Develop perspective – What will you get from this article?

Is this FOR you?

By the end of this article, you will have:

☑️ Increased the requisite knowledge for your self-awareness

☑️ Realised whenever your brain is running on emotional or rational patterns

☑️ Learnt how to further connect with that “voice” inside of you, your internal chatter

☑️ Realised with your own experience, how your PRIMAL & RATIONAL minds impact your decision-making

☑️ Picked up the necessary awareness for developing your self-management skills

Is this like YOU?

� Have you ever had thoughts or behaviours about a situation in the “heat of the moment”?
And once you “cooled down”, had a different thought about it?

� Would it be useful to realise how your thought process impacts your decision-making?

� Would it be beneficial to add more rationality & perspective to your decision-making process?

� Would you like to pick up the necessary awareness for your self-management?

What will you learn?

You will:
– Learn about the process & features of your internal chatter, that “voice” inside of you.
– Reflect on your thoughts & decision-making process by using your previous experience

Reminder – Why learn this?

With this knowledge, you would be in an improved position to:

✔ Increase your self-awareness
✔ Pave the way to learn how to manage yourself, for your well-being & self-confidence
✔ Gear yourself toward the impact, success & well-being that you wish to attain
✔ Manage any unwanted EMOTIONAL thoughts or behaviour

E-motion brings motion !

Recap previous articles – Your PRIMAL & RATIONAL minds

In this article, I refer to your PRIMAL & RATIONAL minds.

The PRIMAL mind represents your limbic system, it is your emotional brain, all details are in this article.

The RATIONAL mind represents your frontal lobe, it is your rational brain, all details are in this article.

You can see how both minds are a part of your brain architecture, this is explained at length in this article.

Do you think emotionally or rationally?

In ANY given situation, are you able to recognise when you are thinking with your PRIMAL mind (Emotional brain) or your RATIONAL mind?

Remember that each mind follows a different thinking process:

thought process & conclusion

Do you tend to feel it or think it?

Can you be taken over by your PRIMAL mind?

Can you imagine yourself in the following scenario?

Picture yourself:
– Alone on a trip overseas
– On this trip away, you attend a networking event in a meeting room
– As you walk through the door of that meeting room, you see about 30 people, standing in groups, gathered around tables with snacks
– You can feel the cold in the room, from the blasting air con.
– With every step you make, you are getting closer and closer to the tables and groups.
– And as you are getting closer, you can also hear that everybody is speaking a foreign language that you never heard of.
– And it may feel like nobody seems to know the English language
– As you are there, what would be your first instinctive reaction?

❓❓❓
What would you feel like doing?
❓❓❓

Would you “Fight”, “Fight” or “Freeze”?

In this unusual environment, alone & very far from home, when getting closer to this room full of strangers, what would you most likely do?

– Would you “Flight”?
This is by wanting to get out of the room as soon as it is possible.

– Would you “Fight”?
This is by establishing your presence with a defensive/menacing posture:
(Chin jut/head down, chest up and menacing glaze)

– Would you “Freeze”?
This is by trying to remain unnoticed and staying to the side.

Whatever your reaction would be, it is likely to be coming from your PRIMAL mind
It would be reacting and taking over your thinking for your protection & survival.

This is while the reality is that this “overseas networking event” is a NON-life-threatening situation

→ Your PRIMAL (emotional) mind may take over your thinking and respond with survival-based reactions to non-factually threatening situations.

⚠️ Note: Why your PRIMAL is taking over your thinking
As highlighted in this article, your PRIMAL mind is:
– your personal radar
– in charge of your instinctive reactions & responses

In the example of “overseas networking”, your PRIMAL mind may perceive this situation as “dangerous” and take over your thinking to protect you.

This is via either an instinctive “fight”, “flight” or “freeze” response.

Your PRIMAL (emotional) mind may take over your thinking and respond with survival-based reactions to non-factually threatening situations

❓How good are you at realising when you are under the grip of your PRIMAL mind❓

With the following exercise, you can identify which of your 2 minds is running, this at any given time.

Identify your thinking: is it PRIMAL or RATIONAL?

You can increase your self-awareness by identifying the basis of your thought process.

This can be done when reflecting on your past, present and future decisions.

This is because decisions require you to think first and then decide.

Identify the basis of your decisions to increase your self-awareness

Exercise – Remember a small minor decision

Step 1 – Remember
Recall a situation when you made a decision that had little or NO consequences.
→ Remember what you chose to eat, or the clothes you bought …

Step 2 – Pick
Choose that one specific time, as you remember this one time in mind:
– What was your thought process?
– What was the basis of your decision, and thinking then?

Step 3 – Focus
– Was it based on FEELINGS + IMPRESSIONS?
Example:
“I feel like getting an XXL pizza with mega cheesy tomato crust, ooouuu that would be soo tasty!” (Focused on the now)

– Was it based on FACTS + PERSPECTIVE?
Example:
“I’ll have a salad with lots of chicken and a small cup of rice, I do need that fuel for my training session tomorrow!!” (Focused on the future)

Step 4 – Think how
Now that you remember that time you took that small decision, at that specific moment:
– What did you tell yourself?
– How did you decide?
– What were the KEY features of your thinking?

Was it more similar to the features of:
→ Your PRIMAL (Emotional) mind?
FEELINGS + IMPRESSIONS = SUBJECTIVE & IRRATIONAL

→ Your RATIONAL mind?
FACTS + PERSPECTIVE = OBJECTIVE & RATIONAL

⚠️ Note:
Both minds have useful purposes and intents.
The following quote sums it up well.

“The problem is not with emotionality, it’s with the appropriateness of emotion & its expression”

Aristotle, Greek philosopher

Get perspective with your RATIONAL mind

If you realised that your thinking leaned towards your PRIMAL (Emotional) mind, can you consider what would be your RATIONAL mind decision?

This is by asking the FACTS & TRUTHS, also considering the long-term CONSEQUENCES and IMPACT of your decision.

Next time you make a decision or formulate an opinion, can you consider the following?

Facts & truths

• What are the facts?

• What are the undeniable truths of the matter?

• What actions were taken?

Consequences & impact

• What is the long-term impact of this decision?

• If you have any goal or ambition in mind, how this decision will help it?

• How are you likely to feel about your decision later?

• What are the possible long-term consequences of this decision?

• Who/what else will be impacted by this decision?

• How this decision will contribute to your long-term goals?
  Will it help or deteriorate?

• What else can you/we do?

→ The more time you spend identifying:
– What is the basis of your thinking
– Which of your “mind” is operating

→ The more you can:
✔ Connect further with your internal chatter and thinking foundations
✔ Increase your self-management with your RATIONAL mind.

Increase your awareness & self-management abilities by identifying which “mind” is operating

Enjoyed this article & curious to take it to the next level?

Realise that this article is an extract from the fundamentals of the Calm & Stress Management, Social Intelligence & Emotional Intelligence workshops.

These workshops are transformative blends of relaxation, mind management & communication tools & techniques. 

Designed to release your best, these workshops will deliver you the methods to :
✔ Become more relaxed & reduce your stress
✔ Be in charge of your emotions & increase your well-being
✔ Develop your leadership & influence

→ For any questions about these workshops, you can schedule your FREE discovery call to find out more.

Up until next time, go learn & go RELEASE YOUR BEST !!!