4 Fast Ways You Can Manage Your Emotions For Success

Changing your emotions can propel you towards ever-improving performance.

Neurobiology research tells us that we need to know how to reduce our stress levels to achieve ever-improving performance.

1. Exercise and Sleep

We need to exercise and sleep. Why? Exercise raises your body's dopamine level, which:

· Increases your enthusiasm,

· Your thinking and actions are faster,

· Your creativity is increased, and

· You feel rewarded.

Overall, a wonderful feeling.

Exercise also raises the level of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which improves learning and focus. Exercise also increases the neurotransmitter serotonin for feeling relaxed, safe, and contented.

Sleep is important because it resets our ability to be focused, alert, motivated and emotionally stable in the waking state.

2. Utilising Singing or Dancing for Elite Athletes

Sian Beilock (University of Chicago psychologist) has shown that when an elite athlete is consciously analysing their performance they tend to perform badly.[1] By singing to him or herself an elite athlete can move into a more automatic frame of mind and let their unconscious mind excel. It should be noted that we need to use our conscious minds when learning any skill, (learning to drive a car) when a skill is learnt, it becomes unconscious and can be performed automatically.

3. Displaying a Powerful Body Posture.

Is a simple strategy for reducing stress and anxiety, because building resilience and feeling in control helps you regulate your emotions.

Harvard psychologist Amy Cuddy[2] found after just two minutes of power-posing (whether it's putting your hands on hips, hands cupped behind your head with elbows out, feet up on a table, anything that makes us appear larger and more threatening). Both men and women's testosterone levels for feeling powerful and dominant went up by 20%! An increase of 20% of feeling better and a 25% reduction in the stress hormone cortisol.

If you feel nervous when you are about to perform in a competition or do a presentation, you can power pose for two minutes, and it will instantly make you feel less stressed because you will feel more powerful and in control. These strategies can be done in private before an event. I recommend you do this privately because these power poses can intimidate others.

When you are in a power pose, your brain (the insula in your limbic system), releases dopamine and you instantly feel better.

4. The acronym STOP [3]

Using STOP is a way of consciously assessing your life in the Now. Ask yourself, how do I feel now? Research tells us you need to be honest and label the feeling either in your mind or write it down. It's how you feel, honestly right now. Am I feeling tense, tired, hungry or thirsty... and then listen to your inner voice. This strategy creates a movement away from emotion and feelings because you are using a higher level of thinking, similar to giving a child your car keys when they're crying, it's a distraction. Labelling the emotion gets you into an improved state for better performance.

Here's the Strategy:

S stands for STOP whatever you are doing.

Take a few deep Breathes: take 2 quick breathes in through your nose and then exhale out through your mouth. (I have modified this to improve it).

Observe: That is when you can ask yourself, how do I feel now? Research tells us you need to be honest and label the feeling either in your mind or write it down. It's how you feel, honestly right now. This strategy creates a movement away from emotion and feelings because you are using a higher level of thinking. Labelling the emotion gets you into an improved state for better performance.

Proceed: Finally you proceed with whatever it is that you want to do after the STOP, now that you are in a more resourceful state, the better your performance.

The more you do these strategies, the easier and more automatic they become.

[1] Beilock, S. Chole: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have to. New York Free Press (2010) [2] Cuddy, Amy J.C., Caroline A. Wilmuth, and Dana R. Carney. “The Benefit of Power Posing Before a High-Stakes Evaluation.” Harvard School Business Working Paper, No. 13-027, September 2012. [3] Goldstein, Elisha., The Now Effect: How This Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life. Simon & Schuster, Inc. 2013

Dr Kay Green is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Mind Skills Coach with over 30 years of experience empowering people to achieve their full potential by utilising the latest neuropsychological, biological and behavioural techniques and strategies.

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Email Dr Kay Green at sportssuccessinfo@yahoo.com

Learning how Mind Selections & Values create high performance consistently is a Game-Changer.