Have you ever found yourself reacting to a stressful situation with anger, anxiety, or a complete shutdown?
If so, you’ve experienced the power of your survival brain at work. This part of our brain is designed to protect us from threats, but in today’s world, those threats are rarely life-threatening. Yet, our brain reacts as if they are, and that’s where problems begin.
Our brain’s survival mode is a primitive response, hardwired to ensure our survival in a world full of physical dangers. When our ancestors faced a predator, their brains would switch into this mode, triggering one of four responses: Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Appease. These responses helped them stay alive, but in the modern world, where the “threats” are more psychological – like a looming deadline, a difficult conversation, or social pressure – these same responses can do more harm than good.
Let’s break down these responses:
- Fight: This might look like lashing out at an employee during a stressful meeting or arguing with a loved one over a small misunderstanding. It’s an aggressive stance that aims to overpower the perceived threat, but it often escalates conflict instead of resolving it.
- Flight: When we flee, we’re avoiding the situation entirely – dodging difficult conversations, skipping out on high priority tasks, or running away from our responsibilities. While this might provide temporary relief, it leaves problems unresolved and can lead to feelings of guilt or shame.
- Freeze: Here, we become paralysed. Imagine sitting in front of your computer, staring at an overwhelming to-do list but unable to start. You’re stuck, unable to decide on a course of action, and this paralysis can lead to missed opportunities and increased stress.
- Appease: In this response, we try to smooth things over, often at our own expense. We might agree with others just to avoid conflict, or we might focus on fixing everything except the real issue at hand. This can lead to feelings of resentment and burnout as we ignore our own needs to keep the peace.
These responses are automatic, often happening without our conscious awareness. They’re the brain’s way of trying to keep us safe, but they’re based on a misinterpretation of what’s really happening. Instead of facing physical danger, we’re dealing with emotional and psychological stressors. Unfortunately, the survival brain isn’t equipped to handle these types of challenges.
Why being stuck in survival mode is a huge problem for creative humans.
When we’re stuck in survival mode, we’re not able to access our full cognitive abilities or process our emotions effectively. The executive brain, responsible for complex thinking, decision-making, and creativity, is essentially offline. Instead, we’re reacting instinctively, which can lead to poor decisions, strained relationships, and a sense of being out of control.
One of the biggest challenges of being in survival mode is that we often don’t realise we’re there. The survival brain doesn’t have self-awareness – it’s too busy trying to keep us safe. As a result, we might go through life feeling constantly stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, without understanding why. This can lead to chronic stress, burnout, and even physical health issues.
So, how do we break free from this cycle?
The first step is recognising when you’re in survival mode. Pay attention to how you’re feeling and how you’re responding to stress. Are you quick to anger? Do you avoid difficult situations? Do you feel stuck or unable to make decisions? Are you constantly trying to keep the peace, even at your own expense? These are signs that your survival brain is in control.
Once you recognise these patterns, you can begin to shift out of survival mode and into a more balanced state. This is where NeuroEmotional Coaching comes in. By working with your brain’s natural chemistry, NeuroEmotional Coaching is designed to help and empower you to process emotions, reduce stress, and regain control over your reactions. It allows you to access your executive brain more easily, so you can think clearly, make better decisions, and navigate life’s challenges with greater ease.
If you find yourself constantly stuck in survival mode, know that you’re not alone – and that there is a way out. This is precisely why I do the work that I do, because I’ve been there and I’ve found my way out. NeuroEmotional Coaching offers techniques to help you enhance emotional regulation, fostering more effective ways of communicating, greater team creativity and amplifying your leadership impact.
If this resonates with you, and you’re ready to explore how NeuroEmotional Coaching can help, I invite you to reach out and book a free call. Together, we can work to get you unstuck and moving forward with clarity and confidence.
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