Do you feel like your mood can change instantly according to what happens in your day?

Then you may be a slave to your emotions.

Being an emotional person and leading with the heart can both be great qualities. Leaning into our feelings allows us to be more self-aware and helps connect us to others. But if we allow our emotions to dictate how we live our lives, it can lead to anxiety, depression, and even have a negative impact on our health and relationships.

As an empathetic person who feels things deeply, I have learned this lesson the hard way. Here’s a great place to start when you find yourself in that space…”Choose Yourself”. The point is to move out of reaction – to manage yourself – and move into a position where you can act with your best response.

Here are 4 keys to help guide you:

Apply Consequential Thinking:  Pause and evaluate both the pragmatic and emotional components of the situation

Navigate Emotions:  Engage emotions intentionally to help move the situation forward

Engage Intrinsic Motivation:  Strengthen the inner drive to move ahead in a useful way

Exercise Optimism:  Identify new opportunities and possibilities to invent additional solutions

The fact of the matter after all is said and done… a moment is not a lifetime.

Would love to hear from you. Please share any tips or steps you take when emotions rise up.