Ep.3/ Mastering Emotional Regulation
AKA how to not lose your sh*t when you’re stressed. overwhelmed. experiencing burnout. need a break. frustrated. feeling on the edge.
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Have you seen that new movie on Netflix with Reese Witherspoon - You’re Cordially Invited? In several scenes her character, Margot, absolutely loses it! Goes from a put together LA producer, to finding ways to get the other bridal party’s day ruined. I mean, absolutely crazy things in the moment that she’s shocked (and embarrassed) with herself for doing later. Although this makes for fabulous entertainment, it’s not cool in real life.
Nobody loves the feeling of “losing control” of their emotions, right? That feeling of being so overwhelmed that the smallest thing can set you off. You go from being okay, to snapping at your partner, falling into the overthinking spiral, or maybe completely shutting down.
You may have tried to counteract it with positive thoughts or pushing those feelings down, down, down…. but even if that works temporarily, it’s not a good long term plan.
That’s where training your emotional regulation muscle comes in…
Ep.3/
Mastering Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is your ability to manage your emotional responses, rather than letting them hijack you. It’s not about ignoring emotions or pretending everything is fine—it’s about understanding, processing, and responding to emotions in a way that serves you rather than sabotages you. I mean, you don’t want be a Margot. Well, not Margot from the beginning of the movie, maybe last scene Margot ;)
Here’s the thing: Your emotions aren’t the enemy. They’re messengers.
But if you don’t know how to regulate them, they can feel like tidal waves that pull you under. Learning how to ride those waves instead of drowning in them? That’s the game-changer.
Signs You Might Need Better Emotional Regulation:
✅ You snap at people when you’re stressed and regret it later.
✅ You bottle everything up until you explode (or shut down).
✅ You numb out with social media, food, or Netflix instead of dealing with emotions.
✅ You overthink every situation, replaying conversations and worrying about worst-case scenarios.
✅ You feel exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of burnout, anxiety, or frustration.
Keep things simple.
Let’s not overcomplicate this. Here are three simple habits to start adding to your toolbox. So next time you’re feeling like you might blow your cork, give one of these a go.
Label your emotion. Yep, simply naming what you are feeling is proven to help you process it faster, and take a bit of it’s power away. Shift from reacting to understanding.
🧠 “I feel overwhelmed because I have too much on my plate.”
💙 “I feel frustrated because I’m not being heard.”
🔥 “I feel anxious because I don’t know how this will turn out.”
Create an emotional buffer zone. Meaning, simply find a way to put yourself on a bit of pause before things blow up. When we go from one stressor to the next (maybe those back to back meetings?!), we don’t give ourself a moment to reset and that can turn into overwhelm. How can you create a bit of space for yourself to process? Maybe try:
🕰️ Take 2 minutes between meetings or tasks to pause, breathe, or stretch.
📵 Set phone-free time in the mornings or evenings to avoid constant stimulation.
🌿 Go for a walk without distractions—no phone, no podcast, just fresh air.
Shift your perspective. Take a moment to think what you can learn from the situation. Now I know this one can be a bit of a stretch at times, but I swear by it! It’s the best way to take your power back in a situation. Like hey, this might suck, but I now know in the future (not) to ____. It helps take you out of victim mode and be in the know.
🔄 “What is this teaching me?”
🔄 “How can I handle this differently next time?”
🔄 “What do I need to support myself through this?”
Bonus tip for those emergency situations - fav song + dancing. The two together are absolute genius, but even a little boogie in the bathroom stall in silence will shift those emotions and maybe even give you a little giggle at yourself to help you move out of the danger zone of doing or saying something you might regret.
If this was helpful and you would like to learn more tools to uplevel your life, then please book a free 15 minute chat with me here.
Wherever you are in your journey, remember that: