Common Triggers
- →Interactions with authority figures
- →Situations of power imbalance
- →New or unfamiliar environments
- →Threats to personal safety
- →High-stakes decisions
- →Intimate relationships
Physical Sensations
- •Tightness in the chest
- •Shoulders tensing up
- •Feeling heavy or weighed down
- •Butterflies in the stomach
- •Dry mouth
- •Rapid heartbeat
Plutchik's Emotion Wheel
submission
Working with This Emotion
Recognize
Recognize submission by noticing physical sensations like a tight chest, tense shoulders, and a feeling of heaviness. Facial expressions might include lowered eyes or a slight frown. Behavioral signs can include nodding in agreement even when you have doubts.
Understand
Common causes of submission include hierarchical relationships, authority figures, and situations where there is a perceived power imbalance. It often arises when you feel both trust and fear simultaneously.
Label
To label submission accurately, distinguish it from similar emotions like compliance or deference. Submission involves a deeper blend of trust and fear, whereas compliance might be more about following rules without the same emotional complexity.
Express
Healthy ways to express submission include setting clear boundaries while maintaining open communication. Share your feelings with trusted individuals and seek support when needed. Practice self-compassion and recognize that it’s okay to feel vulnerable.
Regulate
Strategies to regulate submission include deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and journaling about your emotions. Seek therapy if you find yourself frequently submitting in ways that feel unhealthy or unbalanced.
Using Inner
Using Inner, you can track patterns of submission by journaling about when and why it arises. Pay attention to body signals like tension in your shoulders or a tight chest. Explore regulation strategies such as deep breathing or mindfulness to manage the fear component, while also affirming your trust in yourself and others.
Try Inner for FreeSources & References
- —Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions
Related Content
Trust
Firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something.
Fear
Feeling of danger, often representing what is being avoided or anxiety.
Projective Identification
Projecting an aspect of oneself onto another person and then behaving in ways that pressure them to act it out.
Shadow
Dark area, often representing the shadow self or unconscious aspects.
Power Complex
An emotionally charged pattern around control and dominance.
The Self
The archetype of wholeness and the regulating center of the psyche.