No. 37 | Re-interpreting our reactivity
Melanie felt the familiar tension in her shoulders as she put on her headset. For the call center agent, it had been one of those weeks. It was only the first customer of her shift, and her jaw clenched. The voice of an elderly man crackled over the line, already ranting.
As she endured his tirade, Melanie’s heart pounded. A hot flush crept up her neck, and her breathing quickened. Her hands grew clammy, and her stomach churned with acidic vitriol. It was only after this cascade of physical arousal that Melanie was abruptly struck with awareness – She was angry.
No, she was way past anger. Melanie was furious, and the emotion followed the wave of her body’s physiological response. Every pent-up irritant from her terrible week congealed in an overwhelming sensation of rage. Before she could stop herself, Melanie heard her voice erupt in the call.
“That’s enough! You’ll treat me with respect or this call is over!” The stunned customer sputtered in silence, and Melanie immediately regretted her outburst. It all happened too quickly, the physicality of stress overtaking her body before the comprehension of her emotional state.
The James-Lange theory of emotion
The James-Lange theory of emotion proposes that physical changes in our body occur in response to a given stimulus, influencing our emotions. Our emotions are not the cause of our physiological responses – They are the result of them. Imagine yourself in the experience of a car accident. Your body reacts with an increased heart rate, your pupils dilate, and you tremble. These physical changes, in turn, prompt the feeling of fear. Not the other way around.
The theory originated from the work of William James, an American philosopher and psychologist, and Carl Lange, a Danish physiologist. Both James and Lange independently proposed similar ideas in the late 19th century. James emphasized the somatic and visceral responses to stimuli that can prompt conscious emotional experiences, while Lange explored emotion as a cardiovascular event. Despite their different emphases, both scientists agreed that emotions do not begin with the conscious experience of feeling them, but with bodily responses to stimuli. What we feel is ultimately determined by our interpretation of these physiological changes.
Leveraging the James-Lange theory in everyday life
This reframed understanding can help us manage and regulate our emotional response by providing insights into the physiological processes that underlie our emotional experiences. Consider the benefits:
Recognizing physiological changes: By being aware of the physical changes associated with different emotions, we can better understand our emotional responses and those of others. This can help us communicate more effectively and level up our empathy.
Emotional intelligence and regulation: Knowing that emotions are a result of physiological arousal can help us develop strategies for managing our reactivity and amplify our emotional intelligence If we notice tension in our neck coupled with a spiking heart rate, we can proactively meditate to take the edge off.
Cognitive reframing: The James-Lange theory suggests that our interpretation of physiological changes plays a role in determining the emotional response we experience. By changing our cognitive assessment, we can alter our emotional experience. When our heart rate spikes, instead of interpreting it as an indicator of fear and anxiety, we can reframe it as excitement.
Emotional resilience: Awareness of the physiological processes underlying emotions can help us build emotional resilience by encouraging us to view emotional experiences as a natural part of the human experience rather than something to be avoided or suppressed.
The James-Lange theory offers a unique perspective on the nature of emotions to enhance our self-awareness and emotional intelligence. While counterintuitive, the framework supports better recognition, regulation, and reframing of emotional experiences through the mindful observation of physiological cues. By heightening awareness of mind-body connections, we can develop strategies to proactively shape our emotional response before losing control.
The behaviors of highly creative people
We romanticize creatives for good reason – Life is pretty magical when you’re plugged into the ether. But divine inspiration set aside, creative folks have ten more things in common:
They step outside convention and search for possibilities.
They keep their heads in the clouds and dare to dream.
They spend time outdoors and evoke the forces of nature.
They’re always learning something new.
They expand their self-awareness.
They revel in independence.
They embrace new ideas and see the big picture.
They explore the unknown and find joy in the pursuit.
They take risks.
They practice creativity every day.
The lesson? Be passionate and free, and express yourself authentically.
An animal myself
Erica Berry wants us to examine our feral nature. The writer of Wolfish suggests that by imagining ourselves as animals, we tune into the wider world and make better sense of our humanity. Playing make-believe as a bear seems silly, but it taps into the human desire to transcend our limited perspective and inhabit other forms. Across history and culture, our species has gone to lengths to blur the human-animal divide. And while we may never fully appreciate a bat’s experience, roleplaying helps us close the gap with our primal roots. It’s a reminder we’re not distinct from nature, but part of an intricate life matrix surviving together on this planet.
Learning how to focus
Ten years of monking deserves respect in our books, so take Dandapani’s advice seriously. The Hindu priest and entrepreneur explains the nature of distractibility, and the countermeasures to help reign in our focus. We struggle with concentration for two reasons – We’re never taught how, and we don’t make the effort to practice. Our waking hours reinforce sloppy attention habits, where awareness skips from one point to the next. Instead of multitasking, we should aim to understand the workings of the mind by training our focus on one thing at a time. Then we can make it a part of our everyday routine.
For everyone feeling stuck
Zach Anaya describes himself as a kid chasing his dreams. Wise beyond his years, the filmmaker presents a cinematic short to sum up the feeling of being stuck. When life piles on, we slip into patterns of distraction and avoidance. We lose ourselves in our feelings, obsessing over the past and worrying about the future. In that moment, we’re enslaved to the machine and forget who we are. But everything changes when we bring our attention back to the present. When last did you read a book or take a road trip with friends? When last did you go dancing or enjoy a walk in nature? Stop whatever you’re doing and remember to live.