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Feelings + Overwhelm / kids · teens · adults / Reset

The 90-Second Pause

Most emotional surges physically pass in under two minutes, if you let them.

Start · 90 seconds

What this is for

A feeling has spiked hard and it feels like it will last forever, or that you have to act on it right now.

When to use it

The moment right after something sets you off, before you've said or done anything.

What you leave with

Ninety seconds bought, with permission to just wait it out.

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How strong is it right now?

Manageable3Overwhelming

Pick one to keep going.

Why this can help

The initial biochemical surge of a strong emotion typically clears the bloodstream in around 90 seconds if it isn't re-fed by continued thought — the rest is the story we keep telling ourselves.

Jill Bolte Taylor, '90 second rule'

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Understand why

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ADHD and Emotional Regulation: When the Reaction Arrives Before the Pause

The email lands. The comment stings. The reaction is out before you've decided anything. What emotional regulation actually means for ADHD adults, and where the idea of rejection sensitivity fits.

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