In high-performance environments, emotional suppression is often rewarded, but this comes at a cost. When we override or ignore what we feel, we disconnect from ourselves and others. Emotional well-being isn’t about “stuffing it down” at all costs, it’s about learning to feel fully without burning out.
Tuning into your emotions builds self leadership, and models the kind of radical candor and psychological safety that empowers others to do the same.
Consider this, what if we practiced emotional fluency as a form of leadership? That's power.
💡 Reflection Questions:
How do I know when my emotional bandwidth is running low?
When did I last override an emotion to “get the job done”?
What would 5% more emotional authenticity and strength look like in my next difficult conversation?
🦋 Routines:
Self system check-in (how am I feeling? where do I feel it? what do I need right now?)
Somatic practices:
Box Breathing (4-4-4-4): Inhale. Hold. Exhale. Hold. Repeat.
Rhythmic Movement: Walk, bike ride, dance (maybe not at the office).
Hand-to-Heart Reset: Feel your breath. Feel your pulse. Feel what’s true.
Name Without Judgment: “This is frustration.” “This is grief.” “This is joy.” No story, no judgement, just presence.
🌻 Start / Stop / Continue:
Start: Acknowledging and validating your emotions in real time.
Stop: Bottling up “inconvenient” feelings for the sake of performance.
Continue: Giving yourself permission to feel before trying to fix.
How do you care for your emotions when the stakes are high?