Mindfulness First
When we get caught in the grip of strong emotions our nervous systems shift to high-alert. Then it’s difficult, if not impossible, to be open and flexible, to listen and to learn. There’s a name for this – it’s called emotional hijack –a term coined by Daniel Goleman in his book Emotional Intelligence.
So, what do you do? You practice mindfulness first.
When practicing mindfulness first, you use one of the many useful, mindfulness-based calming strategies to quiet your nervous system and turn the table on emotional hijack.
