Emotional Growth
Emotional Balance
About This Practice
Emotional growth thrives on regular self-awareness. The more you notice, name, and track your emotional states, the easier it becomes to regulate them. This practice invites you to connect the intensity of your emotions with the physical act of shaking the Focus Frame—helping you form a tangible link between how you feel and how you respond.
Key Insight: Research shows that routinely monitoring emotional states can improve emotional intelligence and reduce stress over time. Just as people track physical health (e.g., steps per day or water intake), tuning in to emotional fluctuations fosters a healthier relationship with your inner world.
How to Use the Focus Frame
Match Emotion to Shake: Shake the frame to reflect your current emotion. Gently shake if calm. Shake vigorously if anxious, frustrated, or overwhelmed.
Observe the Glitter: As the glitter swirls, recognize that your thoughts and feelings may feel similarly scattered.
Watch It Settle: Focus on your breath and the slow descent of the glitter. Let your internal state mirror that settling.
The Science Behind It
Emotional Self-Awareness: Pausing to assess and name emotional intensity helps activate the prefrontal cortex, increasing regulation and reducing impulsivity (Lane & Garfield, 2005).
Biofeedback Link: Matching shake intensity to your emotional state acts like biofeedback, highlighting the relationship between internal feelings and external actions.
Neuroregulation and Habituation: Watching the glitter settle while practicing calm breathing helps down-regulate the stress response and reinforces more adaptive emotional patterns over time (Silvia & O’Brien, 2004).
Extended Practice
Spot the Emotion: Ask, “What am I feeling right now?” Use descriptive or general language (e.g., "calm," "meh," "tense").
Stay With the Experience: Follow your breath while watching the glitter. Let the visual metaphor help you hold space for the emotion.
Reflect and Record: Jot a quick note (e.g., "Anxious—shook vigorously, felt slightly calmer after 45 seconds").
Everyday Applications
Midday Check-In: Match your emotional energy to a shake and take a breathing pause.
After Work Transition: Shake away the tension of the day before re-engaging with family or personal time.
Before Conversations: Notice your emotional temperature and give yourself a few settling seconds before engaging.
Challenges
"I Forget to Check In": Set reminders on your phone or keep the Focus Frame visible.
"I Can't Identify My Emotion": Use general emotional categories or focus on body sensations.
"The Frame Feels Too Simple": Combine with journaling, breathing, or other regulation strategies if needed.
Reflection Prompts
What emotion did I feel before and after using the Frame?
What triggered that emotion?
How did my response change after the glitter settled?
Have I noticed patterns or improvements in emotional awareness over time?
Resources
Books
Permission to Feel by Dr. Marc Brackett
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves
Apps
Research Articles
Silvia, P. J., & O’Brien, M. E. (2004). Self-Awareness and Constructive Functioning: Revisiting "the Human Dilemma." Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23(4), 475–489.
Lane, R. D., & Garfield, D. A. (2005). Becoming Aware of Feelings: Integration of Cognitive-Developmental, Neurological, and Psychoanalytic Perspectives. Neuro-Psychoanalysis, 7(1).
Final Takeaway
Emotional awareness is a learnable skill. Matching the shake of the Focus Frame to your mood creates a small, accessible ritual for checking in and gently resetting. With consistency, this practice builds emotional literacy, reduces impulsivity, and supports long-term emotional development.