Would you like more C.A.L.M. in your life?
C.A.L.M. is the 2nd research study I collaborated on with Philippe Goldin, Ph.D. in the Spring of 2016 just before I was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. As it goes with such unexpected events, saving my life became my focus.
Now I am back with renewed vitality and insights for the 3rd collaboration with Philippe. This time our research will examine the effects of my newly developed online course: Choose Life! Support your cancer journey with healing from the inside out.
Life has a way of providing lessons that will come in handy later. What I learned from the research I did as a personal/social high school Counselor, became a critical piece of how my own healing practice evolved.
Working with students who were searching for ways to cope and maintain an inner life of well-being, emotional stability, and resilience provided the inspiration to offer exercises to them that were supported by science and took little time to practice.
These breathing exercises became the C.A.L.M. study and offered a unique blend of self-Compassion, Attention, Loving kindness, and Mindfulness skills. Self-compassion was a focus area as it became obvious that many students suffered from being their own worst critic. Students were the ones who were harshest on themselves.
RECEIVING UNEXPECTED & TRAUMATIC NEWS
What do you do when faced with something unexpected that disrupts your routines, sense of safety, and comfort?
Students are not the only ones who experience stress and place high expectations on themselves. They internalize shades of stress from the adults in their lives and the culture they live in. This stress often shows up in general ways and then more seriously as anxiety, panic, and depressive symptoms.
What the C.A.L.M. project revealed to me were the positive changes experienced in the areas of being kind to oneself, realizing that your own challenges and suffering are shared amongst the larger common humanity and that one is able to see the situation for what it is and not over-identify with it.
By spending such a short amount of time focusing on breathing, letting thoughts go, and relaxing your muscles, turns out you are rewarded with substantial changes in how you feel, think, and act.
DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF STRESS IS TRIGGERED FROM MEETING DEADLINES, PERFORMANCE GOALS, HEALTH CONCERNS, OR FAMILY MATTERS?
The quick answer is ‘no.’ When your body reacts to something that scares you or pushes you beyond your comfort zone, the stress hormones kick in. Cortisol and adrenaline are released and if the body isn’t able to get back into a ‘rest and repair’ mode it ends up stuck in the ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ state of being. When you’re in a continued stressful state it’s hard to focus and keep your attention where you want it to be. The mind can make up worst-case scenarios or catastrophize and before you know it, these thoughts are ruling your life. Your mental distress goes up and difficult emotions take up residence in your body. Suddenly everything is too much to deal with and you can feel overrun with fear, uncertainty, and overwhelm.
SHORT BREATHING PRACTICES SHIFT YOUR INTERNAL STRESS RESPONSES
Why is this significant?
Because when you turn your attention towards your breathing you naturally increase your awareness. Your nervous system begins to slow down, your mind becomes quiet, and your heart begins to soften and relax. Energy begins to flow. When energy flows, healing happens. Your body has an opportunity to re-set and renew itself, both physiologically and psychologically.
Whether you are a student seeking ways to cope with the daily stressors of school, an internship, or an older person finding out your health needs attention, taking 3 - 5 minutes to do daily mindful and self-compassion practices can provide you with huge positive shifts in how you feel and how your body responds. To experience the most benefits, do once a day for at least 3 weeks or every other day for 6 weeks. Continue until you find a rhythm that fits into your daily life.
Completed self-reports from the CALM study identified these benefits :
reduced mental and emotional discomfort
gained more control over thoughts
promoted greater self-compassion
experienced psychological wellness
Try out the 2 CALM practices for yourself and share them with the adolescents in your life.
CHOOSE LIFE, THE MIND-BODY TRAINING PROGRAM
I’m really excited to be engaging in another research study with Philippe and UC Davis that will examine how the Choose Life mind-body online training program designed for cancer survivors will affect changes to a person’s mental and emotional flexibility, depressive and/or anxiety symptoms, and overall well-being.
Are you a cancer survivor, thriver, and hero? Do you know someone who is?
If you or someone you know have finished cancer treatments and are within 5 years of being diagnosed, living in either Europe or the United States, and want to be part of this progressive and life-changing study please contact Leslie at: leslieapeake@gmail.com
Pass on this blog to anyone you think would be interested in being part of the CHOOSE LIFE research study or making mindfulness & self-compassion a part of their everyday life.
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