It is that time of year to reflect on our life, the past year and the coming one, particularly if you are facing a stressful year ahead.

If we look at the following two charts you may feel they are contradictory, however, like life, they have to be viewed in context.

If the fear is based on a physical threat, then CPM states that the following is an appropriate response.

• Happiness is a seen as a reward for a goal achieved.
• Fear is a warning of an external threat
• Anger is a defense against the threat.
• Sadness is a response to the threat, if it hurts you.

However, if fear is based on an emotional threat, then CPM states that the following is an appropriate response. Note: VCE students will face emotional threats in 2017, not physical threats, whilst studying and sitting for exams.

If faced with a non physical threat, then you should never activate the fight or flight response, but stay calm and alert.

• Fear is awareness of the emotions you and others are experiencing.
• Anger is motivation for yourself, when you fall behind or don't understand.
• Sadness is growth, if you fail a test and need to repeat an assignment.

The above is easy to say but how do you do it?

You can train your brain to develop a new habit in 2-14 days, although it takes 15-250 days to change an old habit. The cognitive principle matrix method to change an old habit, is to create a new habit and attach it to the old habit.

Introduction: to create a new habit three conditions need to exist, which are:

1. You have to believe it to be true
2. You have to create the new habit and repeat it until it is learned.
3. You have to put it into action by attaching it to an old habit or to a command.

Truth: for over 40,000 years most emotional threats became physical threats. For example as recent as 50 years ago a child who misbehaved was smacked at school or in the home.

The mind has a comparative system and a predictive system. For over 40,000 years the predictive system predicts that an physical threat will occur and a physiological process happens whereby, blood flows from the brain and stomach into the muscles ready for fight or flight. This system protects us from harm if the physical threat results. However, if it is only an emotional threat we are left with stress and tension, but no blood supply to the head to think and address the emotional threat.

The Change process:

1. Create the new habit as follows:

(i)                While clenching your fists, repeat the words “physical threat” and you feel your muscles in your hand and arm become tense. Do this for 30 seconds

(ii)              Then slowly release your fists and repeat the words “emotional threat” while also relaxing your whole body. Do this for 30 seconds.

(iii)            While staying relaxed repeat the words “emotional warning”. Do this for 30 seconds.

(iv)            While staying relaxed repeat the words “emotional awareness”. Do this for 30 seconds.

     3. When a threat appears after 2 days identify it and state whether it is an emotional or a physical threat. If it is an emotional threat, then say the words “emotional awareness” and your whole body will relax and the anxiety will drop.

If your are feeling stressed while studying then take a two minute break, every twenty minutes, the say the words "emotional awareness" followed by this breathing exercise.

• Breathe in for 6 seconds, by counting to up to 6.
• Breath out for 6 seconds, by saying the words "emotional awareness" three times
• Repeat the above for 10 times, approximately, 2 minutes and you be more relaxed and focused on studying.