Hello, hi, 👋
Happy Sunday to you, my friends. Here’s hoping yesterday was calm & today is filled with adventure.
A quick apology before we jump in:
I accidentally uploaded the wrong file to this week’s episode when it was first published. (Thanks to the listeners who sent me a note so I could fix it!)
If the old file is still playing for you, simply delete the download & redownload (on Apple Pods) or “mark as played” & play again (on Spotify).
Ok, let's get into it.
❤️🔥 THE DAILY CHASE #93
Your Emotions Aren't Your Boss
As Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey write in "Build the Life You Want," your emotions are like weather to a construction company.
When it rains or snows, it affects the ability to get work done. But the right response isn't to try to change the weather (which is impossible) or wish the weather was different (which doesn't help).
The appropriate thing to do is have a contingency plan for when the weather doesn't cooperate.
Most of us live as if we're completely at the mercy of our emotional weather. Someone cuts us off in traffic and we let that anger control the next hour of our day. We receive criticism and allow shame to derail our entire week. We feel fear about an upcoming challenge and suddenly we're paralyzed, unable to take any productive action.
But here's what we often forget - emotions are simply taps on the shoulder that something deserves our attention. Nothing more. You can't choose your feelings, but you can choose your reactions to your feelings.
When someone abandons you, you will feel sadness. That's natural and appropriate. But you can choose whether to continue feeling anger and bitterness for months or years afterward. The sadness serves a purpose - it signals that you've lost something important. The extended anger and bitterness serve no constructive purpose.
This process of managing negative emotions is called metacognition - essentially thinking about your thinking. It's experiencing your emotions consciously, understanding them, and refusing to be controlled by them.
The key is moving from unconscious reaction to conscious response. When you feel that initial emotional hit - the anger, fear, or shame - that's your limbic system doing its job of keeping you alive.
But then you have a choice.
You can let it move into your amygdala where it festers and grows, or you can bring it up to your prefrontal cortex where you can examine it thoughtfully.
The construction company doesn't rage against the rain. They adapt their plans and keep building.
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🗓️ THIS WEEK
What we put out into the world over the last 7 days.
The ABCDs of Real Health: Attitude, Basics, Consistency & Discipline
Cutting through the clutter of health misinformation and discovering the essential habits that lead to real change.
The Daily Chase
Brief, focused essays delivered each weekday morning to Chase Club members.
#91: Beyond Good and Bad
On Tuesday, Ben and I are talking about how society has normalized poor health choices to the point where prioritizing your wellbeing makes you seem "weird."
We'll explore why choosing to go to bed early, skip dessert, or stretch at your kid's game draws curious looks, and how embracing this healthy "weirdness" might be the key to thriving in a world where being sick has become the norm.
Until then, keep on chasing.
🤙🏼 Patrick
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