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Roadmap/Checklist for the Toolkit
To get the most out of the toolkit, please follow this step-by-step guide. Each step builds on skills and information learned in the step before, so be sure to follow them in order.
Feel free to work at your own pace, stay on each step into you feel comfortable with it, and watch and review the material as many times as you need.
Step 1: Getting started
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Watch the Video: Emotions Matter! (4:03) – Discover the powerful role of emotions and how they can make the difference between success and failure in every aspect of life. |
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Watch the video: Roadblocks to Awareness (2:54) – Identify thoughts and habits that interfere with your ability to understand yourself, connect to others, and manage your emotions. |
PrintStep 2: Learn quick stress relief (1st core skill)
Being able to manage and relieve stress in the moment is the key to staying balanced, focused, and in control, no matter what challenges you face. Step 2 teaches you how to recognize when you’re stressed and quickly bring yourself back into balance.
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Watch the video: Quick Stress Relief (4:11) – Investigate the fastest way to de-stress in the moment—a tool you can use no matter what you’re doing or where you are. |
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Read: Quick Stress Relief: Fast and Effective Ways to Rapidly Reduce Stress – Learn to spot stressors and stay in control when the pressure builds. |
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Read: Be a Stress Busting Detective – Learn to identify the types of stress-busting sensory input that work quickly and effectively for you. |
Step 3: Learn why emotional awareness matters (2nd core skill)
You can’t effectively manage your emotions or harness their power unless you’re aware of them. It sounds simple, but many people aren’t in touch with how they feel from moment-to-moment. Step 3 teaches you about the importance of emotional awareness and how you can use it to understand yourself better and regain your balance.
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Watch the video: Developing Emotional Awareness (2:50) – Learn about the importance of knowing what you are feeling and why and the link between your emotions and your body. |
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Read: Developing Emotional Awareness: Recognizing and Harnessing the Power of Your Emotions – Learn how to recognize and manage uncomfortable feelings so you remain in control, rather than being overwhelmed. |
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Watch the video: Unexpected Rewards (4:30) – Uncover the numerous rewards of being aware and in control of your emotions, including self-confidence and better relationships. |
Step 4: Practice the Ride the Wild Horse audio meditation
Ride the Wild Horse is a 2-part audio mindfulness meditation designed to help you build your emotional awareness while staying calm and in control. Step 4 teaches you how to safely connect to what you feel without becoming overwhelmed.
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Watch the video: Harness Your Emotions (3:31) – Learn about an audio mindfulness meditation that teaches you how to manage and harness even your most unpleasant and frightening emotions. |
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Read: How to Ride the Wild Horse: Guidelines for Learning and Practicing the Meditation – Use this guide to prepare for the audio mindfulness meditation. |
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Listen & Practice: Ride the Wild Horse Introduction and Beginning Meditation (around 30 min.) – Listen to the introduction, then follow the audio mindfulness meditation. You can choose to listen to either a female or male voice. Don’t proceed to the advanced meditation until you’re comfortable with this step. |
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Listen & Practice: Advanced Introduction and Advanced Meditation (around 35 min.) – This is a more advanced version of the Ride the Wild Horse mindfulness meditation. Listen to the introduction to the advanced exercise and then do the advanced meditation, choosing from either a female or male voice. |
Step 5: Integrate the toolkit into your life
To solidify the skills you’ve learned and integrate them into your life, you’ll need to practice until they come naturally. With regular practice, you can actually change your brain in ways that will make you feel more confident, resilient, and in control. These final steps will help you groove this new learning into your brain.
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Watch the video: It's Up To You (3:50) – Claim your emotional power. You can change the way you think, feel, and act—bringing your life into balance—by practicing two core skills. |
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Talk to a good listener. Talk to an interested, non-judgmental listener about your experiences with the Ride the Wild Horse meditation. Try to do this within 36 hours if possible. |
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Continue to practice the meditation until you’re able to stay connected to your physical and emotional feelings, and are secure in your ability to remain calm and focused under stress. |
Additional benefits for your relationships
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Read: Nonverbal Communication : The Power of Nonverbal Communication and Body Language |
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Read: Playful Communication in Relationships: The Power of Laughter, Humor, and Play |
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Read: Conflict Resolution : Managing and Resolving Conflict in a Positive Way |
Science supporting the toolkit
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Watch the video: Why is emotion so important (6:14) – Dr. Allan Schore – Clinical Faculty & Researcher, Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA |
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Watch the video: What’s new in Neuroscience (5:03) – Mary Helen Immordino–Yang, Ed.D. – Cognitive Neuroscientist, Brain and Creativity Institute, USC |
