Hi friend,

Yesterday we talked about reframing a thought — asking whether it's fact or feeling. Today's tool is even simpler. It can be little more uncomfortable at first, but stick with me, because the research behind it is fascinating.

It's called affect labeling, and the easiest way to remember it is: name it to tame it.

Affect labeling is exactly what it sounds like — putting a name to what you're feeling, out loud or in writing, instead of letting it stay a vague, wordless cloud in the background of your day.

Instead of just feeling the tightness in your chest and pushing through it, you actually say: "I'm noticing anxiety right now." Instead of snapping at your kids and wondering why later, you pause and say: "I'm feeling overwhelmed."

That's it. That's the whole tool. It sounds almost too simple to matter. But your brain disagrees.

There's a well-known study out of UCLA where researchers put people in a brain scanner and showed them images meant to stir up an emotional reaction. Some participants were asked to simply label what they were feeling — "this makes me feel angry," "this makes me feel afraid." Others weren't.

The people who labeled their emotion showed something remarkable on the scan: activity in the amygdala — your brain's built-in alarm system — went down. Just the act of naming the feeling turned the volume down on the threat response.

There's a subtle detail in this research worth paying attention to, too: the wording matters. "I'm noticing anxiety" calms things down more than "I am anxious." One names a passing state moving through you. The other makes the feeling your identity. Small shift in language, big shift in effect.

The first few times you say something like "I'm noticing frustration" out loud, it can feel a little silly. Maybe even forced. That's normal, and it doesn't mean it isn't working.

Keep the end goal in mind. You're not doing this because it feels natural on day one. You're doing it because it retrains how your brain processes what's happening inside you. Most new habits feel strange right up until the moment they don't.

If saying it out loud in front of others feels like too much at first, start in the car, in the shower, or in a journal. The mechanism works whether you whisper it or write it down — the key is naming it specifically, not just feeling it.

1. Catch the moment. The next time you notice tension, irritability, or a heavy feeling, pause before reacting.

2. Name it specifically. Not "I'm bad" or "today is bad" — name the actual emotion. Frustrated. Anxious. Discouraged. Overwhelmed.

3. Use "I'm noticing," not "I am." Say it out loud if you can. "I'm noticing anxiety" instead of "I am anxious." Let the wording remind you that it's passing through, not living in you.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." — Psalm 147:3

There's something powerful about naming what's actually going on inside us rather than ignoring it or shoving it deep inside. God wants us to be truthful. Throughout Scripture, the psalmists name their fear, their grief, their anger — specifically and honestly. Naming what we feel is not a lack of faith. It's often the first honest step toward healing.

Tomorrow, Day 3, we're talking about the gratitude habit — and why the version most people practice doesn't actually move the needle nearly as much as one small tweak. See you then.

With faith, science, and wellness,
Liz

Registered Nurse | Certified Mental Wellness Coach

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This newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or a licensed mental health provider with questions about your individual health.