Please read before continuing:
Take my Stress Hormone Questionnaire to find out how stressed you are and how badly you need to begin the following Baby Steps.
(For more information on our three brains, “computer,” “mammal,” and “reptile,” visit my patreon page for my upcoming book, Raised by Reptiles)
Step 3) Reptile Brain: Safety
This part of the brain is on the constant lookout for danger in order to keep you safe. Modern humans have an “over-developed” reptile brain (for reasons described in my upcoming new book, Raised by Reptiles). When the reptile brain is overactive, it sees danger even when there is none (which is most of the time) and exaggerates its severity when there actually is danger, contributing to an epidemic of people with chronically high levels of stress hormones leading to illness and obesity.
Create a zone of safety around you to keep your “reptile safety brain” calm and dormant (don’t worry, it will pounce into action immediately should real danger present itself):
a) Physical safety:
i) Build safety habits into your life: locking doors, putting on seat belt, driving the speed limit, avoiding high traffic times and areas, avoid dark alleys at night.
ii) 180 formula exercise and some whole body strength building (in case you need to run from danger one day). Please read Why you shouldn’t go to the Gym or use a Trainer article.
iii) Balance and flexibility training (to lower your risk of falling).
iv) Ki-aikido martial arts (to learn peaceful resolution to conflicts).
v) Get out of pain with chiropractic, physical therapy, or acupuncture.
vi) Rebuild your adrenals by following the steps in my adrenal stress article
vii) Stop eating junk foods and avoid restaurants.
b) Emotional safety:
i) Learn to recognize and avoid emotionally dangerous people. Make sure the people you contact the most are not emotional vampires: coworkers, supervisors, employers, neighbors, “friends,” and even family members. Special mention: avoid parents who were abusive or neglectful when you were a minor (just because they are your parents doesn’t mean you have to let them continue to emotionally raise your stress hormones as an adult).
ii) Learn to set healthy boundaries with everyone accordingly. Even people who seem sweet can be emotionally toxic if passive aggressive or have a hidden personality disorder. Being around them raises your stress hormones.
iii) Avoid political news and scary or gruesome movies/shows/novels.
c) Financial safety: Out-of-control finances will cause elevated stress hormones in your body contributing to illness and obesity.
i) If needed, make a plan to increase your income over the short term and/or long term.
ii) Use the “EveryDollar” budgeting App weekly to take the stress out of spending.
iii) Get life insurance and health insurance.
iv) Get on a “get out of debt” plan (Dave Ramsey).
v) Save an emergency fund of 3 months of expenses.
vi) Buy a home within your means that’s a blessing not a curse, pay it off early.
vii) Put 15% of your income toward retirement.
viii) Save for your children’s college education.
Focus on this step for 10 days to implement a plan for each of these three parts before starting step four. Review and modify as needed weekly. It will take a few years to fully implement and fulfill these, but taking steps toward them with an end in sight calms the reptile brain and lowers stress hormones.
Step 3b) Talk Therapy and NET (if needed)
If step three gives you peace, then continue it. If it gives you anxiety, seek out a talk therapist to help you get to the bottom of the anxiety from a mind/thinking level, and see your NET practitioner to address the anxiety from a physiological level.
Yours in health,
John B. Campise Wellness Consulting
Holistic, Chiropractic, Light therapy, Hyperbaric therapy
(559) 930-1034
1709 W. Barstow Avenue
Fresno, CA 93711
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