12.24 Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett: Managing Your Emotions

“Emotions are not reactions to the world; they are your constructions of the world.” - Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett

Do you manage your emotions, or do they manage you?

Dr. Barrett is a leading expert on how our brains construct emotions.

She wrote, “Emotions are not reactions to the world; they are your constructions of the world,” and, “Human beings are not at the mercy of mythical emotion circuits … we are architects of our own experience.”

Her theory is that emotions aren’t automatic reactions — they’re created by your brain based on how it interprets what’s happening around and inside you.

Your brain doesn’t just feel happy, sad, or scared automatically. It looks at what’s happening, remembers similar situations, and decides how to feel.

That means you can train your brain to have better emotional reactions by noticing your thoughts and choosing more helpful ways to think.

Nervous about a test or game? Instead of thinking, “I’m going to fail,” think, “This is a chance to show what I’ve learned.” Your brain will create a more confident, calm emotion.

Question of the Day: How can you better manage your thoughts and emotions?