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How To Manage Your State.
To Get The Results You Want.
This article provides simple instructions on the management of your well-being. Specifically, managing your mental, physical and emotional state, to produce the quality of results you want. Both personally and professionally.
STATE
noun: A condition or way of being that exists at a particular time.
What Is State Management?
State management is the process of consciously commanding your physical, mental and emotional states to produce a desired outcome or way of being. It begins with assessing your current state of mind and body. That includes your thoughts, emotions, physical movements and sensations. It then involves shifting from your undesired state to one that is more responsible and effective. Finally, it requires maintaining that better way of being until the fulfillment of your goal or purpose. State Management is a critical component of your success. Whether it be in your relationships, your work, your happiness, your health, wealth...every aspect of your life.
Why Manage My State?
If we define "State" as a condition or way of being that exists at a particular time, then for superior performance at any time, you want the ability to change your thoughts and feelings on demand. Why? To elevate yourself from any inauthentic, ineffective, or undesired way of being, to a more optimal state of mind and body. A state where you are in command of consciousness. Where you can tap into your own highest power, purpose and potential to perform better, take more effective action, and produce superior results. By managing your state, you can cultivate the energy, focus, and mindset necessary to overcome challenges, take action towards your goals, and successfully attain your purpose in any project or endeavor.
3 Steps Of State Management.
There are 3 simple steps to managing your state. To begin, simply commit the steps to memory by saying them over and over again to yourself. This alone will start forging new neural networks in your brain. Pathways of conscious intent that will unconsciously start working wonders in your body and behavior. Here are the 3 steps...
Physiology First.
Remember I Am Choosing.
Ask A Better Question.
That's it. Real simple. But here's the thing: Knowledge isn't power. Knowledge applied is power. So let's see how to use it.
Study Each Step.
First, let's review a description of each step, written for you in the first person. I challenge you to go ahead and read these descriptions out loud to yourself. Just see how it feels. You will likely find even reading out loud will subtly change your state, because listening to your thoughts is not quite the same as listening to your voice. For starters, speaking makes intentional use of your facial muscles, and in a moment, we'll see why that's important. Also, when talking or reading to yourself, even when using the same words, with speaking there is a different flavor to your presence. So although it may sound strange, when you are reading the descriptions, pay attention to your body and your breathing. For full effect, try changing your body position and the tonality of your voice while reading. For example:
A) Read Step 1 sitting down relaxed, with a normal speaking voice.
B) Read Step 2 laying down curled up in a ball, and whispering.
C) Read Step 3 standing up tall, and louder than you normally speak.
Just by changing your position and tonality, see if you can honestly feel a difference in the state of your mind and body. However subtle it may be. Ready? Set? Here goes...
Practice Managing My State.
1. Physiology First.
There is nothing freakier to a mind than being out of oxygen. So the mind follows the breath. When I slow my breathing down, I slow my thoughts down. Breathing consciously doesn’t solve all my problems, but it instantly put me in a better state to assess my problems. To find the best solutions. By taking conscious breaths, I am effectively reassuring my mind that everything is ok. “Ok. At least we are breathing. We’ve got that much covered. Now. What’s next?”
When it comes to managing my State, my breathing is always the first and most critical component. But it’s not the only thing that matters. At any given time, EVERY part of my body is contributing to the overall state I am in. Because the mind and body work together, whenever one is out of whack, I must re-align and balance it with the other. Remember motion effects emotion. This means I have to be responsible for what I am doing with my body, as even the subtlest muscle movements can change whatever I am feeling.
Physiology first!
2. Remember I Am Choosing
As long as I'm convinced I don’t have any choice about my thoughts and feelings, then I remain a victim. Then I remain subjected to whatever my mind and body are unconsciously deciding on my behalf. Often forcing me to be, do and have things without my awareness or consent.
In order to change my state at any given time, the first thing I must do is remember I am choosing whatever state I am in. Simply by remembering I am choosing my current way of being - being angry, sad, scared, lonely, anxious, depressed, stuck... that instantly puts me back in a place of power. Now I can see I have a choice. Now I am in command of whatever I am about to think, feel, say and do.
Remember I am choosing!
3. Ask A Better Question.
Remember questions determine focus. Whenever a mind is asked a question, then by its very nature, it is always compelled to respond one way or another. Even if only to ignore the question. Remember also that whoever is asking the questions is leading the conversation. This not only applies to conversations I am having with other people, it applies to the conversations I am having with myself.
Ask a better question, get a better result!
Practice State-Shifting Questions.
Each of the 3 State Management steps has countless questions you can ask, to help you shift a state. You can ask these questions of yourself, you can ask them of others, you can even ask others to ask them of you. Here are some examples. With practice, you will find many more. The key is to simply remember all 3 steps. Then you can't go wrong diving deeper into any of them.
1. Physiology First.
How is my breathing?
Where exactly am I feeling X? (Where X is whatever I don't want to feel).
What is my facial expression?
What am I doing with my body?
What is a better movement or position?
Could I use some food or water?
Do I need a rest or break?
2. Remember I am Choosing.
What am I doing right now?
What am I choosing?
What am I telling myself?
Is this working for me?
How does it occur to me?
3. Ask A Better Question.
Am I certain it is true?
What else could it mean?
Have I thought it through?
Am I being honest with myself?
What else could I believe or focus on?
What's great about this?
What is really most important?
Start Here.
To use and fully integrate State Management in your life, one good way to start is by committing the steps to memory. You can do that simply by reciting the steps for awhile. For example, let's say twice a day for 40 consecutive days. "Remember I Am Choosing. Physiology First. Ask A Better Question." Repeat. To really get the hang of it, once you know the steps, practice using State-Shifting questions. The secret is to actually associate and feel the effects of your answer to each question. In other words, don't just think it. Feel it.
Another good way to start is taking the ol' one day at a time approach. For the next 24 hours, practice managing your state every time you think of it. Practice stopping to assess your state in various situations. Try intentionally moving your face and body in different ways to elicit different feelings. Try shifting whatever you were thinking to focus on something different. Maybe even believe something different. The opportunity is to see how State Management immediately makes a difference in your performance and results.
You've Got The Power.
If you want to be even more successful at whatever it is you are up to, there is one question to consider before any others matter. Who is in command? Is it you? Or is it your mind? Are you the master of your thoughts? Or are you a victim of your own mental impulses? A slave to your fears and desires?
Be Responsible.
When you are managing your state, you know you have the power. You can transcend fear, loss and suffering by being more responsible. More response-able. More able to respond in ways that really work for you. It gives you a wider range of motion all across the board. Not just mentally and emotionally. Spiritually, physically, financially, even in your relationships.
State. Story. Strategy.
Real quick, let's see how State interacts with Story and Strategy by way of an example. Of course, there is much more to it then we'll cover here, but this will get you started. In fact, just to make sure it's clear, let’s use two examples. One personal. One professional.
Example 1. A common personal challenge is Procrastination.
Procrastinating is what we call the STATE or way of being when someone is postponing action. When we are procrastinating, the STORY we are telling our self is usually some variation of “I will do it later.” Whether the story is true or not, believing it at the time will certainly take us out of action. When we are procrastinating, we need an effective STRATEGY to get our self back in action.
Example 2. A professional example is Writer's Block.
Writer's Block is what we call the STATE of feeling stuck and not being able to write. “I have Writer’s Block” is a STORY anyone can tell their self when they are having difficulty putting words to paper. But it becomes a real challenge for any professional writer whose livelihood depends upon it. Being stuck in an unproductive state, having an effective STRATEGY can help them get unstuck.
Why It Works.
Each and every emotion that you have not only has a corresponding mindset, it also has corresponding physiological attributes. Frowning because you are sad, for example. Looks and feels totally different than smiling because you are happy. The question is, are you frowning because you are sad? Or are are you sad because you are frowning? Either way, knowing how to change your state can always change your thoughts, feelings, actions, and experience. Why? Because it puts you in command of consciousness. And that can literally change your life.
Does It Always Work?
Yes. The same 3-Step approach can be applied on demand to any undesired way of being to produce more favourable thoughts, feelings, actions and results. Sad, angry, lonely, insecure…any human emotion can be changed at anytime by any human being, once they have learned how.
What To Do Next.
Now you have two options. You can either apply this information or forget about it. Forgetting it is really easy. Especially if you have never practiced it. Applying it however, means taking some kind of useful action. For that, click on either of the buttons below and I will show you the next steps.
Remember. Knowledge isn't power. Knowledge applied is power.
Mike Highstead