Emotions are creations that come from many different systems and thought patterns based on our past experiences.
A huge factor that plays into our emotional experience is our 'perceived ability to cope'. The less we feel we can cope with the consequences or outcome of an interaction or event, the more intensely negative our emotional reaction will be.
One way to increase our perceived ability to cope is to learn and try new things. Some of these things should feel challenging. We need to regularly make hard choices: to choose things that may not feel as easy or comfortable as we are used to, but that we know our good for us in the long term.
Doing this regularly creates brain body networks and an internal working model that says you are capable of handling tough things and tolerating a certain level of unfamiliarity and discomfort. This increase in your perceived ability to cope will ripple out into your emotional reactions and relationships.
Emotions are more creations than they are reactions.
We have the capacity to update how we react to stress and tough situations. It requires effort and new data to enter our system. It can feel difficult to do but it is possible and worth the effort to try.
-----
(join my twice monthly newsletter and you'll get 3 of my most popular mini-books as instant free downloads)
#EmotionalRegulation #Neuroscience #ResilienceBuilding #MindsetMatters #NeuroscienceInsights #EmotionalIntelligence #GrowthMindset #ResilienceBuilding #Mindfulness #PersonalDevelopment #PositivePsychology #EmotionRegulation #SelfImprovement
