Midlife with Brooke7 Jul 2025

Episode 8: When Their Mood Becomes Yours: How to Stop Emotional Mirroring

Have you ever noticed your peace disappear the moment someone else walks in the room with a heavy sigh or a short tone? In this episode of Midlife with Brooke, host Brooke Oniki explores the concept of emotional mirroring—when we unconsciously absorb the moods and energy of those around us, especially the people we love.

You’ll learn:

What emotional mirroring is and why it’s so common
How taking on someone else’s emotions can escalate stress and hurt connection
Why empathy doesn’t have to mean absorbing someone’s pain
Practical tools to stay emotionally grounded when someone else isn’t
How to walk the road with your kids, spouse, or loved ones without carrying their emotional load

From navigating moody teenagers to processing family conflict with spiritual wisdom, Brooke shares powerful analogies (like standing at the edge of the pool) and real-life coaching stories that will help you stop spiraling with other people’s emotions and stay rooted in peace, love, and perspective.

Try This Practice:

When someone you love is upset, ask yourself:

What emotion am I feeling? Is it mine or theirs?
Can I hold space without fixing or mirroring?
What does it look like to stay grounded and curious instead of reactive?

Spiritual Reflection:

Jesus walks the road with us—He doesn’t absorb our panic but offers peace. You can learn to do the same. Emotional leadership begins with spiritual steadiness.

Want more support from Brooke Oniki?

Get weekly coaching tools, insights, and updates at www.brookeoniki.com

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(78)

Did I Fail? When Your Adult Child Leaves the Church

Your child has stepped away from church. Maybe they’ve been pretty vocal about it. And the question creeps in: Did I fail? Did all that effort mean nothing?In this episode, Brooke answers that questio...

9 Nov 22min

Helping Your Adult Children Feel Safe to Share

This week is a little different. I’m sharing an interview I did with Heather Rackham on the Latter-Day Life Coaches podcast, all about building stronger relationships with our adult children.While pre...

3 Nov 45min

The Compassion Hack That Changes How You See People

When someone we love does something that frustrates or hurts us, it's easy to jump to the worst meaning. Why would they say that? Why don't they appreciate me? Why do they feel that way about the chur...

26 Okt 18min

The Thing You Keep Saying You'll Do Someday

Back in high school, Brooke tried out for the drill team and never once practiced the toe touch at the end of the routine. That moment became a lesson she's carried for years: so often we say "I'll do...

19 Okt 18min

What is My Part?

Show NotesWhen our kids are little, we carry everything. Their jackets, their snacks, their backpacks. We even let them wipe wet hands on our pants. But as they grow, our part gets smaller, and that's...

12 Okt 20min

Drop by Drop, Day by Day

What if you only need to gather enough for today?After attending the Restore Conference with my friend Kristen Rutter, I've been thinking about manna. In Exodus 16, the Lord provided bread from heaven...

5 Okt 22min

How to be Less Fearful

What if fear only exists in the future? When the thing we're afraid of actually shows up, it stops being a fear and becomes a problem to be solved. And you've solved every problem that has come your w...

28 Sep 31min

Scarcity vs. Abundance: A Mindset You Can Practice

Today I'm talking about a topic I bring up with clients all the time: scarcity versus abundance. We live in a world that tells us there's not enough, not enough time, money, love, recognition. But I'v...

21 Sep 28min