Facing Our Modern-Day Sabre-Tooth Tigers

Imagine this: You're about to head into a job interview, remind a friend about the $20 they owe you from six weeks ago, or perhaps embark on a new project that feels daunting. Suddenly, your palms get sweaty, your heart races, and a voice in your head screams, “Abort mission! Retreat!” It might seem a tad dramatic, especially when there's no real Sabre-tooth tiger in sight, but your body's reaction is very much in line with how our ancient ancestors might have felt when faced with real threats.

The Caveperson Dilemma: It's Not Just About Tigers

Stepping out of your Paleolithic cave, every sense was on high alert. Spot a Sabre-tooth? Sprint away, Fight it, or Freeze... Notice a delicious fruit tree? Race to Feast on it before anyone else. This primal "avoid danger, seek reward" mechanism is deeply embedded within us. In the modern world, the tigers might be metaphorical, but our reactions can be just as intense. That's because our brains are wired to move away from perceived threats and towards perceived rewards.

Modern-Day Emotions: Not So Different After All

From job interviews to personal confrontations to trying out a new experience, our body's reaction is rooted in these ancient survival instincts. The challenges have changed, but the reactions? Not so much. Our bodies may not differentiate between an upcoming job interview or a potentially uncomfortable conversation, causing those strong emotional "Alarms" in our body, Often from stored emotional echoes stored in our bodies that current situation is reminding us of...

So what can we do...How about trying this:

Turn towards the discomfort like you would if a good friend or young child is facing the same thing. Only thing is now, we play both roles. The part of us remembering this past discomfort and how to escape it, and the good friend that helps them sit through this...allowing our system to see we can be with this. The more we do it, the more we unfold and can be with even more challenging emotions...Kind of like emotional reps at the gym...

Exercise: Embracing Our Inner Caveperson in Everyday Situations

1. Recognize the Reaction: Notice your body's response in challenging situations. Heart racing? Hands sweating? Recognize these as signs of your body going into its primal defensive mode.
2. Pause and Breathe: Before reacting, take a deep breath. Check your surroundings. If you're safe, give yourself a moment to breathe and center.
3. Acknowledge the Defense Mechanism: Understand that this protective reaction is natural. It's been with us since our saber-tooth dodging days. Affirm to yourself, "This is just my body's way of trying to keep me safe."
4. Thank & Reassure: Express gratitude to that protective part of you. A simple, "Thank you for looking out for me, but I've got this. We are safe," can help shift your mindset.
5. Unblend from the Reaction: Remember the TED* roles from the power of TED* Book we talked about last edition? Tap into the Creator, Challenger, and Coach within you, and think about how they would handle the situation.
6. Take Action: Decide on a baby step to move through the challenge. Whether it's starting the conversation, setting boundaries, or recognizing your feelings to address the issue later, choose a way forward.

Moving forward...

Life's challenges, no matter how minor or major, can trigger our ancient instincts. By understanding, acknowledging, and learning to navigate them, we can face these everyday hurdles with grace, understanding, and effectiveness.

Here's to embracing our inner caveperson and navigating our world with wisdom!