How To Deal With Flight Responses To Financial Stress

Signs You Have A Financial Flight Response

And then there's the flight response to financial stress - the need to keep moving, keep busy, or avoid dealing with financial challenges altogether. It might mean throwing yourself into work to escape money woes, making impulsive financial decisions just to shake off that uneasy feeling, or setting new financial goals left and right without taking a breather. It's like a constant financial hustle.

Here are the signs:

1.) Constant Busyness to Avoid Financial Stress

Feeling the need to keep moving to sidestep financial stress? Constant busyness is like a perpetual motion machine, filling your schedule to avoid facing financial challenges head-on.

2.) Workaholism for Financial Distraction

Ever bury yourself in work to distract from financial difficulties or anxieties? It's like using your job as a shield, immersing yourself to avoid dealing with money woes.

3.) Restlessness in Financial Decision-Making

Making financial decisions can stir up some restlessness, right? If you're feeling uneasy and making impulsive choices to escape discomfort, it's like financial restlessness taking the wheel.

4.) Avoidance of Financial Intimacy

Joint financial planning and discussions can be a bit intimidating, right? Stepping back to avoid vulnerability and potential conflicts is like putting a bit of distance between you and those financial intimate moments.

5.) Serial Financial Goal-Setting without Reflection

Setting financial goals is fantastic, but what about taking a moment to reflect? Serial financial goal-setting is like a continuous sprint without pausing to consider the underlying challenges or stressors in your financial journey.

Take our Financial Block Assessment to see what blocks are keeping you from financial success so that you can design better suggestions.

How To Regulate A Financial Flight Response

To address the flight response using hypno-somatic techniques, the goal is to promote a sense of calm, centeredness, and the ability to navigate stress without feeling the need to escape. 

Here's a step-by-step guide for a simple hypno-somatic exercise:

Choose a quiet space, practice deep breathing, and release muscle tension. Enter hypnosis, affirm, "I am grounded in the face of financial challenges." Visualize calming scenes, feel grounded energy, and anchor this centeredness.

1. Find a Quiet Space:

• Choose a quiet and comfortable space where you won't be disturbed. Sit or lie down in a relaxed position.

2. Deep Breathing:

• Begin with deep, slow breaths. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a moment, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Focus on the sensation of your breath, allowing it to bring a sense of calm.

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR):

• Tense and then release different muscle groups, starting from your toes and moving up to your head. This helps release physical tension and prepares your body for hypnotic suggestions.

4. Mindful Body Scan:

• Close your eyes and bring your attention to different parts of your body. Notice any areas where you may feel restlessness or discomfort associated with the flight response. Breathe into those areas, allowing the tension to dissipate.

5. Hypnotic Induction:

• Use a hypnotic induction script or create a personalized one that induces a trance-like state. This might involve counting down from 10 to 1, suggesting relaxation, or visualizing a calming scene.

6. Positive Affirmations for Grounding:

• While in the hypnotic state, introduce positive affirmations related to grounding and centering yourself. For example, "I am grounded in the present moment" or "I trust my ability to face challenges calmly."

7. Visual Imagery of Grounding Scenes:

• Incorporate visual imagery where you visualize grounding scenes. Imagine a place in nature, like a serene forest or a calm beach. Picture yourself feeling anchored and at ease in this environment.

8. Body Sensations and Grounding Energy:

• Pay attention to any sensations in your body as you visualize. Imagine a sense of grounding energy flowing through you, connecting you to the earth. Feel this energy as a stabilizing force.

9. Anchor the Response:

• Create a physical anchor associated with the positive response. It could be a gentle touch on your chest or a specific gesture. Use this anchor later to evoke a sense of calm and groundedness.

10. Gradual Emergence:

- When you're ready to conclude the exercise, gradually bring your awareness back to the present. Count up from 1 to 5, with each number bringing you closer to full alertness.

11. Reflect:

- Take a moment to reflect on the experience. Notice any shifts in your body sensations, thoughts, or feelings. If possible, journal your reflections for future reference.