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How to maintain control when we cannot influence our environment
An emotional reaction to a situation in which you have reduced control - whether it's a test at school, going to the dentist, going out with a girlfriend/boyfriend or the current situation in the world - is completely normal. What is not good is to allow that emotion to paralyze or control you.
It is helpful to talk about feelings. On the way from your head to your mouth and after they are spoken, your emotions become clear and easier to deal with.
One of the effective techniques for recognizing and dealing with emotions is called mindfulness.
Imagine that you sit, lie down or do some activity for about 15 minutes a day in such a way that you try to focus your attention on only one thing, for example on following the inhalation and exhalation, or following a musical performance in such a way that you completely focus on one instrument from the beginning to the end of the song .
Every time your mind wanders, you notice it and just call it back.
Mindfulness can be compared to going to the gym - there we exercise the muscles of the body, and here we exercise the mind, we learn to establish control over our own thoughts.
If you are interested in verified sources, we recommend the application Headspace and a short animated series by the same author that you can watch on Netflix.
When you need help dealing with emotions right away, these short exercises can help you:
👉 GROUNDING (grounding) works in a way that forces our brain to get busy with something else in an instant while thinking up dramatic situations: List to yourself 5 things you see; 4 touch sensations you feel; 3 sounds you hear; try to smell 2 smells in the environment; 1 taste. It seems trite, but it's really useful.
👉 BREATHING: Concentrate on your breath. Try to breathe naturally, but in such a way that you count your inhales and exhales.
You can also try counting, for example from 30 backwards by skipping one number. 30, 28, 26.
Why do I feel a lack of motivation?
Everyone sometimes encounters a lack of motivation to perform certain tasks or jobs. Motivation is the main mechanism that pushes us towards a set goal, and that's why it's hard when it disappears or we can't wake it up.
It is good to know that the motives that move us can be different, they can come from within, from ourselves (intrinsic motivation) and/or from the environment (extrinsic motivation). For example, we can be motivated to exercise by looking better, sporting results, meeting other people's expectations and getting validation from others or our own good feeling it gives us.
➡ When we decide to do something, it is important that it is our decision and not the result of some external pressure. We need to have the opportunity to express our opinion and independently manage what we do.
