To facilitate a new resourceful state, we draw on our memory and experience of the desired state. This may be a feeling of happiness, calm, confidence or other resourceful state you seek to initiate. We then ‘anchor’ or ‘cue’ a resourceful state to help you access it whenever you may need it.
To create an anchor for a resourceful state, you will recall a sensory memory that represents the desired new state and vividly draw upon the feelings, thoughts, sight, sounds and sensations experienced. You will then anchor the resourceful state to a colour.
Follow the steps to facilitating a resourceful state
Step 1: Recognise the unproductive state
Using awareness, recognise an unproductive state. This may be worry, anger, fear, a depressed mood or anything else.
Step 2: Elicit a new resourceful state
Recall a time when you felt totally confident, the most confident you have ever felt, so confident that the feeling resonated throughout your whole body.
Step 3: Build an anchor, for the resourceful state
To do this:
Select a colour that best represents this resourceful state to you.
Place the colour in front of you in a large circle.
Step into the large circle and recall the feeing of the resourceful state, allowing the feeling to increase in intensity from the soles of your feet, all the way up to the top of your head.
Notice the feeling become stronger, then see and feel the colour all around you from under your feet, around your body and above your head.
Relax into this feeling and allow the resourceful state and colour combine as one.
Then when you are ready, take a deep breath, step out of the circle and actively look around the room, noticing the furniture, lights or other items.
Step 4: Reinforce the anchor for the resourceful state
Repeat steps 2 to 5 from building an anchor for a resourceful state, three times, feeling the intensity of the state increase each time.
Continue to reinforce the state and colour anchor for the state by practicing recalling the colour and state. You might like to do this at different times during the day or prior to entering activities that may prompt an unproductive state.
Summary
The more you practice, the easier and quicker the state will intensify and become an automatic resource.
