Using Anchors

What are anchors?

We have a great ability to automatically respond in a particular way to something with which we are familiar. For example, particular smells often conjure up strong pictures or feelings. A particular phrase or tone of voice can lead us to instantly respond with feelings of happiness or anger or fear. The sight of someone or something familiar to us can also lead us to strong and automatic reactions of various kinds.

So how does it happen? It happens because we have developed a strong link (association) between particular ‘anchors’ and emotional states. When we experience the anchor it’s as if it ‘triggers’ that emotion.

Anchors can involve any of our senses, or they can involve a mixture of senses. So, it might be word or sound, a colour or picture, a smell or taste, or it could be a physical sensation. Each of our senses is likely to have some anchors that lead to an immediate and powerful response. These reactions are likely to be unique to us. For example, the same smell that leads you to feel calm might lead to a very different response in someone else or possibly to no response at all.

Take a few minutes to consider the anchors that you already have by completing the page entitled ‘recognising your anchors’ (Appendix 1).

How can we use anchors?

We can use our understanding about how anchors work to deliberately trigger emotional states in us. For example, it might be useful at times to trigger a state of calmness, or confidence or assertiveness.

To take a particular example, to trigger a state of calmness, we can do this by setting anchors for the experience of being calm.

Almost anything can be an anchor for feelings of calmness. However, it is important to choose something that is meaningful to you.

The first thing that you need to do is to ‘set up’ some anchors. You might do this by taking some time to let yourself develop feelings of calmness and relaxation; for example by focusing on your breathing or by imagining being in a relaxing situation (such as on a beach or in the countryside) or by recalling a time when you felt really calm and confident (perhaps in the face of adversity). Let yourself fully experience feelings of calmness and enjoy those sensations for a little while.

1 Now experiment with the following:

Word Anchor:

Repeat the word ‘relax’ to yourself every time that you breathe out. And, every time you breathe out, allow yourself to relax even more. If you don’t like the word ‘relax’ try a different word or sound. Notice how the word or sound goes along with feelings of relaxation for you.

Colour Anchor:

Choose a particular colour that seems to go along with your feelings of relaxation. Imagine that every time you breathe in you are breathing in this colour. Imagine that colour spreading throughout your body, entering every part of your body and notice how you can become increasingly relaxed as you breathe in this colour.

Hand Anchor:

As you enjoy your feelings of relaxation, gently squeeze the thumb and middle finger of your right (or left) hand. Notice how squeezing your fingers together seems to go along with feelings of relaxation. Concentrate on this for a while. As an alternative to squeezing your fingers together, you might try opening and stretching the fingers of your hand or gently clenching your fist. The important thing is to do something that is easy to remember and that can be done in exactly the same way each time you practice.

There are all sorts of possible anchors to choose from. The important thing to remember is that, in order to develop a good strong positive anchor, it is helpful to repeat this exercise on a frequent basis. In this way your unconscious will learn that feelings of calmness automatically go along with your anchor.

Through doing this, you can then use your anchor whenever and wherever you need it so that you can get into a calm state easily and at will. So, if you find you want to feel calmer, recall your anchor by, for example, repeating the word ‘relax’ to yourself in time with your breathing, and/or breathing in your colour of relaxation, and/or by squeezing your thumb and finger together. And remember again the feelings of relaxation that go along with your anchor.

In this way, you can take more control over your physical and psychological reactions to potentially stressful situations. Indeed, you may well find that because you are able to remain calmer, the situation doesn’t seem to be as stressful any more.

People who use anchors sometimes find that the more they use them, the easier it becomes. In fact, in time, just thinking about using your anchor can be enough to trigger a calm state.

2 Things to remember about anchors

 Timing - The best time to make an anchor is when you are experiencing the state that you want as fully as possible.

 Unique - You can use different senses to anchor your chosen state. However, it is important that the anchor is unique to that state. So, to take an extreme example, blinking would not be a good anchor as you will blink when you are experiencing many different emotional states.

 Repetition - In order to make your anchor most effective, it is helpful to strengthen your anchor by deliberately connecting with it when you are in your chosen state. You can do this both by making a special effort to get into that state (e.g. by remembering a time when you felt particularly calm, or confident, or whatever) and also by connecting with your anchor when, as you go about your life, you find yourself in your chosen state.

 States - Anchors can be used to trigger all sorts of emotional states. It is worth experimenting with the kinds of states that you would find most helpful. What about a state of inner contentment, or a state of joy, or a state of enthusiasm and energy?

 Stacking anchors - As you become skilled at using anchors, you might be interested to experiment with ‘stacking anchors’. In other words, having a single anchor trigger off more than one state. For example, you could use a single anchor (e.g. thumb squeeze) to simultaneously trigger states of calmness, confidence and enthusiasm by recalling each state in turn and then squeezing your thumb while you are in that state.

Health Psychology Service April 2012

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3 Appendix 1:

Recognising your anchors - Identify some of the anchors that you already have.

Visual (what I see) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Auditory (what I hear) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Kinaesthetic (what I feel) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Gustatory (what I taste) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Olfactory (what I smell) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Now, take a few moments to think about why you have such a strong response to these anchors. For example, is it connected to a particular memory or time in your life?

4 Recording your new anchors

As you develop new anchors, it can be helpful to make a record of these anchors and the states with which you are connecting them

Visual (what I see) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Auditory (what I hear) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Kinaesthetic (what I feel) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Gustatory (what I taste) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______

Olfactory (what I smell) Anchor Response 1 ______2 ______3 ______