OVERWHELMED?

BOOST BLISS WITH A ‘BRAIN HUDDLE’

When you’re feeling stress from many different directions, you can call on the wisdom of your whole brain by doing a “brain huddle,” advises Bolte Taylor.

To find peace in 90 seconds, just focus on the acronym BRAIN. That stands for Breathe, Recognize, Appreciate, Inquire and Navigate, explains Bolte Taylor. Just breathe to center yourself. Next, recognize which of the four brain regions (described above) is in charge. Appreciate that you have all four available at any moment. Inquire within and invite all of them into the ‘huddle’ so they can collectively plan your next move. Navigate the situation with all four areas offering their strengths.

Bringing them into harmony lets you negotiate the world with less stress and more confidence. “If someone walks into the room and is rude, for example, I can say to myself, Oh gosh, I think they’re in their fearful, self-protective Left Emotion brain,” says Bolte Taylor. “And that gives me choices of how to respond. The number-one job we have is to love one another, and knowing how your Four Characters interact with each other helps you understand yourself and others.”