Where Did That Come From?: How to Keep Control In Any Situation: Proven Tips to Manage the Almond Effect: E-Book from the Clearing the Mindfield Series

By Anne Riches

Have you ever 'lost it'? Said or done something you wish you hadn't? Or maybe you didn't say or do something and wish you had!

If you understand why this happens, it's easier to manage it.

And that's what this short introductory eBook is about: Keeping control of our emotions.

It shows us why, in a split second, we can lose control and provides tips and strategies on what we can do about it.

This quick and easy read is ideal for busy leaders or change managers who want to develop their emotional and reaction management skills. It also provides insights into why people react negatively to change and withhold their buy-in.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781456608507

Book preview

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You need to know about your amygdala – really!

Let me introduce you to the significant cause of what trips us up emotionally, a part of our brain called our amygdala. The word amygdala has its origins in both Greek and Latin and means almond. The amygdala is shaped like an almond, and we each have two of them in our brain.

The amygdala is a vital part of our brain, and plays a fundamental role in ensuring our survival. It warns us of imminent danger, and instigates immediate action so that we can protect ourselves. If we step onto the road, and a car appears out of nowhere, hurtling towards us, we jump out of the way without thinking. If a fire alarm goes off in the building, we immediately run for the fire escape.

However sometimes our amygdalae get it wrong. They set off a false alarm, to which we react, but in this case it’s inappropriate, because it’s not really a life-threatening situation. For example, have you ever said something or done something in the heat of the moment, without thinking, and almost immediately regretted it. You’ve probably said to yourself: ‘I wish I hadn’t done that’. That’s The Almond Effect®.

You receive an SMS, Tweet or email from someone that makes you angry, irritated, and upset. You instantly write your reply and hit the send button, only to regret it moments later. It’s your ‘almonds’ again!

Or your partner says: Oh. That’s a new dress. To which you snap back: ‘It’s my money, what’s your problem? Does it make me look fat?’

Or a customer says: I think you have this wrong ma’am. You wince and snarl back: ‘Don’t call me ma’am’, and then you realise he’s in navy uniform. That’s how the military are trained to address women as a sign of respect!

Or your boss says: "I’ve been looking for you. Can you come and see me for a minute?’ and your heart starts to race!

Our amygdalae have a lot to answer for. They keep us safe from threats to our survival, but they can also get us into heaps of trouble.

Why do we experience The Almond Effect®?

In our limbic system, the amygdala is responsible for our feelings of fear. It functions as a kind of psychological sentinel, scanning every situation with only one survival question in mind: ‘is this going to hurt me?’

It’s the basic survival mechanism that sets off our fight or flight mechanism. It served us well when we were becoming human, coming down from trees and living in caves. The trouble is it’s still functioning in much the same way