Quotes from Jeanne Segal

Change is a more complicated process involving brain integration than is data gathering.

it takes real courage to go where you have not gone before.

Laughter helps us view frustrations and disappointments from new perspectives; it enables us to survive hard times, setbacks, and frustrations.

When you laugh and play, your body is calmed and energized by the release of natural opiates—endorphins that relax you physically and lift you up the ladder emotionally.

Because arguments require an expenditure of time and energy, we need to consider what is worth arguing about and what is not.

The further you move away from experiencing your emotions, the more distant you become from others, as well as from yourself.

The capacity to take conflict in stride and forgive easily is supported by our ability to manage stress, be emotionally honest and available, communicate nonverbally, and laugh easily.

He wanted to understand what she felt, as well as what she thought, and his approving interest and encouragement made her feel deeply known and valued.

All emotional sharing builds strong and lasting relationship bonds, but sharing humor and sheer delight adds a unique restorative and healing element, reducing stress and mending fences.

After evading the chase of predators, animals often nuzzle each other as a means of stress relief. This bodily contact provides reassurance of safety and relieves stress.

By protecting your nervous system and keeping you focused, laughter and play offer you opportunities to thrive even in inhospitable environments.

put problems into perspective—they give you a means for standing back and getting a better view of a situation

We have stressful habits that stand in the way of our desire for change and leave us feeling empty. We have fast-paced lifestyles filled with technological distractions and oversimplified solutions to complex problems that keep us from what we really need.

The key to coping with questionable emotions is knowing that we are in control of them, and not the other way around.

The attachment bond has shown that the language of infancy, which is emotionally laden and nonverbal, is such a powerful form of communication that it is responsible for shaping our mental, physical, and emotional development.

The capacity to regulate stress is the elastic that provides safety and gives rise to the ability to be emotionally available and engaged. Stress compromises this ability. The first step in communicating with emotional intelligence is recognizing when stress levels are out of control and returning ourselves and our colleagues or partners, whenever possible, to a relaxed and energized state of awareness.