The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of your brain's surface, located on top of the cerebrum. The cerebral cortex carries out essential functions of your brain, like memory, thinking, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, emotions, consciousness, and sensory functions. Emotion regulation is the ability to exert control over one’s own emotional state. It may involve behaviors such as rethinking a challenging situation to reduce anger or anxiety, hiding visible signs of sadness or fear, or focusing on reasons to feel happy or calm. The reason why we should practice this is to redirect our feelings and reflect before reacting. This can be a challenge when we hear things or feel things and want to react right away. This is where breathing comes in. It helps us to feel our feelings but then move through them quicker. Flipping the lid occurs when our mid brain, (the seat of our emotions) takes over and becomes disconnected from the more rational upper brain. Logic no longer influences our emotions, and we might act in ways that shock not only others, but also ourselves, even where there is no real danger. While many of us have had an experience with this, its imperative to take a step back so you can effectively reassess whats occurring.
