Centering
Maintaining Focus in Stressful Situations

Imagine you have to deliver an important presentation. Your heart is beating fast, you're short of breath, and you're sweating.

But wait, did you try centering?

What is centering?

Centering helps you turn nervous energy into positive concentration.

Origin
It is an ancient visualization technique that originated in Aikido - the Japanese defensive martial art of "spiritual harmony."

When centering is useful:
You can use centering before presentations, negotiations, job interviews, exams.

How to center yourself:
1. Focus on your breathing.
Inhale slowly and deeply, and focus on your breathing.
Relax any muscles that feel tense by clenching and releasing them.

2. Find your center.
Focus on your physical center of gravity, likely in your belly.
Breathe in and out at least five times.
Continue focusing on your center, and feel the sensation of being stabilized.

3. Expel stress and tension.
Finally, imagine gathering all stress and tension into a ball, and throwing it far into the distance.
On the nest breath in, think about what you want to achieve.
Focus on thinking positively.

By becoming skilled at centering, you can learn to master stress rather than allow stress to master you.


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