Daily Cascade

Composure

Prompt:
"You have to take control of your feelings before they take control of you. " Maggie Smith, Violet Downton Abbey
Write about this in your Blog entry today. I know we have been doing Maggie Smith Quotes but I want to honor her.

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Yes, Megan and I cannot have enough of Violet Crawley. I sometimes wish there really was a Violet Crawley and I had known her, although I had a watered-down and sweeter version of her in my grandmother. Between us, I would really like to see Violet Crawley have a temper tantrum. But alas, from what my old brain recalls, even when quite angry, Violet had the gift of gab that stung worse than a bee, but no real tantrum. She might, however, left the scene in a huff, after a poisonous uttering.

The quote itself points to the importance of emotional regulation as emotions, while natural and powerful, can overwhelm us if not managed the right way. If we allow our feelings to dictate our actions impulsively, they can lead to irrational decisions, conflict, and regret. On the other hand, when we consciously take charge of our emotions, we maintain clarity, poise, and control over our circumstances.

As some kind of a remedy to uncontrollable feelings, mindfulness practices and self-reflection can help us recognize when our emotions are on the rise, reminding us to take a step back, breathe, and respond more thoughtfully rather than simply reacting. Just like Violet Crawley.

Violet Crawley, having seen much of life, understands the necessity of composure, with dignity and grace, and as a result, the ability of to make sane choices.

I'll so miss Violet Crawley!