Sunday Reset
What to do with all of those emotions?
Today my daughter texted me from college. She was hoping to attend a networking trip with a school engineering club and now because of funding cuts, the group can't go. As a senior, she'd been looking forward to this opportunity for a few years, and is frustrated with the situation and the missed networking opportunity. She texted me,
"I hate being angry
because I don't know how to get my anger out”
I wanted her to feel seen and heard, so I acknowledged her anger and frustration, and then shared some useful information that we often share during our programs about emotions. Our Intro to MBSR facilitator, Lisa Sheehan, often uses the expression:
Name it to Tame it
and it works! Here's how: when we feel emotions rising, if we can recognize the emotion, and name it, and put language around it, our brain's decision making area (pre-frontal cortex) is activated, and calms the emotional center (the amygdala), which supports emotional regulation.
We practice this more formally in a Mindfulness of Emotions meditation, where we hold space for any and all emotions, recognizing and naming them without pushing them away or pulling them closer, simply allowing them to be just as they are. During the practice we also notice how we're feeling in the body, sensing the mind~ body connection. We can pause and breathe and rest as needed. We can practice being kind to ourselves during this process, knowing that our emotions are part of being human.
So I shared this information with my daughter. Told her to name her emotions and allow herself to feel what she feels. I encouraged her to take good care of herself and be kind to herself. I also mentioned it could then be helpful to go outside into nature and take a short walk. She seemed open to giving this a try. Here's a short article from Psychology Today that shares more: click here.
If you enjoy videos, Dr. Rick Hanson shares more about name it to tame it, in the short video below.
We've also added the link to a short Mindfulness of Emotions meditation by CMP co-founder, Will H.
Give it a try and let us know how it goes.
Feel free to email us with your reflections.