Have you ever said or done something you regret or that is inconsistent with what you meant to say? There is a biological explanation for this.
During stressful times, difficult situations or challenging conversations, our body releases a neurochemical and hormone called cortisol. Cortisol redirects brain communication from our prefrontal cortex to our limbic system. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for our ability to make rational decisions, use our intuition and show empathy and compassion to others, while the limbic system modulates our fear response and prepares our body to respond to threats and survival situations. These neurobiological changes cause us to focus more on fight, flight and freeze strategies as a response to stress and conflict while inhibiting access to the more rational, intuitive and empathetic parts of the brain.
From the Playbook: When responding to challenges, conflicts and stressful situations, we need our prefrontal cortex to help us problem-solve, make rational decisions and collaborate with others. One of the easiest and quickest ways to filter out cortisol in our body is through oxygen! You have probably heard the advice to pause and take 10 deep breaths before responding. The reason this instruction is so common is because deep breathing signals safety to the body, lowering levels of cortisol in the bloodstream and encouraging prefrontal cortex activity.
The next time you are stressed, challenged or facing difficulty, before you respond remember to STOP.
Stop
Take some deep breaths
Observe the situation
Proceed intentionally
“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
