Coping with Strong Emotions - May 2021
As humans, we are born with 4 basic human emotions; mad, sad, angry, and happy. Three-fourths of all human experience is what we deem “negative” or “bad.” However, as I talked about in previous newsletters, we need to learn how to accept all emotions. Many times, our efforts to deal with anger, nerves, fear, or frustration is to try and suppress it and not think about it. Take a moment and think about how that usually works? Does it make the emotion go away? Does it make it so you never experience the emotion again? NO!
Daniel Wegner, a psychology professor at Harvard University, has shown in several studies that the intention to control a particular thought or emotion in fact ends up triggering the unwanted thought or emotion. And unfortunately, just trying to “tough it out” doesn’t work.
One of my favorite sayings to help calm down a certain emotion is the following: Name It to Tame It! Your brain helps calm down the emotions you may be experiencing (fear, nerves, frustration, or anger) just by naming it. Watch the video as I explain how it works!
Name It to Tame It Video:
Here's What People Are Saying ...
Testimonial: "Thank you soooo much! I know you have been working w Ella separately as well. I HAVE to update you- she is a nervous competitor - so we have been having her do a pressure beam routine every day this week for the whole gym.... yesterday before she started, she said RETT- I’m nervous. This is HUGE! This kid does not communicate well, lots of time she will shut down and beat herself up internally. Not much is hard for her- super bright, Uber talented, etc. we talked through her feelings, we went over her mental choreo & breathing & she nailed her routine! Today she told me she was nervous again- we talked about why & she has a new dismount (side aerial full) bc her old one hurt her back (round off 1.5) and she isn’t super sure of the spacing w the end of the beam. (This conversation is Huger than Huge!) we went over it again & it really helped. I Praised her for her communication & for acknowledging her feelings and working together to solve the problem! I can’t even tell you how much working with you helps! Thank you- thank you- thank you!" (Rett - Coach of a gymnast)
To all our servicemen and servicewomen, past and present -
Thank you for your service.
Happy Memorial Day!
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