I was reading another behavioral theory and thinking about how it relates to FISBE.
This model has a few extra steps:

1. Triggering event, leading to
2. Amygdala activation, fear response, precedes conscious awareness, leading to
3. Body response - fight, flight or freeze, leading to
4. Prefrontal cortex/cognition catches up, makes up a story to go along with instinctive response, leading to
5.  Emotion, leading to
6.  Behavior

Compared to FISBE:
1. Focus
2. Inner State
3. Behavior

The characteristics of the amygdala activation is that it is instinctive, below conscious awareness, and happens in a fraction of a second.  The significance of this for me is that mastery in not about becoming impervious to triggers.  I am going to experience triggers and amygdala activation.  I am human.

And yet I get three chances to consciously intervene and shift my thinking to the desired outcome:
The first chance is when I become aware of my bodily reaction.
The second chance is when I become aware of my problem oriented thinking.
The third chance is when I become aware of my afflictive emotions.

Or, three strikes and it’s back to the dugout for a nice toxic cortisol margarita - frozen/on the rocks?  Like salt in that?

Maryellen shared a story about her Aikido master who appeared to never lose his center.  When asked about this, he said, “oh no, no, no.  I lose my center all the time.  I just recover faster.”

Maryellen’s story helped me understand a principle of deliberate practice under an expert teacher.  Before this insight about the inner mental representations of an (Aikido) expert, I thought the goal was to somehow get achieve some ideal state of not being triggered, or losing my center.  I would have just chased an impossible dream, been frustrated, and made no progress.

/Dub