Why the Goal to "Survive this" is Breaking Us

Uncategorized Nov 04, 2021

Ever heard yourself say “I just need to Survive this”? Or I need to survive to the weekend? Survive until summer break…Survive until retirement?

If you haven’t said or thought it personally, I bet you’ve heard a teacher colleague or friend say it.

We are consumed by this idea of surviving this and it’s breaking us.

Survival mode is wonderful, it keeps us safe, it gets us out of immediate danger! Survival mode has saved me on multiple occasions - being grabbed by a stranger when I was in the woods alone, pulling a chicken bone out of my throat as a small child, running from a rabid dog in Bali...

What is a temporary life-saving response - is not a long term solution. We were never built to be in Survival mode for extended periods of time.

Here is what happens when we are in “Survival Brain”

We are hyper focussed on threat and danger
We focus on what's not working
We have a myopic viewpoint and can't see the bigger picture
We are not open, receptive or trusting
We believe people are out to get us
We lose executive functioning capabilities
Collapse present moment with past or future so

We have a direct pathway to hyper arousal - At the top of our window of tolerance we experience more feelings like anger, aggressiveness, reactive, defensiveness, impulsiveness are easier to access. Also: poor focus, sleeplessness, hyperactive, anxiety, irritability, obsessive, little self-reflection/evaluation, reacting to perceptions vs. reality

We also have a directly pathway to hypo arousal - Below our window of tolerance we feel stuck, paralyzed, distracted, numb, reactive, impulsive, emotionally/psychologically/physically withdrawn, self-centered, sad, doubtful, hopeless, fragile, difficulty attaching/trusting, reluctance to explore/risk averse, activated inner critic.

The coping mechanisms enabled when we are in survival are quick fixes, not long term solutions. We are more likely to turn to numbing or avoidance strategies when in survival mode; mindless scrolling, binge watching, overeating, over working, over drinking.

We are more likely to neglect our basic needs - not sleeping enough, not nourishing ourselves, increasing sugar and coffee to get the jolt of energy we desire.

Where we really need to be is past this already. What we really want is for this to be over with.

To get to the place where this is over with already we need to get our body out of the Survival brain and into the Learning Brain.

Here is what is possible in “Learning Brain”:

We get to focus on learning and possibilities
We have full access to Executive Functions
See the bigger picture and problem solving is much easier
We feel calm, peaceful, playful, curious
We can be trusting of others and situations
We get to focus on service and connection
We are more open to taking risks and loves challenges
We feel confidence, willingness and resilience
We are present in the moment
We take inspired action - we see we have choice and power
We feel compassionate towards others

Emotional, Psychological, and Behavioral transformation can only happen when we are in the Learning Brain.

Self- Reflection is mandatory for true change to occur.

The first thing you get to decide to take your power back is this: Do you really want to simply survive this?

If the answer is NO, this takes a different kind of action than what you may have been doing.

Not doing MORE, but doing DIFFERENTLY.

I know the idea of doing one more thing can feel too much when we are overwhelmed and afraid and emotional and our plates are full.

Giving yourself some time and space to move into the Learning Brain is critical to preventing teacher burnout and getting out of the toxic stress loop.

I hope you are asking...HOW? HOW do I move into Learning Brain so I can move past this already?

A 4 Step Process to Move from Survival Brain to Learning Brain:

Recognize

Recognize when you are overstressed, overwhelmed, dysregulated or triggered. Get to know what this feels like in your body. This is different for everyone. Do you feel a sinking in your belly, heart racing, fingers gripping, leg shaking, lump in your throat, etc. The subtleties here are key.

Release

Just like an animal might shake it off, we need to complete the cycle of stress by releasing the stored energy. Breath, Sound and Movement are the 3 BEST ways to release stored and stuck energy and emotion.

Regulate

Recalibrate the nervous system and come back to a place of balance and presence. Taking time to self-soothe with breath work, a hug, and hot tea.

Redefine

Once you have completed the cycle and released what you are holding onto you get to bring clarity to the situation. You get to find strength and self-empowerment.

Considering the 4 Step Process, where do you usually get stuck?

Do you recognize when you aren’t okay?
If you recognize that you aren’t okay, what, if anything do you do with it?
Do you know how to regulate yourself?
If so, do you do it regularly?
If not, would you take the time to figure out what works for you?
Do you jump to redefining the problem and changing your mindset before releasing and regulation?

I know when anyone - myself included - uses the term “Self Care” now there is this virtual eye roll - this term has been overused, over done and so misunderstood. What is required of us right now is self-regulation. Included in self-regulation is making sure that our bodies are functioning optimally - this is what gives us the best chance to move into the Learning Brain more often and more quickly. Optimal functioning happens when we are getting restful sleep, nourishing our bodies with whole foods, resetting our systems with lots of water, taking time outside to be with nature and natural light. It means making this a priority, not a nice to have but a must have.

In the Burnout Prevention Formula I am teaching teachers how to move out of the Survival Brain and into the Learning Brain through coaching, accountability, strategy and support. If you are ready not to do more, but to do it differently, I’m here for you. To see if the Burnout Prevention Formula is right for you, book your complimentary clarity call here: https://consciousclassrooms.as.me/claritycall.