Does the flight, fight, freeze part of your nervous system run your life? Go from zero to 100 in a second? When your reactivity is strong life is running you. It’s a wild ride but is it what you want?
Mindful of the triggers for emotional reactivity at home and work is a key to living a life true to yourself.
Step 1 – recognise you’re reacting or getting emotionally hooked
Step 2 – feel what you feel with self-compassion
Step 3 – interrupt the story you usually tell yourself at these times
Step 4 – calm and self soothe body and mind
Step 5 – choose a good enough calm response that empowers you
Here’s a 4 step process using the acronym RAIN
1. R – Recognise what is happening
2. A – Allow life to be just as it is
3. I – Investigate inner experience
4. N – Non-Identification – your self is not your thoughts or emotions
And here’s one for checking in with yourself before you react, based on the acronym HALT.
H – Hungry
A – Angry
L – Lonely (or hurt)
T – Tired (or under time pressure)