Are you in ‘Sniper Mode’
In this blog Ollie Coach, Ali Knowles, likens being in a heightened emotional state to being in 'sniper mode'.
I watch my cat when he has spotted a mouse. He will sit there completely focussed on the hole the poor critter has taken refuge in for hours. SNIPER MODE
Do we ever do that? Well for sure. I have a snake phobia so if I’m near long grass I go into SNIPER MODE. Not for a tasty meal like my cat but for self-preservation. I will be sort of listening to you, sort of enjoying my picnic, but not really because I am in SNIPER MODE and completely focussing all my senses on that long grass for a movement, a sound. Its like I am in a trance, in that I am pretty well unaware of anything else going on around me.
Now I could just move away from the long grass and then I would be able to release my senses from guard duty to really listen to the conversation and taste my food and feel the sun on my back and notice the beauty around me. But what if you can’t move away from the perceived threat?
Fight or flight response. Fight or run. Great if you can but what if the perceived threat isn’t physical? What if it’s a thought or a prediction about an upcoming event?
This is how we get so run down, when we go into SNIPER MODE on a perceived or possible threat …
– a big bill coming in at the end of the month we don’t know how we are going to pay
– a meeting that’s looming that we are really concerned about
– a fear that our partner may be looking elsewhere
– anything emotional really
And the problem is you can’t move away from those threats or perceived threats because they are in your head and so follow you! And you go in to SNIPER MODE totally unable to really notice anything going on around you but the perceived threat, moving through your days but not being in them, not enjoying or noticing any of the great things happening around you.
You are in SNIPER MODE.
And it’s exhausting to be so alert to danger, to be able to do nothing about it. And it wears you down and then you feel poorly and tired which makes the perceived threat even more of a problem.
Would you know if you had slipped into SNIPER MODE?
Whatever your fear or perceived threat is you have a couple of choices: accept that from now till the great event you can stay in SNIPER MODE. Let whatever the perceived threat is take away your senses. So very exhausting and it changes nothing but your health and ability to deal with the perceived threat if it ever turns out to be real.
Or you can smell the flowers, being in the moment and notice the good things and beauty around you.
Neither makes time pass any quicker but how would you rather spend your time?
Ali Knowles, Ollie Coach
Ali is the creator of the Ollie model, author of the Ollie and his Super Powers series of books and co-founder of Subconquest. Ali has an infectious passion for making a difference to people’s lives and has a natural affinity for working with children. Ali is all about empowering you, young and old, to be all you can be.
To get in contact with Ali, email info@ollieandhissuperpowers.com
To find out more about Ollie and his Super Powers and how to become an Ollie Coach go to https://www.ollieandhissuperpowers.com/pages/about-us
Caroline Chipper
Director
Co founder of Subconquest Ltd, that trades as Ollie and his Super Powers. My many years of commercial experience is being put to good use managing the business side of Ollie, including working with our Ollie Coaches, and managing our contracts. In everything we do its about making a difference to those we work with. To find out more go to https://www.ollieandhissuperpowers.com/pages/about-us