While preparing for our Christmas Eve Eve service, I came across the information that the same adrenaline chemicals released in our brains that cause anxiety are also the same that cause excitement. I thought that was really interesting. It makes a lot of sense because it really does feel the same way.
I decided to share this excitement with one of my daughters. She was getting nervous because of a Christmas gathering coming up. After sharing this bombshell fact, she told me that was “extremely ridiculous” and did not make any sense at all. That sounded like a really good time to have a “life lesson.”
I had a plan.
I was going to sneak up behind her and yell really loudly.
She would be startled and then I could talk about her emotions.
Then she would recognize the feeling of anxiety and how it was the same as Christmas morning.
Well…
I didn’t think about what would happen if she started swinging.
I may or may not have decided to scare her…
She may or may not have been scared…
Her instincts may or may not have kicked in…
and…
She may or may not have turned around and hit me really, really hard. Hard enough to knock the wind out of me… for real. I was kind of proud.
LOL.
Lesson learned.
Next time, keep my obscure but fun facts to myself.
Still, though. It’s really interesting to think about how we can change our brains from fear to excitement by how we process information. Just be careful when sharing this information with others.
