Day 50 of 90 · Calm under pressure
Name what's actually stressing you
“"I'm stressed" became "I'm worried about money for presents." Naming it made it smaller.” — Kai
Today's action · 10 min
Write down everything that feels stressful right now, one per line. Then next to each, name the feeling in one word: worried, overwhelmed, sad, angry.
Why it works
In a brain-imaging study, Lieberman and colleagues found that putting feelings into words, called affect labelling, reduced activity in the amygdala, a region involved in emotional reactions. Naming a feeling won't solve the problem, but it can turn the volume down enough to think clearly.
Source: Putting Feelings Into Words: Affect Labeling Disrupts Amygdala Activity in Response to Affective Stimuli (Lieberman et al., 2007)
Educational content, not medical advice. If you are struggling, contact a qualified professional (Lifeline 13 11 14 in Australia, 988 in the US).