I’ve had more than a few good reasons to be in a panic the last few days. Using the technique of visualizing that the matter that needed to be dealt with on a combat basis would be taken care of by the Universe did not cut much ice, even though I knew it was working in the background.

There were, I admit some very anxious moments and I am relieved that things are working out in the way they should have.

That made me think, I have a tool to manage moments of anxiety. It helps bridge from where I am to where I need to be while I wait for the results of my actions to bear fruit.

So this week, I’m sharing my cue word tool which when combined with simple breath work keeps panic at bay.

This is a short video that demonstrates the technique of cue controlled relaxation as part of anxiety management.  It’s so simple!

Give it a shot. It works for me and I KNOW it will work for you too.  Do remember to leave some comments on the technique down in the Comments Box!

Transcript of Cue Word Exercise

Hi there! This is Vatsala Shukla, your Karmic Ally from Karmic Ally Coaching Experience. Today’s blog post is one which you can do along with me.

We’re going to be actually looking at a method recommended by the University of New Mexico for purposes of relaxation and managing anxiety.

This technique basically involves learning to relax the muscles of your body using a cue word.

So in your case, the first step would be to find a cue word for yourself which helps you to calm down and it can be a different word in different circumstances like say, success, calm or even joy or any other word that works well for you.

For some people perhaps a phrase works well. Those of you who have seen the Hindi movie 3 Idiots would remember that the Hero would keep tapping his chest saying, “All is well, all is well”, 3-4 times whenever he was stressed out.

So by the same token you can also choose a phrase if that works better for you and basically in any stress management or anxiety management program you are taught to breathe and do slow deep breathing.

So the next step is to practice breathing.

The way you combine this word along with the breathing is that when you hear, or say, the cue word, focus on taking slow deep breaths. So you are breathing in, repeating the cue word each time you exhale.

Give it a shot and choose any word like relax and take in a deep breath and then as you are exhaling, repeat the cue word.

One thing I must tell you is that this technique does take a bit of practice. It won’t happen overnight.

Essentially this relaxation strategy teaches your body to relax through the association with the word and the end result if you master this technique is that you will be as happy and chilled out as this white bear is in the green algae filled river with the branch.

He is floating and he is a happy guy.

My last thought for today is perhaps you would like to download this Self Improvement Strategies Workbook. It’s got 5 excellent exercises which you can use to handle those areas of your life that can impact other areas too.

Karmic Ally Coaching Experience Additional Resources for Self-Management

Get your personal copy of the Self-Improvement Strategies Workbook mentioned in the tutorial below.  

Related post: Breathe and meditate to manage stress

Quiz: Fear of Change or Confident to win Challenges?

Does impending change make you anxious or scared? Do you embrace change readily? Try my free quiz by clicking on the image below

Update: 23 June 2023: This post was originally written in May 2014 and has been updated for relevance and resources.

Written by: Vatsala Shukla