The One You Feed How to Manage Our Internal Chatter with Ethan Kross
Aug 16, 2024
Ethan Kross, an award-winning professor and director of the Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory at the University of Michigan, shares insights on managing internal chatter. He discusses the benefits of distant self-talk for resilience and the surprising role of nature in reducing negative emotions. Kross explains techniques like mental time travel and expressive writing to navigate stress and enhance self-reflection. He emphasizes mindfulness and environmental cues as tools to tame emotional reactivity, fostering a more balanced inner dialogue.
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The Two Wolves and Emotional Nuance
- We often struggle between positive and negative internal forces.
- Negative emotions, like anxiety, can be useful in small doses, motivating us to prepare and improve performance.
Emotional Toolkit
- Use both mindfulness (acceptance) and cognitive (thought-changing) approaches for managing emotions.
- Different tools work for different situations and people, so diversify your emotional toolkit.
Emotional and Cognitive Needs in Conversations
- Productive conversations about struggles address both emotional and cognitive needs.
- Venting emotions alone can strengthen bonds but doesn't always reduce upset.
