.png)
Small Shifts, Big Calm: How 1-Minute Practices Can Rewire Your Stress Response
- Mel Cunningham
- Apr 11
- 3 min read
You wake up with a full list of to-dos, a racing mind, and a nervous system already on edge. And even before you hop out of bed, you’re in go-mode—and it doesn’t stop.
Does this sound familiar?
Stress has become a background hum in most high-achievers' lives. It’s so constant that it starts to feel normal… until the tension turns into burnout, disconnection, and emotional overload.
What if I told you that you don’t need a full schedule overhaul or a 2-hour morning routine to feel better?
You need one small shift. One moment of intention.Just 60 seconds to start calming your nervous system and taking your energy back.
The Truth About Stress: It’s Not Just in Your Head
Most people approach stress with logic: make a list, get organized, power through. But chronic stress isn’t a productivity problem—it’s a nervous system problem.
Your body responds to stress the same way it would if you were being chased by a tiger. And the more time you spend in that fight-or-flight state, the more drained, reactive, and disconnected you feel.
To shift this, you don’t need to do more—you need to reset your nervous system with intention.
Micro-Practices That Calm the Nervous System
Here’s one of my favorite 1% shifts:
The Box Breathing Reset:
Place your hand on your heart.
Inhale for 4 seconds.
Hold for 4.
Exhale for 4.
Hold again for 4.
Repeat for 60 seconds.
While breathing, repeat to yourself:
👉 “I am safe. I am grounded. I choose calm.”
This activates your parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s natural “rest and restore” response. You’re telling your system: it’s okay to soften. It’s okay to let go.
You don’t have to eliminate all your stress—just shift your energy, one breath at a time.
What if It’s Not Even Your Stress?
Sometimes the overwhelm isn’t coming from inside you—it’s what you’re absorbing from everyone else.
High-achievers (especially empathetic leaders) often pick up:
Client anxiety
Team tension
Family overwhelm
The mood in the room
You’re doing everything “right,” and still feel off… you’re carrying energy that was never yours.
That’s why one of the most powerful practices is an energetic release.
1-Minute Energy Clearing:
Take a deep breath and close your eyes.
Visualize a soft, white light sweeping through your body.
Imagine it clearing out everything that isn’t yours.
Say: “I release what’s not mine. I return to my pure energy. I choose peace.”
This simple practice resets your energetic field—and you’ll feel it. Lighter. Clearer.
Why These Tiny Shifts Work
They rewire your stress response
They bring awareness to your energy, not just your mind
They’re realistic, doable, and don’t require more of your time
You don’t need a new planner, another system, or a complete life reset. You need to reconnect to yourself. And that begins with these shifts.
Reflection Questions:
What does your body feel like when it’s holding onto stress?
Can you tell when you’ve picked up energy that isn’t yours?
Which of these shifts will you try this week?
Want a Personalized Energy Reset Strategy?
If you’re ready to stop living in survival mode and start feeling clear, calm, and in control again—Book a Breakthrough Session with me.
We’ll map out your next aligned steps and strategy to reclaim your energy and create results so that you can be successful and live a life you love!
Comentários