Friday's BOLD LAW from KW MAPS NLP Coach George Gillas...." Keep your emotions between the lines "...(Especially Anger !!! )

Keep your emotions between the lines.....

Let’s face it; most of the time the emotion we need to keep in check is anger. Anger comes in many forms from mild irritation, frustration, yelling, to full-on rage. Whatever the cause is, we know that anger in the workplace or at home, is not an effective emotion to experience.

Sometimes anger is appropriate. If you are being threatened with physical harm, anger can save your life. If you have a “righteous anger” toward some ‘societal wrongs” and you direct that anger into productive energy to right the wrong – then it’s useful. If all you do is yell at the TV and complain without doing anything – not so much.

Excessive anger has also been linked to heart disease and heart attacks! For an interesting read on this go to: https://georgegillas.com/free-downloads/ and download a free report on the “Anger Heart Attack Connection.”

“But frustrations happen… deals go south… the other agent screwed up just before closing…” are things we hear often. What can you do that will help you manage your emotions, so you can choose to respond with problem-solving logic instead of reacting with problem-magnifying emotions?

Count to ten! Yes… your mother was right. "When angry, count to 10 before you speak. If very angry, a hundred," said Thomas Jefferson. Counting to ten serves two important and immediate functions which will allow you the choice of responding rather than reacting: it slows you down  and distracts you so you can focus on breathing…

Practice slow, abdominal “box” breathing. Box breathing (abdominal) works because it overrides your fight or flight response. Breath in slowly in for a count of X. Hold for the same count of  X. exhale slowly for the same count. Hold empty for the count then repeat. Do this for 5 to 10 breaths and you’ll find that your emotions are more “between the lines” than when you started.

This breathing will calm you and also give you the benefit of providing more oxygen (up to 4 times the amount) to your brain, enhancing your ability to respond instead of react.

During that time, you will not be focused about what caused you to choose anger. Yes – I said caused YOU to choose -- because every response you have is your choice, whether it is conscious or unconscious… And when you can own that it’s your choice, you can then freely choose another option.

Keep those emotions between the lines !

Contributed by KCN leader Don Aldrich & KW MAPS NLP Coach George Gillas