The Centered Leader: How to take a breath, take control and turn anxiety into action

By Katherine Lewis

Last month I shared with you some of my favorite advice for helping busy, successful executives lead more effectively. I explained the importance of leading from the “center,” a place of focus and control where confidence and creativity can shine. The easiest and quickest way to get back to center is with, what I call, haptic practices, which involve the combination of touch and breath. These practices can quickly and discreetly be used at the office, while working from home or before a big meeting. My clients love learning these simple techniques, and I hope you did too.

This month I’d like to explain a little bit more about when to use these practices and teach you two more. They are easy to do in the moment and you can use them right away. 

But how do you know when you need to be re-centered? That is really the key to making these techniques work for you. Here are some common scenarios leaders encounter and two ways to think about using breath and touch to combat the “fight or flight” reaction known as the amygdala hijack:

1. Excitement Without Breath is Fear

Let’s say you are newly promoted to a senior level position and feeling a bit of imposter syndrome. Or you are getting ready to present to your leadership or Board of Directors. Maybe there’s an unforeseen crisis like a technology breakdown or a public relations issue that you need to problem solve. In all these situations, you need to think clearly and resist being “triggered,” because that will only release the stress hormone cortisol. What you want to do instead is flood your brain with the chemicals that promote a sense of well-being and trust, like oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin. 

This technique can help you transform anxiety into anticipation, as I learned when  

working with the integrative medicine practitioner Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson. When we are fearful, we tend to shorten our breath. By breathing into our hands when they are placed on the belly (just below the belly button), we can transform that anxiety into a positive force.

As Dr. Chiasson describes it, in traditional Chinese medicine, excitement and fear are considered the same vibration, or energy, in the body. “When we carry that energy in the chest, it becomes fear and freezes you,” she said. “but when you add breath, it drops back into the lower half of the body and stimulates action.”  

2. It’s Your Dream, Trust It

This is essentially the same haptic practice as above, but the intention is different. Use this technique when you are feeling discouraged and need motivation to achieve your goal. 

Let’s say you are an entrepreneur who is beset by doubt or discouragement. Or a leader who feels unable to achieve success with her team.  In these cases, you want to focus your mind on reconnecting with your original purpose. Bring energy filled with passion into your body through your hands. Remind yourself that you will always face setbacks when taking on something hard. It can be daunting, but it requires patience and persistence. Sit back and refuel your desire to create something great. 

When you shift your mind back to your true purpose, it creates a psychological benefit. As the Harvard-trained brain scientist, business consultant and mental health expert Srini Pillay explained in this interview, being connected to a sense of purpose activates the brain’s reward center. What this essentially means is that the brain will release the feel-good chemicals I mentioned above, and you’ll be better positioned to go after your dreams.

I hope you’ll take my advice to heart and use these practices as much as you need, since they take hardly any time out of your day. For a more in-depth look at how you can become the leader you were meant to be and build stronger teams, contact me at katherine@lewisrushassociates.com