The 90-Second Reset

Inspired by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor

Sometimes, anxiety can feel like it comes out of nowhere — a sudden rush of fear, overwhelm, or unease that takes over your body before your mind even has time to catch up.

Your heart starts racing. Your chest tightens. Thoughts begin to spiral, painting worst-case scenarios before you can even breathe.

When this happens, I want you to remember this:

Every intense emotion — fear, anger, sadness, overwhelm — only lasts about 90 seconds in the body.

That’s not a metaphor. It’s neuroscience.

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard-trained brain scientist, discovered that when a strong emotion is triggered, the chemical surge it creates in your body lasts just a minute and a half.

If it feels like it lasts longer (and it usually does), it’s because we’re unconsciously recycling the emotion — through our thoughts, our resistance, or our need to push it away.

The key is to pause and let the wave move through instead of fighting it.

The 90-Second Reset Practice

Next time you feel that wave of anxiety or overwhelm rise up:

1. Notice.

   Feel the sensations in your body — the tightness, the racing pulse, the lump in your throat — without adding a story or trying to make it stop.

   
   

2. Set a timer for 90 seconds.

   Yes, exactly 90 seconds. When a strong emotion is triggered, the neural/chemical response in your body naturally peaks and begins to dissipate around the 90-second mark.

   If it persists beyond that, it’s often because we keep recycling it with internal dialogue or resisting it.

   
   

3. Let yourself feel.

   Give yourself full permission to feel whatever is happening for the next minute and a half. Nothing to fix. Nothing to change. Just notice.

   Let your awareness rest there and allow the wave to move through.

   
   

4. When the timer ends — breathe.

   Take a long, soft exhale. Gently smile or soften your face (optional but powerful). Check back in with your body — notice what’s shifted — even if it’s subtle.

The more you practice the 90-Second Rule, the more your nervous system learns: “I don’t have to live in fear. I can ride the wave and come back to center.”

This simple, science-backed tool teaches your nervous system something profound:

“I don’t have to fight my feelings. I can feel them, and they will pass.”

Over time, this becomes a new pattern — a nervous system that knows how to return to calm, clarity, and presence on its own.

If you’d like to hear Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor explain this concept in her own words, I’ve included a short video below. I love the way she brings warmth and clarity to what’s happening in the brain during emotional waves. It’s a beautiful reminder that our bodies are wired to return to balance when we give them the space to do so.

If this practice stirred up something deep — layers of fear, questions, or long-held tension — you don’t have to lean into it alone. I’d be honored to walk with you. Let’s meet for a session.