Think about a time, inside or outside of work, in which you responded from your emotional mind. How may your response have been different if you took the time to pause and move into your wise mind? Take the time to write this down to practice the tool of journaling.
Let's take a look at an example.
You received a poor remark on your annual performance evaluation that you did not agree with.
Emotional Mind says: "This is STUPID, I don't agree, and my manager knows nothing! I'm going to tell them they know nothing and not sign my evaluation!"
Rational Mind says: "You need this job so don't say anything."
Wise Mind says: "Let's talk to our manager about our concerns with the performance evaluation and see how we can address the poor remarks together moving forward."
You can also try asking yourself a series of questions next time you feel overcome by emotions. Asking yourself questions will help your brain move from your emotional amygdala to your rational prefrontal cortex.
"Is it possible I misunderstood the situation?"
"Are there any alternative explanations that might be worth considering?"
"Am I jumping to conclusions?"
"Do I have all the facts needed to make an informed decision?"
