As a parent, it may be difficult to separate facts from feelings. You sometimes find yourself acting on a temporary emotion when the evidence does not support this response. Consider using the skill, “check the facts,” next time you’re feeling that your reaction isn’t matching up to the situation. Check the Facts helps you to modify your response to a level that is appropriate for the situation, or to respond with a more fitting emotion. Before you act, ask yourself, is the way that you are feeling and thinking about a situation factual? Let’s explore how you can find the proof first…

Parenting Techniques, Action steps, Anxiety, Managing urges, Positive psychologyEmily HudakApril 1, 2021feelings, emotions, urges, emotion regulation, check the facts, distress tolerance, parenting, mindfulness

Acting Opposite to your Emotions

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a cycle of difficult emotions? You might experience intense emotions and respond to them in ways that aren’t helpful in the long run. All feelings come with action urges that tell us to act in certain ways. For example, when we feel fearful, we try to avoid or escape a situation. When feeling sad, our urge might be to withdraw. However, some emotional urges do more harm than good. They cause us to act in ways we later regret. In those cases, try acting opposite to your emotion! Deliberately responding with the opposite to your emotion urge can change your response to a healthier option that’s more fitting. Let’s explore how it works with different emotions…

Action steps, Managing urges, Improving your Mood, Self-improvementEmily ZemanJanuary 12, 2020emotions, urges, emotional control, self-improvement

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