<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today's episode of</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Qualys</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">is from podcast</span> <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/samharris/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">#34 – Sam Harris, Ph.D.: The transformative power of mindfulness</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Qualys</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">is a subscriber-exclusive podcast, released Tuesday through Friday, and published exclusively on our private, subscriber-only podcast feed.</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Qualys</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">is short-hand for "qualifying round," which are typically the fastest laps driven in a race car</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">done before the race to determine starting position on the grid for race day.</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">T</span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">he Qualys</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">are short (i.e., "fast"), typically less than ten minutes, and highlight the best questions, topics, and tactics discussed on</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Drive</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Occasionally, we will also release an episode on the main podcast feed for non-subscribers, which is what you are listening to now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Learn more:</span> <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/podcast/qualys/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://peterattiamd.com/podcast/qualys/</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Subscribe to receive access to all episodes of</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Qualys</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(and other exclusive subscriber-only content):</span> <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Connect with Peter on</span> <a href="http://facebook.com/PeterAttiaMD%5dFacebook"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook.com/PeterAttiaMD</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">|</span> <a href="http://twitter.com/PeterAttiaMD%5dTwitter"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitter.com/PeterAttiaMD</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">|</span> <a href="http://instagram.com/PeterAttiaMD%5dInstagram"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instagram.com/PeterAttiaMD</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Identify Emotional “Boss Fights”
Acknowledge and identify specific situations or types of questions that predictably trigger negative emotional responses, much like a video game character repeatedly dying at the same spot. This self-awareness is the first step to changing your reaction.
2. Practice Early Anger Release
Commit to noticing anger or frustration as early as possible when it arises and consciously letting go of it. The goal is to significantly reduce the duration of the negative emotion, from minutes to mere seconds.
3. Cultivate Mindfulness for Emotions
Develop mindfulness to gain conscious choice over your emotional reactions. Without mindfulness, you remain subject to prolonged negative emotions, unable to alter your state.
4. Reframe Situations (“Firmware Update”)
Actively seek new understandings or “firmware updates” for situations that typically trigger negative emotions. This aims to fundamentally change your perspective and prevent the usual emotional response.
5. Enlist Emotional Feedback System
Utilize close family members or trusted individuals as an early warning system for your emotional states. Their ability to detect subtle signs of anger, knowing your commitment to release it, can help you let go sooner.
6. Embrace Empathy in Service
When encountering negative customer service experiences, adopt an empathetic posture by considering the difficulty of the service person’s job. This reframing can transform your interaction and prevent personal frustration.
7. Reframe Traffic with Content
When stuck in traffic, reframe the delay as an opportunity to enjoy engaging content like podcasts. This modulates your state by finding a “silver lining” in an otherwise negative situation.
8. Combine Mindfulness & Framing
Integrate both mindful awareness of emotional triggers and proactive reframing or “firmware updates” to achieve a more powerful and comprehensive approach to managing your emotional responses.