When you are not in control of your own life someone or something else is.

How good an individual is at controlling themselves makes all the difference in navigating their life. 

Our perception is our window to the outside world, and our emotions underlie our perception.

Emotional regulation refers to the processes and strategies that individuals use to manage and modify their emotional experiences, expressions, and responses. It is a complex and multifaceted process that involves various cognitive, physiological, and behavioural processes.

Emotional regulation is an important aspect of psychological well-being and is necessary for effective social functioning. People who struggle with emotional regulation may experience a range of negative outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and relationship problems.

Here are some of the key components of emotional regulation:

1. Awareness: The first step in emotional regulation is becoming aware of one's emotional state. This involves recognizing and labelling emotions as they arise, as well as understanding the triggers that lead to these emotions.

2. Acceptance: Once individuals are aware of their emotional state, the next step is to accept and validate these emotions without judgment. This involves acknowledging that all emotions are valid and normal, regardless of whether they are pleasant or unpleasant.

3. Modulation: After becoming aware of and accepting their emotions, individuals can begin to modulate them. This can involve changing the intensity or duration of the emotion, shifting attention to a different task or situation, or using coping strategies to regulate the emotion.

4. Coping Strategies: Coping strategies are techniques that individuals use to manage their emotions. These can include cognitive strategies, such as reframing negative thoughts, as well as behavioural strategies, such as exercise, relaxation techniques, or seeking social support.

5. Flexibility: Emotional regulation is not a one-size-fits-all process. Individuals must be flexible in their approach, adapting their strategies to different situations and emotional experiences.

There are various techniques that individuals can use to enhance their emotional regulation skills. These may include mindfulness meditation, cognitive-behavioural therapy, emotion-focused therapy, and other forms of psychotherapy. Additionally, individuals can improve their emotional regulation skills by practicing self-care, such as getting enough sleep, exercise, and social support.

Overall, emotional regulation is a critical aspect of mental and emotional health. By improving the ability to manage and regulate emotions, individuals can enhance overall well-being and improve  relationships with others.

Humans have a wide range of control over their lives, but the level of control can vary depending on the individual and the specific situation.

One of the areas where humans have significant control is in their ability to make decisions and take action. Humans have the ability to use their intellect, reasoning, and judgment to make choices, set goals, and take steps to achieve those goals. This can include decisions related to career, relationships, health, and personal development.

Humans also have a certain degree of control over their physical and mental health. They have the ability to take care of their bodies through healthy habits such as exercise, nutrition, and sleep. They also have the ability to take care of their mental health through practices such as mindfulness and medication.

Humans also have control over their environment to a certain extent. They have the ability to shape and manipulate their surroundings through technology, architecture, and other forms of design. They also have the ability to impact the environment through their consumption and production habits.

However, there are also many areas where humans do not have complete control. For example, humans do not have complete control over their genetics, their upbringing, their natural environment and the actions of others. Additionally, humans are subject to a wide range of unpredictable events and external factors that can impact their lives, such as natural disasters, economic fluctuations, and global crises.

Overall, humans have a certain degree of control over their lives, but the level of control can vary depending on the individual and the specific situation. It's important to acknowledge that humans have both control and lack of control in different aspects of their lives and learn to balance both.

There are several methods for controlling emotions, which can include:

1. Cognitive restructuring: This involves identifying and changing negative thought patterns that may contribute to negative emotions. By changing the way you think about a situation, you can change the way you feel about it.

2. Mindfulness: This involves being present in the moment and focusing on your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. Mindfulness practices such as meditation and yoga can help to increase awareness and control of your emotions.

3. Relaxation techniques: This can include methods such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization, which can help to reduce stress and tension, and promote a sense of calm.

4. Social support: Having a strong support system can help you to cope with difficult emotions. Talking to friends and family, or joining a support group, can provide a sense of understanding and validation, and can also provide new perspectives on situations.

5. Physical exercise: Physical activity can help to release endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that promote feelings of well-being. Exercise can also help to reduce stress and tension.

6. Self-care: Taking care of oneself through activities such as getting enough sleep, eating well, and engaging in enjoyable activities can help to improve overall mood and emotional well-being.

7. Professional help: If the emotions are too overwhelming or persistent, it may be helpful to seek professional help. A therapist or counsellor can provide guidance and support in developing coping strategies, and can help to identify and address underlying issues that may be contributing to negative emotions.

In summary, shifting from a low mood to a high mood often involves engaging in activities or habits that promote positive thoughts, physical activity, and emotions. This can include things such as exercise, spending time with loved ones, practicing mindfulness, reframing negative thoughts, getting outside, engaging in enjoyable activities, and seeking professional help if needed. The key is to experiment and find what works best for you and to adopt habits that promote overall well-being and happiness. 

Keep in mind that expressing emotions, rather than repressing them, is often healthy, it's how we express them that matters.

What is time to us?

We need to know or we can't be in control.

We perceive time with our senses and we can measure it with a clock. Sometimes however they don't match.

I can measure my time in perceived cycle lengths; that is how long I think it takes to do something.

My perception of time is affected by how tired I am, how much energy I have. Time drags when I am tired and flies over when I am invigorated. 

Is it our organisation of time that leads to our perception of time?

During an accident in progress we perceive time as flowing slower. Is it that we don't have time to think of much at all, other than "this is going to hurt"?

At work we hopefully settle into the flow of work during the work day in the work environment. At home we settle into the flow of home cycles, habits and rituals.  After a busy day at work we come back home to a relaxing atmosphere and notice a step down in pace. Conversely we could come home to chaos from an easy job and feel a sharp step up. What is happening during the change over in pace?

What neurotransmitter options do we have?

There are several neurotransmitters that are believed to play a role in regulating the perception of time. These include:

1. Dopamine: This neurotransmitter is involved in attention, motivation and reward processing, which can influence the perception of time.

2. Serotonin: This neurotransmitter is associated with mood regulation and can influence the perception of time through its effect on attention and cognitive processing.

3. Acetylcholine: This neurotransmitter is involved in attention and memory and can influence the perception of time through its effect on the encoding and retrieval of memories.

4. Norepinephrine: This neurotransmitter is involved in attention and arousal, and can influence the perception of time through its effect on the processing of sensory information.

5. GABA: This neurotransmitter is involved in inhibitory functions in the brain, and can influence the perception of time through its effect on the processing of sensory information.

It's important to note that the understanding of the neural mechanisms of perception of time is an active area of research and the information above is based on the current knowledge cut-off and might not be exhaustive.

We are going to have some mix, can we influence it?

Humans can influence their own neurotransmitters in a variety of ways:

1. Medication: Certain medications can increase or decrease the levels of specific neurotransmitters in the brain. For example, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can increase the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, while antipsychotics can decrease the levels of dopamine.

2. Diet: Some foods contain compounds that can affect neurotransmitter levels. For example, foods high in tyrosine and phenylalanine, such as lean meats, dairy products, and nuts, can boost dopamine and norepinephrine levels, while foods rich in tryptophan, such as turkey, can increase serotonin levels.

3. Exercise: Regular physical activity can increase the levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, as well as promote the growth of new brain cells and connections.

4. Sleep: Adequate sleep is essential for the normal functioning of neurotransmitters. Lack of sleep can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters and lead to mood disorders, anxiety and depression.

5. Stress management: Chronic stress can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters and lead to mood disorders, anxiety and depression. Stress management techniques such as yoga, meditation, and cognitive-behavioural therapy can help to regulate neurotransmitters and promote emotional well-being.

We accept the suggestion our environment provides.

It's easier to adapt to something familiar but we can make mistakes.

Realise that more is not always better.

Realise that less is not always better.

Understand that balance is the optimal target.

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