What is Your Reset Button?
What is your reset button? You know - that one thing you can reliably turn to when you’re feeling off, and you know it will give a much needed mental shift or change in perspective?
As I was hiking some trails near Point Mugu the other weekend, I was reminded just how much of a reset button nature is for me. Something about the smells, the views, the sounds...they allow me to see the bigger picture of life and help me to momentarily forget about my worries and to-do lists.
Who couldn’t use a momentary reprieve from their problems and anxiety these days?
Hit Reset
Although spending time in nature is one of my go-to resets, it isn’t always possible, especially if I’m in the middle of a workday (or since I’m currently a grad student, I’m most likely to be stuck in the middle of writing a paper)...so I have to find other mini resets that are more practical whenever I need them. Some of my favorite reset buttons are:
Exercise (even just 1 minute of squat jumps or push-ups can do the trick!).
Putting on my favorite song in my living room and dancing.
Going for a drive and playing songs from my teenage years at an obnoxious volume.
Calling a friend.
Taking some deep breaths (see my previous post about the power of your breath).
Hugging someone I love.
Going for a walk.
Being in nature.
Crying (sometimes the only thing that will get me out of a funk is a good cry!).
Watching cute videos of my 2-year-old niece.
What is your reset button?Your list might look very different from mine and that's great! The point is not to have the right reset button, the point is to have a few options handy so you can access them whenever you need to.
But What if I Don't Feel Like It?
It’s also important to note that, in the moment, you might not feel motivated to use one of your reset buttons. You might instead feel like turning towards your maladaptive behavior of choice (I’m sure you know what that is for you...we all have them). If that happens, first of all, try not to pile shame onto your already unmotivated state - you’re not always going to feel motivated, and that is normal. However, if you can A) notice that you are in need of a reset, B) notice that you are tempted to turn towards a maladaptive behavior, and C) intentionally decide to choose one of your reset buttons despite not necessarily feeling like it in the moment. Over time, choosing the healthy reset button rather than the maladaptive behavior will start to become second nature.
"Over time, choosing the healthy reset button rather than the maladaptive behavior will start to become second nature."
Not Sure What Your Reset Buttons Are?
If you don't know what your reset buttons are, try journaling or reflecting on things that make you feel alive, content, excited, refreshed, or whatever state you are trying to cultivate more of in your life. Start taking notice when you feel most content or most like yourself, and consider what happened to make you feel that way. The more you start to take notice, the more you can start to implement those habits and actions into your life.
About the Author
Stephanie is a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University in Los Angeles and is on the path to pursuing licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist. She is passionate about working in the perinatal space and creating an empowering, nurturing environment to help women thrive. She currently serves as the Client Care Specialist at the Center for Integrative Change.
