Emotions are instigators of action.  Depending on what triggers an individual, emotions can cause quick reactions.  Reactions are deeply engrained habitual responses.   Douglas Reeves and Elle Allison in Renewal Coaching (2009) describe this trigger chain reaction as due to the structure of the brain.   The thalamus is a traffic controller which will directly send information to the amygdala, bypassing the neocortex where thinking occurs (Goleman and Gurin, 1993).  Renewal coaches ask clients to tune in to the emotional patterns and the thoughts behind them.  Coaches encourage clients to disrupt their patterns through even small changes.  Such questioning creates a powerful antidote to existing, emotionally toxic thoughts and actions.  These questions cause a client to process emotional stimuli by sending them back to the neocortex for a dose of reason, resulting in a deliberate decision to engage in processing and reflection.

How often do you take time to ponder, reflect and question your actions or reactions?  What new habits have you developed after the coaching experience?

May you be renewed daily through the gift of coaching.

by Janet Bliss Mello