Get Wiser October: Be Your Own Ally – Self Care and Emotional Resilience
“How to be your own ally: Self-care and emotional resilience” was the topic of discussion in the October Get Wiser by Elise Duncan, a Clinical Psychologist and hosted by Chevron Australia.
Elise said that mental health issues often arise from pushing too hard for too long or having unrealistic expectations of oneself. She talked about the different information processed in three levels of the brain (Thinking Brain, Emotion Brain and Survival Brain) and what happens when we become tressed. She highlighted the importance of recognising whether ones nervous system activation is too high (hyper-arousal), too low (hypo- arousal) or in the optimal zone (Window of tolerance).
Even when not under threat, our minds wander to negative thoughts because of the brain’s Default Mode Network which focuses on the negative as a means of protection. We build expectations based on past experiences. Although these “Mental shortcuts” save energy, they can be unhelpful if left unchecked.
Including frequent mindful breaks in your day, consciously taking in the good, and bringing conscious awareness to things you do on autopilot can help tame the mind. Understanding the mind and body are not out to get you can help you decide when to be guided by their signals and when to just let them pass.
