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Emotional regulation is a broad topic. However, there is a simple way of conceptualizing the concept. Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors all influence our ability to influence our moods and our ability to cultivate a life worth living.
All three of these components influence each other and we can consciously change one of these to influence the other two. For example, last week’s message involved changing a behavior (opposite action) to effect a more positive emotion. We have also discussed building positive experiences, which involves engaging in behaviors to cultivate happy feelings.
Thinking strategies also play a powerful role in influencing our feelings and emotions. Positive thoughts promote positive feelings and consequently positive behaviors. Our brains often work against us in this area and it becomes important to objectively assess the situation and analyze the thoughts and underlying beliefs to assess their validity. Changing negative thoughts into positive thoughts will rewire the brain and consequently promote positive outcomes.
Emotional regulation skills generally involve a deliberate application of behavior or thoughts in order to arrive at an effective outcome.