Centering Thought: There are many tools I can use at any given moment to self-assess how I am feeling. I can practice the BMT Index™, identifying my body sensations, emotional moods and my thoughts now.
We know that all feelings come and go. But sometimes it’s hard to know what we are feeling and why. And in those moments, it’s also difficult to know how to access tools (or which tools to access!) to shift our state if we choose to do so.
There are some apps and websites available that can help us track what we’re feeling, when——and sometimes why, if they include data like our triggers or environment. Many of these also teach ways to shift our state or move into higher-level thinking and away from fight-or-flight.
But what if we don’t have access to technology in the moment? How do we self-assess our feelings at such times?
There are many ways we can check in with our bodies, including the BMT Index™.
To break fight-or-flight down into its working parts, we can simply ask, “What am I feeling right now?” We can run our answers through this template:
1. What does my body feel?
2. What are my moods?
3. What are my thoughts?
Answering these questions gives us personal awareness in the moment. As an added benefit, it also helps us access our higher-level thinking from a position of some objectivity, which naturally cycles our brains out of fight-or-flight at least temporarily. The more we practice using tools like this, the more we begin to become aware of our feelings, sensations and emotions proactively, rather than reactively.