Shift cover art

Shift

How to Manage Your Emotions so They Don’t Manage You – From the Bestselling Author of Chatter

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Shift

By: Ethan Kross
Narrated by: Ethan Kross
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Summary

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
AN OPRAH DAILY BEST SELF HELP BOOK FOR PERSONAL GROWTH

Learn how to manage difficult emotions, regulate how you feel and respond better to stress, anxiety and anger with this practical, science-based guide from leading psychologist and bestselling author of Chatter, Dr Ethan Kross.

What if you could make your emotions work for you, rather than against you?

Whether it’s anxiety about the dentist, boiling rage when we’re stuck in traffic or devastation after a painful break-up, our lives are filled with situations that send us spiralling.

But difficult emotions aren’t necessarily the enemy. Activated in the right ways and at the right time, they function like an immune system, alerting us to our surroundings, telling us how to react to a situation and helping us make the right choices.

So how can we take control of our emotional lives without suppressing how we feel?

Acclaimed psychologist Dr Ethan Kross has devoted his scientific work to understanding how we manage our emotions. In Shift, he dispels common myths – for instance, that avoidance is toxic or that we should always strive to live in the moment – and provides a new framework for shifting our emotions so they don’t take over our lives.

Drawing on groundbreaking research and remarkable real-life stories, Kross explores the tools we already possess and shows how we can use them to: ??????

  • Manage difficult emotions including anxiety, anger and sadness
  • Change how we respond to stressful and challenging situations
  • Understand when different emotional regulation strategies can help
  • Harness our emotions to support healthier, more successful lives
  • Help the people around us manage their emotions too


Shift is a practical guide to emotional regulation that puts the power back into our hands – helping us control our emotions without letting them control us.

‘The expert guide to taking control of your emotions.’ BBC

‘A gem of a book…a complete toolkit of science-based strategies for managing how you feel.’ Angela Duckworth, bestselling author of Grit

© Ethan Kross 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Editors Select Emotions Neuroscience & Neuropsychology Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health

Editorial Review

Make your emotions work for you
I’m a big believer in feeling your feelings. After all, expressing yourself is a part of creating healthy coping mechanisms and helpful communication, and who among us doesn’t enjoy a good cry at the end of a devastating audiobook? But there are also times when our emotions can get in the way of us showing up as our best selves. For example, has anxiety over something in your personal life ever left you unable to complete your tasks at work? Or perhaps you’ve been so angry at your partner for leaving their shoes in the middle of the living room that it led to an explosive argument? In Shift: Managing Your Emotions—So They Don’t Manage You, psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Ethan Kross asks, “What if your emotions could work for you?” Kross offers scientifically backed advice for using your emotions as a tool, whether that’s strategically avoiding a negative feeling when appropriate, or using your feelings to propel you forward. If you’re a human with a pulse, this one is for you. —Rachael X., Audible Editor

Critic Reviews

For anyone who has wondered whether they’ll ever be in charge of their emotions, this book has the answer: yes. (Angela Duckworth, author of Grit)
This book does much more than make sense of emotions – it breaks new ground on how to manage them. (Adam Grant, author of Think Again)
Packed with gems of wisdom and endless actionable advice on emotional regulation, Shift is essential reading for everyone. I couldn’t put it down. (Chris Evans)
In Shift, Dr Ethan Kross presents a revolutionary guide to mastering your emotional life. With groundbreaking research, Dr Kross dismantles persistent myths — such as the notion that avoiding our feelings is inherently harmful, or being present is always best — and offers a fresh perspective on harnessing our emotions as a source of strength. Whether you're navigating daily frustrations or significant upheavals, Shift offers actionable strategies to ensure your emotions amplify your capabilities, rather than hinder them. (Charles Duhigg, author of Supercommunicators and The Power of Habit)
A rare double threat. His academic research is world-class ... and don't we all need help regulating our emotions? (Dan Pink)
A blueprint for navigating the emotional curveballs that life throws at us.
[Shift]puts the problem of overreaction in a new light
[A] lucid guide to emotion regulation
The expert guide to taking control of your emotions
Illuminating . . . this will be a boon to readers looking to take better charge of their inner lives
All stars
Most relevant
Simply life changing, have a listen. Everyone will find something in thus book to help them be happier.

Life changing!

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Kross is spot on with What Matters The Most here and now. It’s particularly interesting as the author narrates himself, telling a much clearer more authentic story.
Highly recommend

Kross nails it again

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