During the Toronto taping of “Mastering the Art of Gratitude,” Anthony (Tony) Robbins led the more than 8,500 members of the audience in his Emotional Flood exercise.
Follow along with this guide if you’d like to try it for yourself.
We’re flooded with so much negative biochemistry that we can [easily] get hijacked. So the only solution is to flood yourself with positive experiences.
Stay in the Moment
First thing you want to do is shake your body out; then make your hands like claws and move back and forth, breathing in and out very rapidly.
Then, stop, shake your body out, clap and say yes five times.
Say: Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Make a total excitement sound like when you were a little kid. Put your hand on your heart; close your eyes.
Feel Your Heart
We’re going to go on a journey of things you’re grateful about, but first, feel your heart. Feel the power of your heart. Feel the strength of your heart. Feel grateful for your heart.
Think about it: You didn’t have to buy this heart. You didn’t have to earn it. Someone thought enough of you to give you this heart, instantly, the moment you were born. As long as it beats, you’re alive.
Step into a moment in your life you can feel deep feeling of gratitude for. Breathe in your heart; hear what you heard then; feel what you felt then, right now. Feel so grateful. Feel that moment; it was sacred; you were blessed.
Take It In
Don’t just think it. Feel, see, be there. Reach out and bring in another memory you can feel grateful for. Step in and feel the power and grace of that moment.
Bring a third moment in. Maybe this moment could be a coincidence. We all love a coincidence because we did nothing for it—something just happened. You met somebody, you went somewhere, and it led to something magnificent. Step into the gratitude of that moment and feel it as well.
Take your hand off your heart and just continue to breathe, and go on a journey. Feel each moment, in your body, like you’re there.
Shift to Moments You’re Proud Of
Shift to a moment you’re proud of. Bring in someone you’re proud of. Breathe the way you do when you feel proud—along with the gratitude.
Think of something you’ve accomplished in your life—small or big. Think of a romantic, sensual or sexy moment and bring that in too.
Bring in a moment that made you laugh out loud. Did you ever laugh so hard that milk came out your nose or something like that? Bring it into your heart.
Bring in a special moment with family or friends.
Bring in a moment that was pure excitement. Make that sound of excitement out loud. Now, for 10 seconds, reach out and bring in moments from the future. Bring them in fast! And in the end, just shout the word “yes.”
Now, open your eyes.
Share with Others
Turn to the person next to you—or share online if you’re at home. Write down what you remembered during the break.
