SHAKE IT OFF

Contributed by: Ginger Rothhaas, Compassion Fix

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Ever notice how a dog or cat shakes their whole body at random intervals? There’s a simple explanation for that: they do it to release stress. Wild animals do it, too, after successfully fleeing a predator. Shaking works to process the unused “fight or flight” adrenaline that’s flooded their system, releasing tension and returning their bodies back to a relaxed state.

Even Michael Phelps famously “shakes it off ” with the wild, double-arm swing he executes to release stress before every race (maybe that is why he is the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time!).

Have you ever started shaking before speaking in public, or some other anxiety-inducing event? That’s your body trying to release stress. Your “fight or flight” response can cause you to freeze up, and your nervous system needs to let that go.

We humans are also good at dissipating stress when we’re young. Those crying fits, tantrums, and flailing-on-the-floor episodes are all ways our body tries to return to normal. Unfortunately, we’re quickly conditioned out of those, because they’re inconvenient or disturbing to those around us. That’s when we learn to repress emotions and suppress our innate abilities to dissipate our stress.

Shaking is such an easy practice, and such an effective way to unfreeze ourselves and restart our nervous system. The “fight or flight” response brought on by stress also speeds up your heart rate and gives you a burst of energy, which can take a toll on your body if not properly processed. Shaking takes care of that, too.

How do we survive times filled with fear? Whether you survive being chased by a lion or you’re just feeling the normal stressors that come with the human experience, get that fear out. Burn that energy. From your head down to your toes, shake it all off.

TRY THIS

Do some shaking now, even if you’re not stressed, to see how it works. Start small and work your way up the body. Notice where you feel tense. Is it 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? Shake and move that part of your body.

Now, try your whole body. Allow yourself to release all the stress living inside of you. Don’t let fear of looking awkward keep you from embracing it: find a private place and let it all out.

Ginger Rothhaas, MBA, MDiv. is a seminary trained compassion coach who teaches about compassion at the intersection of neuroscience and spirituality. She is the founder of Compassion Fix Coaching, and she has written a book of mental health practices titled Being Human: 150 Practices to Make it Easier. She lives in Kansas City with her husband, their two teenage children, and two very enthusiastic dogs.

You can find Ginger at:

Websites: gingerrothhaas.com, compassionfix.com

Facebook and Instagram: @gingerrothhaas and @compassionfix

New Book: Being Human