🐍 Control your reptilian brain
But yes, you can still choose Slytherin
Hey there 👋🏼
Have you ever felt like you were reacting from a place of emotion instead of reason?
As if you weren't actually in control of your actions.
Well, you haven't heard about that little almond-shaped bundle of brain matter inside called the amygdala.
The amygdala, also known as our reptilian brain, is the primitive part of our psyche that exists in a permanent mode of survival and acting on instinct alone.
A long, long time ago, we humans had a couple of different challenges in our daily lives that required lightning-speed decisions.
Let's face it. We lived in a dangerous world that depended heavily on our survival instincts. This method worked, or you wouldn't be here reading this newsletter.
But we no longer need to be afraid of being eaten. However, our little buddy is still there, ready to command and tell us exactly how we should react to a specific situation.
Four signs that you're no longer in control
When you're in a conversation, an argument, or any situation that you need to be as analytical as possible, here are four signs that highlight that you're no longer in control:
You feel an overwhelming physical reaction like shortness of breath, increased heart rate or chest pain.
You break out in a cold sweat when you have a difficult conversation.
You turn tomato red when the conversation becomes about you.
You become emotional and can't control the answers you give.
This intense response is known as Amygdala Hijack. Your brain tells you to fight, run away, or stop and freeze, even though there's no immediate danger or physical threat.
Three tips on how to regain control
Losing control happens to the best of us. But it's our responsibility to fight it, to get to know ourselves and do our best to be in absolute control.
The best way to do this is to activate our neocortex - the logical part of our brain. This activation resets the instinctive reaction and places logic back into the driver's seat.
Try these three practices:
Stay present
Get to know yourself and notice when you're being provoked or triggered.
It's crucial that you have a deep understanding of how you react to situations and be able to stop yourself from entering autopilot mode.
Breathe in, breathe out
Breathing slowly and evenly can do wonders.
When you feel like you're losing control, think about the speed and rhythm of your breaths. Try to detach from the situation by focusing on how your body reacts to inhaling and exhaling.
Ask a question
A great way to stop your reptilian brain is to ask it a question.
Because the amygdala only acts on instinct, it can't process logic or answer questions.
Asking yourself questions about what's happening and trying to apply reasoning to what's happening enables your logical brain to be back in the driver's seat.
That's it from me. I hope you have a fantastic weekend and that this issue helps you regain control of your reactions in difficult situations.
Here is a quick update on the Kindle purchase from a couple of weeks ago. I can't believe it took me so long to buy it!
I'm well underway into Tiago Forte's "Building a Second Brain", which I'll cover in a couple of weeks. The fact that I could read it with the sun hitting the Kindle directly blew my mind!
Without a doubt, one of the best purchases of 2022!
⏱ TL;DR
The amygdala is the part of your brain that takes over your actions when it feels threatened.
Three ways to regain control:
Stay present
Breathe in, breathe out
Ask yourself a question
If you're not finding value in this newsletter please consider unsubscribing. There are absolutely no hard feelings and I already appreciate a lot your part in my journey. Perhaps in the future, we'll meet again!
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Thank you for being part of my journey!
Have an incredible month! 💪🏼
Parada 👊🏼 A Leader's Mindset
I couldn’t finish this week’s newsletter, talking about losing and regaining control without this GIF.
Have an incredible week!!
Hy Luis, i loved your newsletter, its really helpful. I am also a fellow creator just like you. Could we do a written article of things your grab wisdom from internet. My audience will love to see you, just let me know about it.