Meditation Offers Emotional Regulation
Life is full of emotional triggers. A critical comment from a coworker. An unexpected bill. A frightening news headline. A disagreement with a loved one. These moments can spark immediate emotional reactions that seem to take over before we have time to think. For many people, emotions feel like powerful forces that happen to them. Anger erupts. Anxiety spirals. Fear takes control. Before long, words are spoken, decisions are made, and actions are taken that may later be regretted. Meditation offers another possibility. It teaches us that between what happens to us and how we respond lies a space. Within that space lives one of our greatest human gifts: choice. The Space Between Stimulus and Response When an emotional trigger appears, our minds often react automatically. A rude comment may generate anger. Uncertainty may generate fear. An unexpected setback may generate frustration. These reactions are natural. They are part of being human. The problem is not that emotions arise....