How can you use cognitive reappraisal to regulate negative emotions?

I like to break things down as simply as possible. That being said, cognitive reappraisal is simply MAKING A CHOICE. Choose to let go of hurt. Choose to be kind to those who may be unkind to you. It is important to really grasp how much power you have over your own metal well-being through CHOICE.

The easiest and most useful way to cognitive reappraisal is to understand that your emotions are not triggered by events and thoughts but by your values that have been violated. The moment you name the values that have been violated you can take value-based actions that are authentic to you. Avoid trying to use reappraisal as a strategy of denial and false acceptance because you deny yourself living into your authenticity in the process.

Prof. Michael Merzenich said in a call recently "Neuroscience without psychology is stupid and psychology without neuroscience is baseless". 'Cognitive reappraisal' provides a good example of what he meant. "Modifying your 'Thoughts' and 'Beliefs'" requires we clearly understand them. In #BTFA (Believe-Think-Feel-Act) we show Beliefs are neurons & Thought is the firing (excitation) of those neurons. The function of neuro excitation demands the utilisation of neurotransmitters. The chemical landscape = emotional state. Therefore, emotions shift, in relation to brain wiring, firing. We have agency over this, when we learn how it works and exercise conscious control. It's important to move beyond subjective language & deal with facts.

This kind of oversimplification provides no guidance and imparts no ability. It alludes to the science of brain function, but saying, in essence, 'activating the PFC can regulate the amygdala', reduces reality to the point of nonsense. It's like saying, 'If your toddler is having a hissy fit on the supermarket floor, just tell them to calm down.' We must understand the mechanics, the biological cause-effect and send-receive signalling, that enters the brain through the senses and the processing of such signalling within the brain when we are surviving our environment ... IF we're to understand the stimulus that triggers an amygdala response and how PFC activity can help to interrupt our brain's autopilot.

There are a number of skills that can help us to self-regulate our emotions ➡️Create space Emotions happen fast.The gift we can give ourselves, is to pause. Take a breath. Slow down the moment between trigger & response ➡️Noticing what you feel An equally important skill involves the ability to become aware of what you’re feeling ➡️Naming what you feel After noticing what you feel, the ability to name it can help you get control of what is happening ➡️Accepting the emotion Emotions are normal and natural ➡️Practicing mindfulness Mindfulness helps us “live in the moment” by paying attention to what is inside us ➡️Engage in positive self-talk ➡️Identify & reduce triggers  ➡️Look for positive emotions Cheers to all learners 📊📈🤹🎯 Thanks !

Cognitive reappraisal starts with noticing your negative emotional state associated with a specific trigger—a situation and thoughts that evoke negativity. Reappraising means modifying your initial appraisal of the trigger to a more positive one. This is achieved by considering alternative viewpoints to your negative interpretation. You choose to adopt a different, more helpful perspective. It is similar to remaining rational while advising someone you want to help. Yet, in the context of a mental health condition (e.g. depression or anxiety), it's crucial to identify the core beliefs underlying negative appraisals that perpetuate a vicious cycle alongside related emotions and behaviours, thereby maintaining a pathological state.

In essence, this is sage advice, however, we've had the same 'wisdom' on hand for decades. Versions of this exist in NLP, CBT, Psychotherapy, Logotherapy, Positive Psychology and similar, stretching back to the early 1900's, and yet, despite some sporadic popularity (Fad's) in the world of business, when the marketing has found a way through the barriers, (Which busy business brains generate on autopilot), the advice remains as seeds scattered on infertile ground. The challenge is to help leaders see what makes their brain 'infertile' for such knowledge, despite claims of wanting solutions ... this is where we're seeing a working knowledge of neuroscience (objective) overcome the misunderstanding of complex psychological models (subjective)

Oversimplified to the point of impotence. Fear, stress and anxiety are different neural circuits/responses. Fear is a response to present danger, anxiety is a response to uncertain danger. As such, anxiety engages a limbic forebrain structure (BNST). Fear doesn't. Anxiety can also be linked to over-processing in the PFC with links to metabolised acetylcholine (Focus), diet, sleep etc. Stress = excess cortisol over time. A 'conceptual reframing' is required, to benefit from neuroscience. Where basic science is failing to convert to clinical practice, we can't afford subjectivity and oversimplification to elicit similar barriers in the brains of business leaders, who desperately need a better understanding of human behaviour / change

As my note above, we must consider a 'Conceptual reframing'. It's no longer adequate to present such high-level generalisms using subjective language, to 'hook' interest for a concept like 'Cognitive reappraisal'. The emotional aspect of human behaviour, can now be considered in terms of neural circuits, and types of neural stimulus from neurotransmitters (e.g. inhibitory, such as serotonin and excitatory, such as dopamine). This next layer of detail, revolutionises understanding around subjective terms like anger, sadness, fear, guilt, disengagement ... which detract from organisational performance... and clearly tells leaders 'what they can do differently'. We have the language to do so much better than this.

Empathy, communication, and mental health are indeed crucial aspects for leaders to prioritize. Leaders who foster empathy create a supportive environment, effective communication ensures a shared understanding, and prioritizing mental health contributes to a healthier and more productive work culture. It's commendable that you recognize these as key elements for effective #leadership.

It is important to always be in control of your emotions while in a professional situation, but every now and then we will have challenges. Sometimes our buttons can get pressed and start to feel personally attacked. It is at those times that we need to CHOOSE to respond professionally and remember that whatever the issue is, it is not a personal attack against you. Cognitive reappraisal means recognizing the trigger points and then CHOOSING to let it go. This is not easy and requires a strong sense of self and the ability to recognize your triggers in the heat of the moment.

When Robert De Niro plays Paul Vitti and famously quips (as an auto dealer, might I add) “Look at the size of this trunk. You can put 3 bodies in there…” it puts the wrong image in a prospect’s mind. If you heard something like that while shopping for a vehicle, even though you saw the trunk was empty, wouldn’t you be visualizing dead people and possibly even imagining catching a whiff of one while you were test driving the car? In sales, you’re in the business of controlling what your prospect pictures. What are the images, sounds and feelings that you’re providing your prospect?

In a professional setting, cognitive reappraisal can be exemplified by a leader assigning team duties and, upon completion, recognizing each team member individually during an early morning team meeting. This not only fosters a positive work culture but also encourages a mindset shift towards acknowledging and appreciating individual contributions within the team✨️