Emotions have a way of sneaking up on you. It’s easy to see how an unexpected interaction can leave you feeling nervous, frustrated, or angry, but if you stop for a moment to really see how these emotions are affecting you on a physical level, it’s an eye-opener.
Consider two scenarios:
Scenario 1: You take your teens to school on a regular Monday morning. In the first scenario you leave the house five minutes early. Everyone is in a good mood and you get to school on time, which means you get home in time to get ready for the day with a few extra minutes to yourself.
Scenario 2: You leave the house five minutes later than you would like. You’re still on time, but you feel a little stressed as you get into the car, knowing that your kids are already a few late. You’re driving to school, and even though you don’t comment on the time, you radiate a sense of anxiety that your kids pick up on. There’s not much talking in the car, which is probably better because your eyes keep darting from the road to the clock. You get to school just in time, but a little too close for comfort. As you take them off, your thoughts start racing to all the things you have to do that day. That to-do list is running through your head the entire drive home. When you get home, those five minutes have already caught up with you.
Two different situations lead to different physical reactions that affect not only you, but also the people around you. The next time you find yourself in such a situation, write down how you feel. Are your shoulders tightening? Is your heart starting to race? Do you end up in the bathroom? How much emotion do you carry with you in your body, and how much is inside you?