90 Second PAUSE…
by meditative - July 9th, 2019.Filed under: Insights for Mindful Intelligence.
Research has shown that the average emotion physiologically lasts only about 90 seconds. The reason emotions can seem to last longer is because we re-trigger and fuel them with the energy of our thoughts. The patterns of thought that quickly arise during a heightened “feeling state” often lead to what is referred to as emotional hijacking- where waves of impulse override rationality.
Mindfulness can help us to become reflexively aware of our arising emotions, and anchoring our attention on our breath instead of our thoughts with a 90-second pause may be all the time we need to sustain our self-control and to ride out the affective impulses that subconsciously feed our reactive tendencies.
Taking a 90-second PAUSE allows the rational brain (pre-frontal cortex) the time it needs to override the circuitry of our limbic system so that we may act in a more emotionally & socially intelligent manner.