In part two of our look into Emotional Granularity we run through a list of emotions on “the emotion wheel” and the associated needs underlying these emotions in order to give you consideration to all the different nuances needed to develop your emotional vocabulary and understanding.

A bit more of a practical episode and an overview of some of the concepts we have been discussing and we tie them all together under the headings of schemas. How do schemas play out in the context of emotions and relationships..

Emotional Granularity is the ability to identify and respond to emotions in all their nuances instead of reacting to the overall wave of the emotional current as washes over a situation. That ability to pause, identify and dig down into that emotional information is essential for good communication and well being. We have a look at where the idea of emotional granularity came from and how it’s linked to our emotional bytes.

You’ve seen the videos: “Are we living in a simulation”. Well, the answer is yes, but it’s not the matrix. Mirror Neurons are the ultimate simulation, repurposing bodily and neural pathways that enable us to understand the emotional and social world around us. They may even be the foundation of language, the source of empathy and the key to energy efficiency in the brain. Strap in, you’re in for a ride on this one!

Learn about attachment - that “operating system” that runs in the background of our mind and how this plays out in our close relationships. Think intimate partners, parents and children, even close friendships. Awareness of these patterns is the crucial beginning to rewriting those old neural pathways by generating new experiences.

Find out how the satisfaction of three psychological needs helps us feel more alive by firing up intrinsic motivation and how lack of choice and satisfying our ego will suck away our motivation faster than a vampire bat on Halloween. We also cover communication styles and link to the quest for meaning covered in the last episode.

Today is an introduction to the concept of Emotional Bytes - What are they and how do they influence our world.