How Emotions Affect Your Decisions

Think of a time you were overwhelmed by a strong emotion and, as a result, did something you later regretted. 

What was the situation?

What strong emotion(s) did you feel?

What did you do that you later regretted?

When you were feeling that strong emotion, what was happening in your brain that made it difficult to make a good decision?

Discuss these decisions the students mentioned in the video:

Pushing someone down

Calling someone a bad name

Punching someone

What might happen next?

How might the student feel after making that decision?

ou see a social media post about you that makes you really upset. You respond by leaving mean comments about the person who made the post. They apologize and take it down, but you just keep posting angry messages.

Later that day, you get sent a note from the office that the counselor wants to talk to you.

Write:

What decisions could you have made instead?

What could have happened as a result of those decisions?

In your own words, describe:

How strong emotions can influence the decisions you make

What happens instead when you’re able to slow down and think things through