether it’s in our
home life, our workplace, with our friends, pretty much
every area of our life requires our optimal performance.
So how do we get the most from ourselves?

The primary key,

something you can stop
doing from this moment
onward, is multi-tasking.
Believe it or not, this doesn't actually help you be more
productive, it just creates the illusion that you're more
productive. Scientists have studied our performance
when multi-tasking and the jury is in: it makes your
performance worse.* When you multi-task you spread
yourself too thin so everything gets done less efficiently
and in a longer amount of time.

Focus is what will boost your productivity. Yet, modern

day life doesn’t help us create an atmosphere of focus,
so you’ll need to create one.

Have set, designated spaces for specific Keep note of distracting thoughts, so you
01 04
activities so your brain associates that area don’t feel compelled to stop mid-task.
with a certain task.
Group similar tasks together so they can
05
Start small instead of biting off more than be completed at the same time.
02
you can chew. Breaking a task down into
smaller steps will increase productivity. Work in bursts rather than extended
06
stretches of time.

03 Determine when you work optimally (what

time of day can you focus the best?) 07 Play instrumental music.

*https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_myth_of_multitasking_research_says_it_makes_us_less_productive_and_incr
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

STOP &
SMELL
THE ROSES

Scent is a powerful way to Here are some scents and their Implementing this in your own
produce a specific inner proven effect on the human life simply requires good quality,
response. The brain’s limbic state. natural plant oil (choose
system processes your sense of authentic, natural oils over
smell, and it’s this same part of Peppermint enhances synthetic) and directly smelling
the brain that stores emotional memory, alertness, and even it from the bottle or diffusing it
memories, promotes bonding, improve athletic into the air.
and creates an emotional tone. performance.**
This overlapping of functions is Ylang ylang oil can increase a The volatile particles within the
the main reason scents activate feeling of calmness and help essential oil can easily enter
powerful emotion, specific slow the mind down. your bloodstream and cross the
memories, or mental states.* Wild orange improves your blood/brain barrier quickly,
overall mood producing prompt, profound
You can use this to your Lavender reduces stress. results.
advantage. Rather than being
swept away into a traumatic As you can see from these
event from the past or an examples, these are natural
emotional funk, you can aromas that tap into your mind’s
purposefully use scent to create potential and produce a specific
the mood you want. result.

With scent, you have an easy, Having a few of these select

direct way to influence your own scents at hand will help combat
performance and inner state, daily stressors and impact the
and this isn’t just speculation, limbic portion of your brain
it’s science. Whether you want regardless of where you are.
to increase productivity or slow
a buzzing mind, it can be done. Instant brain hack.

*https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/02/how-scent-emotion-and-memory-are-intertwined-and-exploited
** https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3607906/
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

BORROWING
CONFIDENCE

For many people self-esteem is almost like a skill, an attitude toward

ourselves that we learn with time. Yet, what if there was a way to tap into the
inner confidence that’s already there inside you? This really is a possibility.

The technique is simple but profound.

Think of someone you admire, someone who has traits you’d

like to possess. Maybe it’s a role model you’ve looked up to
01 since you were a little kid, or maybe it’s someone you just
saw on TV. Whoever it is, focus on someone who embodies a
quality you desire.

Then, pick a correlating “character prop”, an item that

reminds you of that person and that you can wear as a kind
02 of totem. When you put on this item, you give yourself the
opportunity to try on a different persona, activating your
creative mind so a different side of yourself can come to the
forefront.

This technique brings out your best and allows you to channel it naturally
with a little help from a physical prop. Remember Superman? He could bring
out different sides of himself with a little help from a pair of glasses and/or a
phone booth.

In real life, Beyonce has famously revealed her Sasha Fierce stage alter ego, a
“Character” who embodies who she needs to be when she performs.
Likewise, Martin Luther King used a non-prescription pair of glasses to step
into another part of himself, and the glasses represented that and helped
him feel who that person was.

This technique works because of the emphasis we place, as human beings,

on someone’s appearance, what their clothes tell us about who they are. Our
psychological processes around this are so distinct, research has coined the
term enclothed cognition* to explain it. In this theory, it’s not just a piece of
clothing or accessory, it’s the symbolic meaning we give it.

Think of your own Sasha Fierce. Who is it you want to embody? Chances are,
tapping into that natural confidence is closer than you think.

*https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022103112000200
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

SHAKE IT OFF
When we’re stressed we tend to be in our heads, struggling to get away from thoughts that are
prolonging and intensifying our fear.

Sometimes the best way to deal with this is to get into the body. Initially, this may feel worse, since our
bodies can feel tense, achy, and unsettled because of stress. Bur, don’t let this frighten you.

When you begin to pay attention to your body, no matter how on-edge it may seem, you have the
opportunity to shift some of the feelings that have built up and created that tension in the first place.

Shaking is a natural response to releasing tension. Wild animals shake after they have escaped a
predator; this helps release the traumatic energy that built up in the body during that
fight-or-flight response.

Physiological chemicals and processes start because of danger, the body shifts into survival mode, and
those biological chemicals don’t just evaporate into nothing as soon as the danger passes. Shaking
acts as a practical way to encourage your body to return to normal, to its homeostasis.

So, if you’re feeling tense and worked up, and really feel the need to blow off some steam, shaking can
be the vehicle to greater relaxation. In fact, it’s so powerful an entire therapy has been created around
it: shaking therapy. Undertaking this form of therapy really helps regulate the nervous system and let
go of trauma that otherwise stays in the body.

Depending on your preference and what feels best to you, you could put on some music. Ideally, select
music that compliments your emotional state. You want an atmosphere that encourages you to get
the emotion up and out.

You can perform this technique both sitting or standing.

Vigorously shake a body area for between

Start shaking a section of your body. There
30-60 seconds, then move on to the next.
is no right or wrong with this. You could
01 start with your hand, your entire arm, a
02 The point is to get out of your head and
into your body, so don’t think about what
leg, your shoulders. You could begin at the
you’re doing. You don’t need to keep track
top of your body and work down until
of the time, just feel into your body and
you’re shaking everything. It’s your choice.
see how the shaking wants to occur.
Follow what feels good.

If you’re doing the technique optimally, you’ll want to feel slightly out of breath by the end and when
you bring your body back to stillness you’ll likely feel your body “buzz.” This is perfectly normal, but
should you experience any abnormal, concerning physical sensations, discontinue the practice.

What’s great about this method is you don’t need to wait for a traumatic event to begin. You can use
this technique throughout the day to release mounting stresses. It’s especially effective when you live a
sedentary lifestyle or spend a significant portion of the day sitting down. The shaking can really help
counteract this.

If you want to go further or need professional help processing trauma, there are plenty of TRE (tension
and trauma release) practitioners* available.

*https://traumaprevention.com/what-is-tre/
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

ADOPT A
POWER POSE
Posture does more than promote a healthy spine
it can be a key part of activating confidence.
Science has proven that acting as if you are
confident, mirroring the body language a
confident person would have, influences your
inner state, so it reflects this.

With the rise of technology our posture has

become increasingly worse. We don’t sit, we
slump, we don’t stand, we hunch and lean and
curl in on ourselves. These days, none of us
operate without technology, meaning all of us
could use some help standing straight and
owning the space around us.

It’s easy to comprehend why our posture has a

psychological impact once you get into scientific
research.

When an animal adopts a slumping, hunched-

over posture, this is a defensive position, one
meant to shield internal organs. So when we
assume similar positioning, somewhere in our
primitive brain, we’re subconsciously telling
ourselves—even though we’re not aware of it—
that we’re not safe.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

Adopting a power posture includes:

Having good overall posture (one that keeps the spine healthy and promotes
brain functioning through proper, optimal breathing.)

Using specific powerful body language that helps us embody confidence.

Slow, purposeful movement, standing up straight, maintaining eye contact
are all examples of confident body language.

Taking up space. When people feel insecure, they get smaller, crossing their
arms, rounding the shoulders, tucking their legs to one side. This doesn’t
express confidence. Instead, open up your posture, stand tall, lean back, place
an arm on the back of a chair. Taking up physical space ensures you don't
exhibit a self-conscious, insecure aura.

This can be the beginning of a positive cycle since, by adopting a confident posture, not only do
you feel more confident, but other people see you this way too, leading to a greater feeling of
inner confidence. In CBT, this technique would be considered changing the Behavior portion of
the CBT therapy triangle, so by changing the way you act, you can inwardly influence your
thoughts, affecting how you feel.
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

MUSIC IS
MEDICINE
Music can directly influence the mind and have Binaural beats are a newly developed way of
a therapeutic effect.* So when you want to influencing brain waves and have shown great
calm your system or affect your physical state, promise for shifting mental states.
music can “reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and
pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, This technology uses two tones with different
mental alertness, and memory.” frequencies, playing them simultaneously so
you hear a unified third tone. When a binaural
The main reason music is so powerful is beat plays with a frequency of 13-16 Hz it
because it goes beyond words and conscious promotes beta waves, when played at 8-12 Hz it
thought, and concerns “structural, promotes Alpha, at 4-7 Hz you tap into Theta
mathematical and architectural”** properties waves, and at 0.5-4 Hz it’s meant to encourage
that slip below your conscious awareness into a Delta waves.
deeper, untapped part of who you are.
Each of these brain waves represents a
Noticing how you feel when music is playing different state of consciousness, from highly
will provide information about how best to use alert to deep sleep and relaxation. In theory,
it in your life to produce specific states. Since these frequencies influence your brain waves
music can be a very personal thing and affect through a process of entrainment, where you
us differently as individuals it’s worthwhile to match yourself to the corresponding frequency.
observe the effect it has on you. Then, play that
music when you want to replicate a particular If you want to explore binaural beats, there are
state or get “in the zone” for an activity. plenty of apps that allow you to choose
frequencies that promote specific mental
Despite the influence of individuality, research states and even allow you to play them over
has shown some music genres affect everyone regular music. However, to get the full effect,
similarly: you need to listen with earphones.

Instrumentals are ideal for increasing

productivity.
Music we’re familiar with can decrease
concentration, while new music can
encourage better focus.
Listening to sounds of nature increase
cognitive function as well as improve mood.
Classical music can help you complete tasks
more efficiently—an influence termed “the
Mozart Effect.”

*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5618809/
**https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/keep-your-brain-young-with-music
 Renew You: Relieve stress, calm your mind and boost confidence with time-tested techniques

FIRST THINGS FIRST

The morning is a powerful time for
intentionally setting the tone for your day; you
can use those initial moments to serve your
goals and craft the mindset you want, or you
can allow it to be a mindless time where you
slip into old habits and emotions.

Hal Elrod created a genius morning structure

for people who are tired of starting their day
aimlessly and without purpose. He uses the
acronym SAVERS to format his well-rounded
morning routine.

S ILENCE(prayer, mediation, etc.)

You move through these activities one after the
other in your morning routine, allowing you to

A FFIRMATION
complete various activities in a compact
amount of time.

What’s great about this format is you tailor it to

V ISUALIZATION your preferences by picking the

exercise you like, the books you want to read,
type of

what you want to visualize achieving, and your

current affirmations.

E XERCISE Whatever you’re currently focusing on in your

life is something you can incorporate into this

R EADING structure and, because this is

routine, you can feel accomplished before even
a morning

heading out the door to work.

S CRIBING
(aka writing)
This is a great format to use when you want to
implement the ideas in this book.
You could incorporate an EFT tapping
routine during the Affirmation portion
You could write what you’re grateful for
during the Scribing section
You could practice breath of fire for Silence

Tailor this routine to what you want to achieve

in life and the things you’re passionate about
and keep customizing it as you evolve and your
priorities shift.