One Proven Strategy For Handling Big Emotions

Ready to learn one proven strategy for handling big emotions? Do you want to learn a practical tool you can start using today? Perfect!

We all have a window of tolerance. Sometimes our ability to tolerate things is big. We can handle a lot. Sometimes our window is only cracked or feels completely closed. These are days we cannot tolerate much.

When we get out of our window, we can become hyper-aroused, meaning anxious, energetic, and moving quick without intention. Or we can become hypo-aroused, meaning slow, down, depressed, tired, or numb.

When we use the theory of the window, we can assess how much we can tolerate and move about our day accordingly. We can also use tools to help us get back into our window or make the window wider.

My tools include alone time, walking, exercising, reading, or talking with a very close friend. On the other hand, being super social, around lots of noise, or enmeshed in clutter are sure ways to kick me out of my window or not allow me to get back in.

I encourage you to use this one valuable strategy for emotional regulation to bring awareness to your own life and how you function. This theory helpful and tangible. I use it regularly and hope you do too!

The Window of Tolerance theory is developed by Dr. Dan Siegel. He is an amazing clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA.

Thanks to Dr. Siegel, we've got one more tool in the world to help support ourselves better! Wishing you well!