This module covers self regulation which is the ability to manage yourself and bring yourself back into balance following a disturbing physical or emotional experience.
Stress factors and personal resilience
Stress factors can include:
Unexpected shocks
Overload
Uncertainty
Interpesonal discord
People differ in the impact of stressors to their system – no single factor is universal
Some stressors are immediate due to their ‘shock effect’ and some affect us over the longer term
Your physical state is your psychological foundation
If your physical state is not being managed well, you will not be able to improve your psychological state.
Your physical state drives your emotional state. It is very important to know how to keep your body in balance in order to manage your emotional life and, as a result, your mental life.
We are all made of chemicals and elements, but sometimes we forget that our bodies are just as important as (if not more important than) our minds in managing our stress and our emotions.
This is easy to forget due to the emphasis on our mental life in modern society.
Introducing you to your vagus nerve
The vagus nerve is the ‘master regulator’ of your ‘autonomic’ nervous system – the system that manages many of your bodies internal functions automatically.
When we are shocked or stressed, the vagus nerve sends signals that tell the body to prepare for fight or flight. When the threat subsides, the vagus nerve returns to its resting state.
Luckily, we can also change our ‘vagus nerve state’ consciously if we want to bring ourselves back to equilibrium.
What state are we in?
High arousal (fight/flight)
Adrenaline and cortisol peak
Beating heart, fast breathing, sweaty palms, tense muscles
Fixed eyes, hypervigilance
Under arousal (chronic stress)
Low serotonin and dopamine
Sluggish energy, fatigue, mental exhaustion
Apathy and lack of ‘attention out’
Equilibrium (rest digest and enjoy)
Optimum hormone and neurotransmitter balance
Slow breathing, relaxed muscle tone
Focussed attention or mental relaxation
The three shock emotions
There are three basic 'shock' emotions, any of which can occur after a shock to the system.
Anger is an important response that we all need, it relates to defending our territory. Animals that are angry fight to prevent themselves or others from harm. You may need to access anger if you or one of your loved ones is under threat.
Fear causes us to freeze or to flee as a response to protect our bodies and ensure our survival. Physical, social and relationship fear can all make us freeze or be startled.
Panic or grief are the response to the potential or actual loss of loved ones and social relationships. Grief causes us to retreat from the world allowing us time to process the feelings of sadness with an aim to coming to terms with what
we have lost. We may seek out others to cling to and support us so that we can cope with losses or difficulties.
Introducing the Leading Libraries series. It covers the findings from the C21st Public Servant research, the origins of the four 'Leading for' capabilities and explains how to use the materials.
This set introduces you to resilience and why it is important for leaders. It covers emotional resilience; mental resilience; relationship resilience and social resilience.
It covers the key concepts of dialogue and why it is important for leaders, listening and inquiry skills, an introduction to 'conversational moves' and how to create a space for dialogue.
Emphasising the need for inclusive practice in our services and communities. It covers the foundations of inclusion, barriers to inclusion, power and privilege and allyship skills.
Building creativity and design skills for leaders. It covers the innovation cycle, diagnosis and perspective shifting skills, creative idea generation and safe-to-fail experimentation.
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