What if you could access your most inspired, positive attitudes and feelings in an instant, would you like that?
What if you could instantly shift your focus in any area of life to reflect your most resourceful mindset, would you do it?
Sounds a little over the top, I admit. But, it’s not beyond your ability to create instant access to some of your most powerful assets if you are willing to put a little effort into it. You already have an inner arsenal of positive attitudes ready to be deployed. All you need is a way to gain quick and easy access to them.
What is “Touchstone Triggering”
The key to this method is a process I call “touchstone triggering.” Essentially, it’s an easy way of connecting directly to any existing positive attitude by creating a simple trigger.
Once this touchstone triggering method is associated with, and anchored to, a specific positive attitude or other resourceful mindset, you’ll be able to access that attitude or mindset as easily as flipping on a light switch. In time, you won’t even need the switch. All you will need to do is picture the switch in your mind and presto, you will be in that resourceful mindset. Sound interesting? Well then, let’s jump on in.
Tapping your storehouse of positive attitudes
We can use this method to access any attitude we like. For example, let’s say we decide to focus on happiness as the specific positive attitude we want enhance. Somewhere in your memory is your file on happiness. That file contains all of your greatest happiness hits. Everything you know, feel, and associate with happiness is in there. When you reflect on those memories you can’t help but smile and be filled with warmth and a deep sense of inner joy.
Why not take a few minutes right now to access that file and really focus on all of the beautiful memories it holds. This will serve as a trial run for the actual touchstone triggering exercise coming up. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Okay, how was it? If you really let yourself get into it, you should be feeling pretty happy right now. What we want to do is create a trigger that automatically takes you to those feelings without having to think about it. We want an emotional shortcut to happiness.
This is where touchstone triggering comes in
The reason it’s called touchstone triggering is because we actually use a small stone or pebble to create the trigger. You could use anything, but I like a smooth flat stone that I can carry around in my pocket. In this case, that little stone will serve to represent happiness temporarily. So obviously, at this point you need a pebble or suitable substitute to participate in this exercise. If you need to go look for one that’s okay, I’ll wait.
By the way, there is no significance in whatever you use to create your trigger. The object (pebble or otherwise) is just something tangible that can serve as a mental and emotional switch during the initial anchoring process. By comparison, it doesn’t matter what color or style a light switch is. All that matters is that it is wired to the light fixture.
Linking your switch to the desired positive attitude
Now it’s time to connect the wires between the trigger and the positive attitude, in this case, happiness. While holding your touchstone in your hand, I want you to go back and visit your file of greatest happiness hits. This time I want you to really dig into those happy memories. Allow the feeling of happiness to cover you like a warm blanket until you are completely involved in one of the most prominent memories.
Once you are there, pick out one scene in that mental movie that seems to epitomize complete and total happiness. As you focus in on that scene, I want you to fully engage your feelings, and at the same time start rubbing the stone with your thumb. Stay with this for as long as you can hold that intense feeling of happiness. As soon as your focus starts to lessen, stop rubbing the stone.
Touchstone triggering is now activated
At this point, the action of rubbing that stone has been wired to the positive attitude, feelings, and resourceful mindset of happiness. You can increase that connection by repeating the exercise several times. If you find yourself in a very happy situation where you are really enjoying yourself, rub that stone while you are laughing or feeling especially happy.
Every time you reinforce the link between rubbing the stone and experiencing happiness you will strengthen the trigger. Soon, the very act of rubbing the stone will trigger feelings of happiness without any effort or concentration. It will become an automated response.
Accessing your positive attitudes without the stone
Remember I said that the use of the stone would only be temporary? Well, now it’s time to take the stone out of touchstone triggering, which leaves us with touch triggering. Once the emotional link between rubbing the stone and feeling the positive attitude is firmly established, you can lose the stone.
All you need to do now is visualize the stone and rub your thumb over your index finger as if you were holding it in your hand. That’s all there is to it. Now you have a way to instantly access happiness any time and any place you want to. And you can do it as easily as flipping on a light switch.
Anchor any positive attitude or resourceful mindset
This method will work on everything from confidence, self-esteem, and courage, to gratitude and compassion. There really are no limits. The only guidelines I would offer are to work on just one positive attitude at a time, and use a different stone for each one. Happy anchoring!
Did this method of accessing a positive attitude seem possible to you?
Were you able to get into your greatest happiness hits file?
Have any opinion about touchstone triggering one way or another?
The lines are open and your thoughts really matter!
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{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Jonathan,
That is really deep and you spin it very well. I am a fan of improving, it’s the execution and consistency that is tough.
I agree Frank, that’s the beauty of this method. The anchoring process can happen very quickly, then it’s there at your disposal.
Go back to the light switch illustration. Once the light fixture is up and the switch is wired, the work is all done. From that point on all you need to do is flip the switch. This works the same way.
Jonathan,
Anchoring is one of the most interesting tools I know for emotional mastery. They make good use of how our minds work: by association. I mostly use verbal techniques for changing and creating mental associations, but anchors like touching definitely have their appeal.
Hi Eduard, Anchoring certainly has many applications and methods. I have found that using something tangible like a small stone helps establish the association much quicker than other methods I have tried.
We humans easily relate to things we can touch and see. Taking advantage of this makes it possible for almost everyone to be successful with anchoring.
However we use it, anchoring is a great tool.
Interesting method! I will have to try this out. Is this the same as EFT Tapping?
Hi Jarrod, no EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is completely different. It deals with energy pathways. Although I suspect (and this is just speculation on my part) that the real results from EFT (and it does get results) has more to do with auto suggestion and that the tapping does have an anchoring element. Perhaps some of our readers could comment on this.
Jonathan, I truly appreciate your term, “touchstone triggering” – it is so evocative.
Using something physical like the small stone you suggest can be a powerful way to link mind and matter that can shift you instantly into a different state of thinking and feeling. I also use the idea of a small room, or space, in my inner mind. This room has touchstones that immediately connect me with reminders that energize and revitalize my daily thoughts and actions, no matter where I am or what I am doing – it is the anchoring you write about so eloquently.
You have given us such an important reminder that anchoring is truly and easily possible, and that it can make all the difference in our lives. Touchstones are essential for supporting and grounding us. Thank you again, Jonathan.
Smiling at last from Japan – Catrien Ross.
.-= Catrien Ross´s last amazing blog post ..Catrien Ross on Finding 9 Powerful Meanings in Your Smile When You Don’t Feel Like Smiling =-.
Hi Catrien, it’s so great how we can create these associated links in our nervous system as shortcuts to empowering states. I found that those I have worked with seem to grasp the concept quicker if they have something to hold in their hand.
Now I can picture a special display case in my mind with individual stones, each with it’s own unique purpose. One for gratitude, another for happiness, confidence, compassion, etc. All I have to do is mentally choose the one I want, see myself take it out of the case, visualize rubbing it in my mind while I rub my thumb and index finger together, and presto – I’m there.
Thanks for the nice email Catrien. I’m so glad things are moving in a positive direction.
Hey Johnathan, it’s pretty cool that you wrote this article on anchoring positive feelings with the use of a stone. Sometimes when we feel down, we’ll need that quick burst of positive energy to get us going, and this is a great way to unleash that energy instantly. Thank you!
.-= Hulbert Lee ´s last amazing blog post ..Hillary Clinton and Tenacity =-.
Hi Hulbert, Once you anchor a positive state like happiness (or any other), you can carry your stone with you during those difficult times. Just knowing you have it in your pocket and can use it any time you want will help your overall mindset, even if you don’t get around to actually using it.
This is kind of what I have been trying to do to rejuvenate my passion which hopefully in turn rejuvenate my passion to work again. I have been over worked and run down lately. Luckily I have been following a great blog Denice Kronau’s blog , that has done wonders in helping me understand why I am feeling this way, and has helped me anchor a more positive attitude. It is amazing the power that a good attitude.
Hi Becky and welcome to Advanced Life Skills. Understanding why something is happening to us can be very comforting, but here’s an important point to keep in mind: Even if we don’t know why, we can still use simple techniques like touchstone triggering to change the way we perceive our situations. Many people think they need to dissect a problem in order to get past it. Not true.
Jonathan,
This is such an interesting exercise. I most definitely found myself in a place of very deep happiness. And – I’ll take this with me and really let the process become part of me. I’m excited to see how this will be more long-term. What felt so good was how just finding that place of real happiness was a real overall boost. That said, I’m also excited to see how this will work in those moments when I’m frustrated, upset, etc.
Awesome stuff!
.-= Lance´s last amazing blog post ..Pockets of Paradise =-.
Hi Lance, way to take action my friend. Our internal files contain a detailed blueprint of all of our most empowering attitudes.
We already know how to feel happy, compassionate, passionate, confident, etc. It’s all there just waiting to be accessed. Once we have our switch wired to those stored memories we can trigger them any place, any time.
I gotta say Lance, I am so glad to be connecting with you more lately. I actually anchored your avatar to your post on laughter. Now, as soon as I see it I smile. Thank you my friend.
G’day Jonathon,
I attended a workshop several years ago where I was introduced to “touchstones” and since then I have carried my touch stone with me wherever I go. I’m so glad you shared this simple practice with your readers.
My experiences corroborate what you said above: “Many people think they need to dissect a problem in order to get past it. Not true.”
.-= timethief´s last amazing blog post ..The 9 Timeless Secrets to be Happy =-.
I love to here first hand accounts of how simple ways of changing our perspective have worked. Thank you also for assuring others that they don’t need to dissect their problems, or even fully understand them, in order to move past them. Think of all the time that gets wasted trying to figure out why when it doesn’t usually even matter.
Hi Jonathan, I love this technique. It has the added benefit of you being able to choose a stone that is visually appealing and very tactile. I always love going into these little new age shops that sell books on witchcraft, tarot cards and they always have these crystal stones that have been buffed and are shiny and very tactile.
.-= Steven Aitchison´s last amazing blog post ..How To Produce Videos For Your Blog =-.
Hi Steve, using this method we could easily end up with a collection of special stones that we instantly recognize as representing specific positive attitudes.
Rock shops are a good source of flat, polished, beautiful stones the work well for this.
I like to look for them by rivers, or by the ocean. If I am in a real desirable state when I find them it is really easy to use them to trigger that state.
Jonathan, I really like this technqiue. I knew about anchoring but never thought of using a stone as an anchor. Thank you!
Hi Lana, I found that the touchstones make anchoring more real to most people. They seem to provide a conceptual bridge between the physical world and the desirable positive attitude.
Lana and Jonathan, I also like the idea of using a stone and other objects to tap into positive and other memories. I read about anchoring through Tony Robbins’ materials, and this is a new twist on how to apply it. Thanks for the great information.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last amazing blog post ..You Can Use Gary Vaynerchuk’s Key Success Factor! =-.
Hi Steve, anchoring is a core teaching of NLP. Usually the trigger is something a bit more obscure. I started using stones because they are more tangible than traditional triggers, but also because having one in your pocket is a reminder to do the exercise.
Jonathan, I freaking love this! I know you say you can get rid of the stone later, but I don’t want to
When I go back to the mountains, I’m going to look for a stone in a stream because I love the sights and sounds of a mountain stream. In the meantime I’m going to find something local.
I’m confident this will work because I’ve been trying to do it just mentally recently and I find success when I remember to access my happy place. I just often forget. I think having the stone in my pocket will remind me because I’ll feel it there so often.
Love this article!
.-= Stephen Mills´s last amazing blog post ..How To Be More Decisive =-.
Hi Stephen, keeping the stones is a good idea for many reasons. What I really meant to say was that once the anchor is established you can go through the process any time, even if you don’t have that particular stone with you.
Also, finding stones in places you love automatically starts the anchoring process. Before you even assign a specific positive attitude to each stone they are already anchored to a positive and enjoyable activity.
I absolutely love this idea, Jonathan. It’s such a simple technique, yet so powerful. I want to find a very beautiful stone to use as my anchor. That’s exactly what I’ll be doing tomorrow during my mid-day browse around town. Awesome!
.-= Nea| Self Improvement Saga´s last amazing blog post ..How to Take Your Power Back and Kiss the Victim Mentality Goodbye =-.
Hi Nea, get more than one so you can anchor other positive attitudes after your first experience. Any good feeling or resourceful mindset that you want to have easy access to can be anchored this way. Just do one at a time and be sure to use a noticeably different stone for each one. Have fun and keep me posted on your results.
I love it…and instead of a stone, I’d love to use my new genius iPhone as a reminder of how easy it is to be happy….Technology is one of my greatest passions, and every new bit reminds of how drastically our lives have changed and how much easier they have become – so much that it is hard for us to imagine living without cell phones, much less our fanciest gadgets …It’s important to be reminded of the fact that aside from good health and family, there are few terrible things to be depressed about, and for all this, I will put my iPhone to its newest use yet. Thank you Jonathan…..beautiful idea.
Farnoosh, you really do like that phone, don’t you. Just make sure you don’t rub a hole through it. You could put a picture of a stone on the screen just as a trigger.
Very interesting post. I like the concept of accessing those happy files in our brain. Great post jonathan as usual
.-= Xpat´s last amazing blog post ..How We Were Kicked Out Of The Park? =-.
Hi Cyra, I think that those “happy files” are some of our greatest personal resources. Those are the top 3% of all our living experiences. The more time we spend there the bigger the file grows. Thanks for interacting, it’s really appreciated.
Happiness and sadness are both surface level things. If we just watch the emotions coming up and down we separate ourselves from them and can then experience the joyful timeless peace inside. That’s something worth looking for.
Dear Jonathan,
I love this technique. I already have anchored in deep appreciation for all my body does for me daily.
All I need to do is rub my inner left arm and feels of awe and appreciation for my body wash over me.
This technique is so simple, yet so powerful.
I’ve also really benefited from playing with EFT (tapping).
Thanks for the info. I just may check out using a pebble or stone.
Warm regards,
Lauren