Stopping at the amygdala ….
while en route to your neo-cortex can cause you all sorts of problems!
Last week I was in San Antonio Texas giving a breakout session for NBAA’s Schedulers and Dispatcher’s Conference on getting results with no authority.
A key point to know is how your brain reacts to threats. We feel before we think. Emotions come before thoughts. Your thoughts normally progress from your amygdala to your neo-cortex. Your amygdala houses your emotions and your long-term memory. Your neo-cortex holds your logic and your short-term memory. When your thoughts stop at your amygdala and stay there, several things happen:
- you have a slowdown in your thought process, which can last up to 20 minutes
- continuing on this destructive path, toxins can remain in your system for up to four hours
- as long as these toxins are in your system, especially the first 20 minutes, the more likely you are to relive the emotional event
One way to keep your emotions in check is to remember
It’s not what they said, it’s what you think you heard
Tags: amygdala, amygdala hijack, communications, conflict, emotional intelligence techniques, EQ, neo-cortex, stress