How to Coach Yourself and Others Essential Knowledge For Coaching | Page 424

What are your triggers?
We all have pet-peeves, things that get under our skin, and certain issues
that just set us off. The awareness of these triggers is a crucial starting
place to achieving emotional balance. Being prepared and ready to deal
with frustration and irritation helps us intervene before our emotions
get the best of us.
Think about a situation that triggers you: What are you doing? Are you
with anybody specific or at a certain place? How does this trigger make
you feel?
Techniques to keep yourself in balance
Centering
When we get really emotional this leads to strong physical and mental
effects. Our heart rate increases, body temperature rises, and breathing
becomes rapid and shallow. We may have racing thoughts and begin
thinking in a way that exacerbates our emotional experience.
Learning to settle the physical response and the thoughts that are
accompanying them can really help to maintain balance.
Here are five steps to center your state of mind and regain balance.
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

Pause
Slowly breathe in and picture a calming person, place, or object
in your mind.
Exhale slowly through your mouth breathing out the negative
feeling.
Continue deep breathing and as you inhale imagine taking in the
calming peaceful image, and breathing out the negative feelings
and thoughts.
Continue breathing in and out at least 10 times, and incorporate
some stretching and muscle relaxation by rolling