Misty Zaugg's Blog - Posts Tagged "techniques"

Hi friends,

Remember my adult daughter returning from her mission trip?

Well, she is also the cover artist for the 2nd and 3rd book in our Escaping the Virus series.

So, after a way too long delay in getting the paperback versions of the books online, she came to the rescue.

Our breaking news today is that all three books can now be ordered in PRINT for those of you who enjoy holding a book in your hands instead of squinting at an e-reader like me. (I keep having to increase the font as I get older - lol)



Deadly Lockdown Paperback


I hope you enjoy them!

Use your Five Senses to Distract from Anxiety:

Have you ever distracted a distraught toddler by pointing out the color of a bird flying by or asking them about their favorite food?

It turns out distraction is a great tool for anxiety in all ages.

Try this simple technique next time you have racing thoughts or an overwhelming sense of worry or panic.

Pause and turn your attention to your surroundings.

1. Notice five things you can see around you.
2. Pay attention to four things you can touch or feel.
3. Listen for three things you can hear.
4. Inhale and find two things you can smell.
5. Pause and notice one thing you can taste.

This exercise engages different parts of your brain in a concrete fashion that allows the anxious, worrying parts to turn off and relax for a bit.

This is a great technique to know even if you aren't the one with anxiety. Next time you're trying to calm someone close to you, ask if you can help them by trying this with them.

And don't worry if you can't remember the exact number and order of the senses listed above. Just go through each one you can remember and come up with one or two of each.

Try it next time your emotions are feeling a bit out of control and let me know how it works. I'd love to hear. :)

May your week be full of peace and contentment - all the best!

— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website

Hi friends,

I was made aware that a lot of my new newsletter followers haven't read all my books and so I'm adding an excerpt section to the newsletter: See if something catches your eye that you'd like to read.

And just an FYI - all my Amazon books are in the Kindle Unlimited program. So, for those who are on a budget, you can get a free trial and, depending on how fast you read, read all of my books for free. Or, again, the cost of the KU program is $9.99 a month, so if you can read all my books in a month, it's the cost-savings way to go.

And for those who worry about supporting me, I get paid by the number of pages you read if you check my books out in the KU program. Win-win!

Here's an excerpt from Combat Origin, the first in my YA Dystopian 5 book series - or as I like to say, Hunger Games but with karate instead of a archery. :)

"The blow rocked Kiriai's head and the familiar copper taste filled her mouth. She staggered back a step and shook her head to clear her thoughts. This wasn't the birthday present she'd been hoping for when she woke up this morning"

Check out how Kiriai manages to join the fighters who decide every important decision in her world: a new series to binge:



Combat Origin: World of Combat Book 1

And now, how about a tried and true self-defense technique that is so simple, everyone has already done it?

The Stomp:
A simple, effective self-defense move

I've mentioned this one before, but it's been ages and is so easy and effective, it bears a second look.

Imagine you're being grabbed and your attacker is really close, either behind you or in front, either works.

Instead of struggling to pull away from their grip, a simple concept works much more reliably to get them to let go in a hurry:

Pain!

Sudden pain can make an attacker flinch back, let go, and feel disoriented for the crucial few seconds it takes you to escape.

And a sudden stomp to the top of the foot fits that bill!

Just think about how much it hurt, the last time you dropped something heavy on the top of your foot or toe. Yep! Ouch!

As soon as they let go, you're out of there. A bonus to the stomping attack is that their foot now hurts, and it's hard for them to chase after you.

No real need to actually practice this one on a person to cement it in your mind. It's so easy that simple visualization will work.

So, next time you find yourself with a minute of quiet time, close your eyes, visualize an attacker grabbing you around the waist and trying to haul you off. Stomp as hard as you can on his foot and take off as soon as he lets go.

Easy, peasy!

I hope you have a safe week and discover a good book!

— Misty :)
p.s. See all my books on Amazon here: Misty Zaugg Amazon Page
p.p.s My website here: Misty Zaugg Website

Hi friends,

I hope you're enjoying life wherever in the world you are.

It's been pretty fun to see that over a third of my Patreon supporters are international. I've been getting approximately $10 pledges paid in SEK, Euros, CA, Pounds, HUF, AU, NOK, DKK, SGD.

Yes, I had to look up a few of those. It's so amazing to receive worldwide support for writing.

Storytelling is indeed a human experience, regardless of the language or culture.

Thank you so much for your support!

For today's excerpt - check out this deal on the 6-book Aftermath series Steph and I wrote:


Searching for Shelter Boxsets: $0.99 each. FREE in KU!

"The raging water lifted him up and threw him against the far wall. Pain exploded through his body. His eyes burned and as he opened his mouth to scream, his choking gasps were drowned instantly. The vindictive storm sucked him and the smashed remains of the research station out the gaping hole so fast it felt like the drop from the top of a roller coaster . . . into Alpha's eyewall itself."

---

And for a fast and simple mental health tip, you'll need to grab a pen and paper and . . . follow the instructions below

Banish the negative thoughts with pen and paper:

Have you ever just felt down or anxious, ready to quit or sick of life? Worse, you have no idea why?

I have.

And it's really hard to fight against a nebulous feeling you can't find a logical reason for. Emotions aren't easily dismissed by deciding they shouldn't be there.

Instead, the first step is to figure out exactly what thoughts are swirling in your mind and causing the feelings. Only then can you turn them around and banish them.

This is the basis of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, a technique grounded in concrete techniques that help turn your thoughts and thus your emotions around.

Try this simple exercise.

Next time you're in a funk, grab a pen and paper. Write down the following:

1. The triggering event (it's ok if you can't think of one. Skip to step 2)
2. What negative thoughts are running through your mind.
3. Counter them with logic and why they're ok, even if they're true.

Now here's where you might say - I'm not having any thoughts. I just feel bad.

Don't quit. Keep digging and write something down, even if it's something like:

"I feel bad all the time."
or
"I hate my life"

Once you get a few, keep going. What exactly are you thinking that's making you feel so bad. Add as many details as you can pull out of your mind.

"I'm just always stressed."
"I don't have any friends."
"No one loves me."
"My kids never listen to me"
"I'll never get promoted."
"No one likes me at work."
"I'm a failure as a parent/child/spouse because . . . "

When you're done, you'll have a list of the exact culprits that have been hammering your emotions.

Turns out it's not just some nebulous bad feeling, but specific thoughts and ideas you can pull out into the open and change.

The next step is to talk back to those thoughts: Why are they not true? And if they are true, why is it ok?

"I don't have any friends"
is countered by:
"I do have an old high school friend I message"
and it's ok if it's true because:
"If I can figure out how to be happy on my own, I'll attract more friends."

"I'm a failure as a parent/child/spouse because . . . "
is countered by:
"I made school lunches for my kids on Tuesday"
"I told my spouse I appreciated them on Wednesday"
"I called my mom for Mother's Day"
and it's ok if I fail?
"Failing is part of life. It's how we learn"

Are you thinking you can do this exercise in your head?

Don't!

Pen and paper are essential to change the twisted thoughts from vague to concrete. Only then can you counter them. Not to mention holding a pen, writing, etc., pulls in more senses and helps you pin down the slippery thoughts.

Good luck!

Remember mental health is similar to physical health. You can't eat a salad and exercise on Monday and expect to be good for the rest of your life. :D

It takes long-term work.

And read a good book. It's also great for mental health and relaxation!

— Misty :)
Misty Zaugg Website