A Sample of the Micro-Shift Reset System™
Brain-Based Micro-Shifts for Real-Time Relief
🎯 WHO IT'S FOR:
Healthcare professionals. Managers. Corporate Leaders. Nurses. Anyone high-functioning but secretly unraveling.
Perfect for:
The "I-don't-have-time" crew
People in survival mode
Those who need relief on-the-job, not on-the-beach
🧠 Let's Get Real for a Sec…
If you're reading this, chances are you're running on fumes, snapping at people you care about, and wondering when "high-performing" started feeling like "barely surviving."
Here's what I know about you: You're brilliant at your job. You show up for everyone else. But somewhere between the endless demands and impossible schedules, you lost the ability to show up for yourself.
This isn't another self-care checklist. It's your go-to reset plan when chaos hits at work. No bubble baths required. No meditation retreats. Just real tools for real people dealing with real stress in real time.
Let me reframe something that might change everything: Burnout isn't a character flaw or a sign you're "not cut out for this." It's a nervous system issue. Your brain is doing exactly what it's designed to do when it perceives threat—it's just stuck in overdrive.
"You can't lead from a fried brain. But you can reset it. On command."
Here's your mission: Print this. Bookmark it. Use it when the pressure spikes. Because the world needs leaders who can think clearly under pressure—and that starts with you.
🔄 Your Brain on Stress (aka Why You're Snapping at Everyone)
Let's talk about what's actually happening in your head when everything feels like it's falling apart.
Picture your brain like a house with two residents:
The Amygdala: Your overzealous security guard who sees danger everywhere and hits the panic button at the first sign of trouble
The Prefrontal Cortex: Your wise CEO who makes thoughtful decisions, stays calm under pressure, and remembers the big picture
When stress hits, your security guard (amygdala) literally hijacks your day. It floods your system with stress hormones, puts you in fight-or-flight mode, and sends your CEO (prefrontal cortex) offline.
This is why you can't think straight when you're overwhelmed. Why you forget things. Why you react instead of respond. Why you feel like you're losing your mind.
You're not losing your mind—you're just operating from the wrong part of your brain.
🧠 Pro Tip: Your body isn't betraying you—it's trying to keep you safe. But it needs help to come back online. That's where reset rituals come in.
The Three Zones of Your Nervous System:
🟢 Green Zone: Calm, clear, connected—your CEO is running the show
🟡 Yellow Zone: Activated but manageable—you can still think and choose
🔴 Red Zone: Full hijack mode—your security guard has taken over
The goal isn't to never hit yellow or red—it's to have tools to get back to green quickly.
⚡ Micro-Shifts > Massive Overhauls
Forget everything you've been told about managing stress. You don't need a sabbatical, a spa day, or a complete life overhaul.
You need a 90-second nervous system reboot.
Welcome to the Micro-Shift Reset System™—your new secret weapon for staying sane in insane situations.
The 3 Rs Framework:
🔍 RECOGNIZE the signal
Name it to tame it. (Dr. Daniel Siegel)—or Name it To Reframe it. The moment you notice you're in yellow or red zone, you've already started the reset process. Awareness is the first step to choice.
🌬️ REGULATE the body
Breathe, move, anchor. Your nervous system doesn't speak English—it speaks sensation, breath, and movement. Give it what it needs to downshift.
🎯 REALIGN the brain
Reframe, choose a better thought. Once your CEO is back online, you can choose your next move from clarity instead of chaos.
This isn't theory—it's neuroscience in action. And it works in under two minutes, even in the middle of your busiest day.
Use These On the Job or Anywhere You Go
Here are five reset rituals you can use anywhere, anytime. Each one is designed to interrupt the stress cycle and get your CEO brain back online.
1. 🎯 The Notice & Name Reset
When to use it: The moment you feel your stress rising—before you hit full red zone
What it does neurologically: Activates your prefrontal cortex and calms your amygdala through labeling
How to do it:
Pause and take one deep breath
Say (mentally or out loud): "I notice I'm feeling [stressed/overwhelmed/frustrated]"
Add: "And that's okay. This is my nervous system trying to protect me."
Ask: "What do I need right now to feel more grounded?"
Script: "I see you, stress. Thanks for trying to keep me safe. Now let's figure out what I actually need."
2. ⚓ 5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Anchor
When to use it: When your mind is racing or you feel disconnected from your body
What it does neurologically: Activates your vagus nerve and grounds you in the present moment
How to do it:
5 things you can see (the clock, your badge, someone's shoes)
4 things you can touch (your stethoscope, the wall, your phone)
3 things you can hear (monitors beeping, conversations, air conditioning)
2 things you can smell (hand sanitizer, coffee, cleaning supplies)
1 thing you can taste (gum, coffee, or just notice the taste in your mouth)
Script: "I am here. I am safe. I am present."
3. 📦 Box Breathing for Brain Clarity
When to use it: Before difficult conversations, during overwhelming moments, or when you need to think clearly
What it does neurologically: Balances your autonomic nervous system and increases oxygen to your prefrontal cortex
How to do it:
Inhale for 4 counts
Hold for 4 counts
Exhale for 4 counts
Hold empty for 4 counts
Repeat 4 times
Script: "With each breath, I'm choosing calm over chaos."
4. 🔄 Shift the Story: From Emotional Rerun to Choice Point
When to use it: When you're stuck in a mental loop or catastrophizing
What it does neurologically: Interrupts rumination patterns and activates problem-solving networks
How to do it:
Notice the story you're telling yourself
Ask: "Is this story helping me or hurting me right now?"
Reframe: "What's one thing I can control in this situation?"
Choose: "What's my next right step?"
Script: "This story isn't serving me. What story would serve me better?"
5. 🏃♀️ Micro-Movement Shakeout
When to use it: When you feel stuck energy, tension, or that "wired but tired" feeling
What it does neurologically: Moves stress hormones through your system and resets your nervous system
How to do it:
Shake your hands vigorously for 10 seconds
Roll your shoulders back 5 times
Take 3 deep breaths while gently bouncing on your toes
End with a big stretch toward the ceiling
Script: "I'm shaking off what doesn't serve me and making space for what does."
"The nervous system doesn't speak English—it speaks sensation, breath, and movement."
💥 Let's Flip the Reset Switch—Today
Knowledge without action is just expensive entertainment. Let's put this to work.
Your Challenge: Pick ONE reset ritual from the list above. Commit to using it during your next stress spike—not tomorrow, not next week, but the very next time you feel your nervous system activate.
Reflection Space:
After you use your chosen reset ritual, take 30 seconds to notice:
What was I feeling before? (Rate 1-10)
Which micro-shift did I use?
What changed in my body/mind? (Rate 1-10 after)
What would I do differently next time?
📓 Bonus Challenge: Create your own reset ritual. What combination of breath, movement, or mental shift feels most natural to you? Write it down and test it out.
My Personal Reset Ritual:
_________________________________
_________________________________
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🔄 This Is the New Way to Lead
Here's what just happened: You didn't just learn some stress management techniques. You developed a leadership skill.
Every time you pause to reset your nervous system, you're modeling emotional regulation for everyone around you. You're showing your team what it looks like to stay grounded under pressure. You're proving that strength isn't about pushing through—it's about knowing when and how to recalibrate.
You just rewired your stress response. That's what I call executive presence with emotional integrity.
The ripple effect is real:
When you're regulated, your team feels safer
When you're clear, your decisions are better
When you're present, your patients feel it
When you're grounded, everyone around you can breathe a little easier
"Leadership doesn't start in the boardroom. It starts in your body."
🚀 Ready for the Next Micro-Shift?
If these reset rituals resonated with you, imagine what's possible when you have a complete system for managing stress on the job—not just after the fact.
Want to go deeper? I've created a comprehensive training that teaches healthcare leaders and professionals how to:
Recognize stress signals before they become burnout
Build resilience that actually lasts
Lead teams through crisis without losing yourself
Create sustainable energy that doesn't depend on caffeine and willpower
Ready to learn how to reset on the job—not just survive it?
Book a free 15-minute Micro-Shift Strategy Session where we'll identify your biggest stress triggers and create a personalized reset plan that fits your real life.
Because you deserve to feel as good as you are at your job.
💌 You're Not Broken. You're Just Fried.
Before you close this playbook, I want you to hear something important:
Your capacity isn't a character flaw—it's biology.
You're not weak for feeling overwhelmed. You're not failing because you're tired. You're not broken because you need support.
You're human. You're doing impossible work in impossible circumstances. And you're doing it with more grace and skill than you give yourself credit for.
The fact that you're here, reading this, looking for ways to show up better—that tells me everything I need to know about who you are. You're someone who cares deeply. Someone who gives everything. Someone who deserves to feel as supported as you make everyone else feel.
These reset rituals aren't just stress management tools—they're acts of self-respect. They're you saying, "I matter too. My wellbeing matters too. My nervous system deserves care too."
And here's the beautiful truth: Every time you pause to reset, you don't just change your own experience—you change the energy of every room you enter. You lead differently. You love differently. You live differently.
"Every time you pause to reset, you lead differently. And the world shifts with you."
Now go flip that reset switch. The world needs leaders like you—rested, regulated, and ready to make a difference.
With deep respect and unwavering support,
Doreen
💡 Take It Further:
Share the Reset: Forward this to a colleague who needs it—we're all in this together
📋 RESET CARD - Print & Keep Handy
When stress hits, choose your reset:
🎯 Notice & Name: "I see you, stress. What do I need?"
⚓ 5-4-3-2-1: Ground through your senses
📦 Box Breathing: 4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold
🔄 Shift the Story: "What story would serve me better?"
🏃♀️ Micro-Movement: Shake, roll, breathe, stretch
Remember: You can't lead from a fried brain, but you can reset it. On command.
