Emotion’s speed of action is ultrasonic. They act with such speed that they make the analytical brain’s movements look like tired snails.  Emotional reactions are measured in thousandths of a second and develop so fast that it would be impossible for us to be conscious of their decisions to react or when those decisions are made.  They flare, and only then do they report their actions in feelings that surge within us.  And we are grateful or disturbed in retrospect only.  

Emotions Don’t Stop to Consider What Should Be Done. 

• There is no thorough examination of options or thoughtful weighing of consequences.
• Whatever is a felt need is acted upon immediately.  
• We are programed for action at a speed faster than thought and conscious reflection.  

When we “see” danger, for example, a message, encoded in electrical currents, travels at ultrasonic speed to the back of our brain. It is then routed to the cortex where the higher functions of thought and perception take place.  This is where the message is decoded and, for the first time, we know what we are seeing.  Emotion’s speed in this process is a nanosecond. 

Emotion’s Speed Has Profound Meaning to Understanding of Our Emotions  

Emotions fire and appropriately alert our system automatically without our making a decision.  So the powerful surge the NF suddenly feels  is not something they can be held accountable for. All of us will feel this surge, but the NF does so with greater intensity.

How often has the emotionally sensitive person been harangued with accusations like these:

• “Why can’t you control yourself?”
• “What’s wrong with you?  Can’t you think before you react?”
• “Suck it up, and keep your cool.” 
• “For goodness sake!  Can’t you think?”  

The intensity with which a hurt is registered in NFs and other emotionally sensitive individuals is hard enough to handle without these accusations.  But hopefully, to understand that the emotions surged within them before they knew what was happening should give a new perspective and a sense of relief.  

In the next article, we’ll look at four reasons why understanding emotion’s speed will give a new perspective and a relief to the emotionally sensitive person.

Resources to Help You:

THE WONDERFUL TRUTH ABOUT EMOTION

Are there such things as intelligent emotions? Intelligently Emotional will argue that there are. And they are the ones we must focus on if we want to know success.

Ray W. Lincoln will show us how understanding the patterns of emotion in our temperament will enable us to manage our emotions effectively. If you long to know how to understand your emotions and the immense power of your feelings, Intelligently Emotional  will show you the way.  The path to real emotional intelligence requires learning to partner with intelligent emotions.

DISCOVER THE TRUTH OF WHO YOU ARE!

Lean into the whole truth.  Discover the truth of who YOU are — the “Real You” — and who your children truly are.  Discover how to best engage your children in finding the whole truth.  INNERKINETICS, Your Blueprint to Excellence will guide you in that

Our team at InnerKinetics is ready to provide that help, too.  If you’d like some assistance, you can request a consultation.  An InnerKinetics consultant will call you to answer questions and schedule your meeting. Schedule an Initial Consultation. Alternatively, if you are more independent and want to cut to the chase, you need not wait for a call back. You can get answers to your questions and schedule your session HERE.

Our first and most important task in a world-changing mission is to learn how to think straight (and teach straight thinking) and combat the insurgence of crooked thinking in our culture and in our world today. If we become passive victims of this crooked way of thinking, we promote it. Furthermore, if we remain silent, we also give it credence. In Who Am I?, the reader progresses from how we have become “crooked thinkers” to how to break out of this prison of the mind to become instruments of change for a better world.  We do this by recognizing from where we derive our value as humans. “Build a straight and powerful mind.” ~ Ray W. Lincoln