Holding it together can be tough. In an "always on" world with a blurring of lines between work and home life and ever increasing expectations how we manage ourselves, our emotions becomes ever more important. Here are two similar techniques I have picked up that I thought worth sharing
Stop-Challenge-Choose
Whenever you feel anything other that positive or neutral: Stop
Then ask yourself, "what am I feeling here?" Name the feeling / emotion: Challenge yourself and ask "what is it about this situation / person that is creating this feeling?" and then
Choose how you want to behave / feel.
Recently I ran a workshop that used the model
Pause-Name-Consider
Pause - resist the urge to react immediately
Name the emotion: Think about how you feel and name the emotion
Consider potential next steps and the pros and cons of each before deciding on your next action
As we try to do more, be more, get more, the pause to reflect, to catch our emotional breath, to prepare is crucial to our success. And when too many of us are managing increased levels of stress, sleep deprived or not eating, drinking or exercising enough, managing your emotions brings a little more sanity to the world.