What's in Your Glass? Part 2

Metaphorically, your brain is your “glass.” When you experience trauma or an event that could be disruptive or have a communication misunderstanding, or something triggers unhappy memories from childhood, think of brain as having just been bumped into. What spills out is whatever was in your brain. If the contents involves “low levels of Emotional Intelligence (EQ),” your brain will spill out JOT behaviors such as Jumping to conclusions, Overreacting, and Taking things personally—behaviors that will likely give you negative outcomes that may involve some “messes” that will take some doing to clean up (if they even can be cleaned up). If the contents of your brain involves “high levels of EQ skills,” it will spill out AAA behaviors that will likely avoid or minimize conflict, be reasonable, will result in positive outcomes, and create very few messes. Bottom line: no person forces you exhibit dysfunctional behaviors. The behaviors that you exhibit—that come out of your brain—are ones that were already in there. Fill your glass—your brain—with care. In adulthood, what it contains is largely your choice.