Working the Brain So the Brain Works for You ~
Struggling comes from what we call the suffering state. We have compassion for our suffering state but do not want that part of us in charge of the major decisions and direction of our lives.
So unless it’s something like “car coming get out of the way,” before we ask ourselves any questions or take any action, we first want to thank the emotional brain for the signal to pay attention, and then take the project out of the emotional brain and kick it upstairs to the executive brain instead.
There is a 30-second mindset reset for this that I call “Power Breathing.” A simple instruction for “Power Breathing” can be found in “Complimentary…” box pulldown at https://madelaineweiss.com/
Essentially, it is 3 luxurious breaths: in through the nose, out through the nose, belly out on the in-breath, belly in on the out breath…
How are we then? Well, despite everything going on around us, if we remain open, we can notice that, in that very moment, everything is just fine—fine enough that we can now let the higher brain take care of our business for us, with these 3 questions below.
3 Questions to Ask Your Higher Brain ~
1. Is There Something to Be Done Here? If the answer is No because we’ve already done it, or there simply is nothing to be done, then we may want to power breathe a little more and move on.
2. What, By When, By Whom? If the answer is Yes there is something to be done, the next question is What, By When, By Whom? Sometimes it is by you, sometimes not. Or sometimes it is by you but not today, so when? This is called an Action Plan.
3. Whose Help Would Help? If, despite your best planning and efforts on your own behalf, you find you are still struggling, it may well be time to ask whose help would help get you unstuck.
Again the 30 second “Power Breathing” exercise can be found at https://madelaineweiss.com/ and would love to hear from you with any comments or questions you may have.
Warm wishes,
Madelaine
Thank you for distinguishing between the “emotional” brain and the “executive” brain and how best to make sure our decisions and actions are both alerted but also properly and sensibly guided, fort which your recommended “power breathing” technique can be a trustworthy “re-set button.” Some of the recent discussion of inattention and disorganized/ineffective/chaotic activity signals and symptoms in Attentional Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders also point to the extreme forms of such tendencies in diagnosable conditions and disorders. For inattention, failing to give close attention to details and careless mistakes; difficulty sustaining attention and focus; not following through on obligations; difficulty organizing and meeting deadlines; task avoidance. For unproductive or excessive disorganized (“hyper”) activity: excessive fidgeting; wandering or veering off; restlessness; inability to relax; driven behavior; talkative; blurting and interrupting; impatience; intrusiveness. While the breathing exercise may be very helpful in less severe situations, neurophysiological, neuroanatomical and neurotransmitter components affecting maturation and control are also salient regulatory considerations, which is why complications of addictive agents or pharmacological, nutritional, hormonal and other factors and agents may also merit consideration. Thank you again for your helpful succinct summary formulation and practical advice.
Dr. N., always such an honor to have you weigh in here. And, of course, you are right that even though there are simple things many of us can do to reset ourselves—it’s not that “simple” for everyone. Thank you for making that point!