Handle Emotions (Yours and Theirs) Without Freezing

Emotional regulation under pressure — how to stay calm under pressure with practical de-escalation techniques and emotional intelligence skills. This episode gives you a step-by-step, science-based guide to handle emotions (yours and theirs) without freezing using tools like naming emotions, tactical breathing, and conflict de-escalation. Learn simple, repeatable scripts to prevent amygdala hijack, communicate under stress, and defuse tense conversations in minutes instead of hours.

What You'll Learn:

• Use a quick brain model (amygdala vs. pre-frontal cortex) to recognize what’s happening in your body the moment you start to feel overwhelmed.
• Apply a 60-second tactical breathing protocol you can use in real meetings, conflicts, or emergencies to stay calm under pressure.
• Practice naming emotions—yours and theirs—in simple, non-therapy language that dials down intensity and restores rational thinking.
• Spot two high-risk triggers (perceived criticism and status threat) early so you can de-escalate before conflict explodes.
• Use the L.E.A.P. micro-script (Listen, Empathize, Agree on something small, Partner toward a next step) to handle other people’s emotions without getting hooked.
• Shift your communication under stress from defending and explaining to validating and collaborating, even when the other person is heated.
• Create a tiny, real-world experiment this week—one small action—to build emotional regulation and de-escalation into a repeatable habit.
• Capture the key ideas in writing and identify one specific situation in your life right now where you’ll apply these emotional intelligence skills.