How to Think Clearly in a Crisis

You don’t wait until the day of the match to start working on your backhand.

The same is true for your emotions. If you never practice self-regulation, you’re setting yourself up to fail when an emotional emergency hits.

Just like athletes train their bodies through consistent practice, you can train your mind. Working on emotional skills ahead of time makes you more resilient, helps you handle stress, and allows you to respond in a healthier way. But these skills only work if you build them regularly, not just when things go wrong.

Waiting until you’re in the middle of a crisis to figure out emotional control is like stepping into a championship match without ever preparing. It’s far more effective to build those skills day by day, so when challenges come, you can meet them with composure and confidence.

The first step is simple: the Body Scan
. It trains you to notice tension in your body and release it before it builds. From there, you can create stronger habits that keep your mind clear, even under pressure.