3 minutes max. · Episode 12 · Senses and emotions
Our emotions: Let Emotions Go: Get your focus back, stop rumination
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About this episode
- Episode
- #12 of 48
- Published
- 12 September 2025
- Length
- 2:56 min
- Series
- Senses and emotions
- Hosts
- Andre Ottlik and Jules (AI)
In short
Letting go is not pushing feelings away. You acknowledge them and then let them pass on purpose, which usually takes less energy than fighting them. Two short exercises give you more focus and clearer priorities.
Three things to try
- Write one sentence about what you are letting go of, plus one reason why holding on does not help.
- Put the note out of sight, say you are leaving it there for today, and move your attention to a neutral anchor.
- Record a short voice note, ask AI for what is and is not in your control, and pick one small action for today.
Read more: Love it, change it or quit
Transcript
Read the full transcript
- 00:00 Andre Ottlik
- Welcome to 3 minutes, max. Today I am back in the hot seat this time on letting go of emotions. If it works, you get fewer rumination loops, more focus, and clearer priorities Jules has the questions. I've got the feelings.
- 00:17 Jules
- Andre, when you say letting go, what exactly do you mean? Isn't that just pushing feelings away like a command plus delete for emotions?
- 00:26 Andre Ottlik
- Exactly not. It's about acknowledging and then intentionally letting them pass. A study by Hugo Albert from 2012 shows acceptance usually uses less energy than suppression. And we get back to action faster. I see it in presentation trainings too. Those who accept their emotions get through more easily. Those who fight them feed the negative emotions.
- 00:50 Jules
- How do you start right in the middle of everyday life between all those calls and meetings?
- 00:56 Andre Ottlik
- First. Stop fighting. Then briefly acknowledge. Breathe. Reorient. No yoga. Retreat needed. Two minutes are enough.
- 01:05 Jules
- Okay, give us two quick options. One analogue, one with light AI support.
- 01:10 Andre Ottlik
- Sure. Tip one: sticky note parking lot - three times 30s. First: take 30s of writing one sentence, for example. I'm letting go of the stupid comment of my colleague now. Under it, one reason why holding on doesn't help. Then: 30s to park it. Put the note out of sight in a drawer, folder, back of your display and say out loud: I'm leaving this here for today. And then at last 30s to reorient: Pick a neutral anchor. The edge of the screen a sound in the room, your feet on the floor, and deliberately place your attention there.
- 01:49 Jules
- Sounds easy. That small visible hand off releases pressure. And if it's still important tomorrow, you bring the note back on purpose.
- 01:57 Andre Ottlik
- Tip two is the AI triage within my control or not in two minutes. First you record a sixty to ninety second voice note. What's sticking with you? Then ask AI for two lists. What's within my control with three points and what's outside my control three points. Have it craft a release sentence like: I'm letting go of this external evaluation and pick one micro action from the within my control list. A concrete step for today. And then you can intentionally archive or delete the voice note as a visible act of letting go.
- 02:34 Jules
- So don't ignore it. Accept the part you can't change right now and send energy to where you have impact.
- 02:40 Andre Ottlik
- Try one of these two
- 02:42 Andre Ottlik
- options today and over the weekend you'll notice already the difference. More focus, clearer priorities and your head and body will say thank you.
- 02:50 Jules
- Follow three minutes max, share it and message Andre on LinkedIn and have a great weekend.
More on Senses and emotions
- #7Our senses - See Better, Decide Better: Sharpen Team Vision
- #8Our senses - Listening That Delivers: Sharpen Team Hearing
- #9Our senses - Feeling as a Leadership Skill: Stay Clear Under Pressure
- #10Our emotions: Spot Your Emotions: Sharpen self‑awareness before they steer you
- #11Our emotions: Shift Your Emotion: From stress to clarity in 2 minutes
- #12Our emotions: Let Emotions Go: Get your focus back, stop rumination (this episode)
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