How to Shift Your Emotions Quickly
- Danny Maresca
- Dec 20, 2022
- 2 min read
A simple nervous system-based approach to returning to ease
Strong emotional states—stress, anxiety, frustration, emotional overload—often feel like they take over without permission. When that happens, most people try to reason their way out, distract themselves, or force calm.
That approach usually fails.
In this short video, I demonstrate a simple method for shifting emotional states quickly by working directly with how emotions are generated in the nervous system—rather than trying to change thoughts alone.
Emotions Are States, Not Problems
Emotions are not fixed traits or permanent conditions. They are temporary physiological and perceptual states—patterns of attention, sensation, breath, and internal signaling.
When a state shifts, the emotional experience shifts with it.
This understanding comes from the work of Connirae and Steve Andreas, pioneers in NLP and creators of many state-based change processes that focus on how experience is structured rather than why it exists.
Why Willpower Doesn’t Work
Trying to “calm down” while your nervous system is activated creates internal resistance. The body remains in a heightened state, and the mind follows.
Instead of forcing change, the process shown in the video:
Redirects attention away from mental looping
Allows physiological activation to soften
Creates space for the system to settle naturally
This is not positive thinking or emotional suppression. It’s state regulation.
The Core Principle
You don’t need to analyze your emotions to change them.
By gently shifting how attention is organized in the body and mind—something the Andreas’ work emphasizes—emotional intensity can reduce on its own, often surprisingly quickly.
This is especially helpful when:
You feel emotionally “stuck on”
Your thoughts won’t slow down
You want to return to clarity before making decisions or engaging with others
What This Practice Is (and Is Not)
This is:
A fast way to shift emotional states
Grounded in nervous system regulation
Influenced by NLP state-based change work (Connirae & Steve Andreas)
This is not:
Therapy or trauma processing
Hypnosis or regression
A solution for deeper or long-standing patterns
Think of it as a reset, not a fix.
Try Another Guided Reset
If this approach resonates, I’ve created a short, audio-guided Nervous System Reset you can use anytime you notice emotional over-activation. It’s designed to be gentle, non-directive, and easy to integrate into daily life.
About the Author
Daniel Maresca is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist based in Asheville, NC, specializing in transformational hypnotherapy and subconscious change work.
If you feel ready to release long-held anger and experience greater emotional peace, a complimentary clarity call can help you explore whether this work feels right for you.
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