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When you are stressed or angry, what are some things that you might do that you feel you have no control over?
Fight or Flight
A quick physical response from our body and our brain to protect us from danger
-To help you get away quickly or fight:
-Heart beats quickly
-blood pumped and oxygen to muscles
=ready for action
-Pupils dilate = More light to help you see better
Your body doesn't know the difference from running away from a saber tooth tiger and spilling chocolate milk on your new shoes
.... but you're body and brain have the same response....
Your body instictively goes into fight or flight mode
When would a fight or flight response not be productive or helpful?
Mindful
Response
Fight or
Flight
Response
Helpful
Information
->Answers to
the test
->Grandma's
birthday
Flight or Flight is the amygdala hijacking the brain
.... it takes over
We need to slow down our thinking and responses so we don't respond like caveman (amygdala)
When our amygdala is calm, our prefrontal cortex can make the right decision!
.... we can do this through mindfulness and breathing
Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.
Mindfulness and breathing techniques, we can slow down our thinking and our responses to situations to help us always make smart choices
Gain control over your body, emotions, and responses to stressful situations.
Gain inner power of yourself
Brings more air to our brain to help our thinking
Mindfulness VS Fight or Flight
1) Failed a test
2) Your mom donates your favorite basketball/shirt/bike
without asking you
3) Your sister took too long getting ready and you missed the
first 20 mins of the movie
4) You didn't win the talent contest
How do i calm down my Amygdala?
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