SHIFT YOUR STATE (fast): THE TIP SKILL 🔥💧 When your nervous system is overwhelmed—whether you’re anxious and spiraling or shut down and frozen—your thinking brain won’t get you out. You have to work with your body first. In Dialectical Behavior Therapy, the TIP skill is designed to quickly reset your nervous system. T = Temperature (cold exposure) → Splash cold water on your face or hold an ice pack to your cheeks/eyes → Triggers a reflex that slows your heart rate → Best for: panic, intense anxiety, emotional overwhelm I = Intense exercise (short burst) → 30–60 seconds: jumping jacks, sprinting in place, push-ups → Burns off stress hormones and activates your system → Best for: anxiety or coming out of freeze P = Paced breathing → Inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6–8 seconds → Longer exhales signal safety to your body → Best for: calming anxiety and grounding (Bonus P = Paired muscle relaxation) → Tense + release muscle groups slowly → Helps you reconnect to your body if you feel numb or disconnected FOR ANXIETY (too activated): Cold + slow breathing → bring it down FOR SHUTDOWN (numb/frozen): Movement + muscle activation → bring it up These are biological switches you can use to shift your state in minutes. You don’t have to wait to feel better to act. Sometimes acting is what changes how you feel. 🟣 The Purple Phoenix Collective