Knowing our body, our mind, and our feelings is very essential for us to manage the risks and the protective factors for our physical and mental health. Most people in the world do not really know how to appreciate and take care of these things or at least not aware of the importance of being conscious and sincere about taking care of their own well-being. Having this kind of awareness can be very advantageous because it can help us confront and solve our problems and existential challenges instead of avoiding or suppressing them. In this way, we can see the bigger picture of our life; have more sense of psychological freedom and genuine personal growth.
In addition, learning about the broad spectrum of emotions can help us provide a proper response or reaction as opposed to just label them with vague words, assumptions, and interpretations (ex. stressed out, fed up, fucked up, etc.). We don’t have to be an expert about these things but at least learning how to identify them can help us create appropriate course of actions in our daily living and decisions. As social beings or animals, having a good amount of knowledge about our physical and non-physical self will help us navigate and survive the complexities of our family/community and of the society as a whole because these are tools we can use.
According to a Yale University psychologist Marc Brackett, you can recognize your emotion through its energy and pleasantness. Sometimes an emotion can be high in energy and low in pleasantness, or vice versa; or it can be both. However, most people do not know that most sadness, depression, and loneliness are just normal emotions that come and go and will pass just like happiness, optimism, excitement, etc. Examples of feelings that are high in energy but are not pleasant are frustration, anxiety, and anger while examples of emotions that are low in energy but very pleasant are content, calmness, comfort, and security.
When you don’t feel well or if you are having a negative emotion, try to ask your self these questions:
- What happened and how did it happen?
- What have you done to have that kind of certain situation or emotion?
- What kind of environment or place you are in or did you have in the past? Is it related?
- What kind of friends or companions do you have?
- What are the memories that trigger negative emotions?
- What happened in the past? Is it connected to your current negative feelings?
Some things we can do to avoid being overwhelmed and exhausted:
- Do not handle things that are more than your competences
- Do not commit to too many responsibilities
- Prioritize the most important things
- Avoid stressful and toxic people
- Avoid stressful and polluted places if possible
- Have enough rest and relax your body every now and then
- Practice a healthy diet
These things can provide clues to why certain feelings come to you; therefore allowing you to properly address and, if possible, redirect them into your advantage. Emotional stress eventually manifests into physical pain and can become chronic especially if left unaddressed for a long period of time. However, for as long as you recognize your feelings instead of just ignoring them, you can manage your overall well-being, allowing you to have good connection with your self and with people that you need in your life. Learn these things and these will help you organize your life in such a manner that other people cannot disrespect you or cross your boundaries; thus, making your relationship and your psychological aspect healthy and positive.
Further references:
- https://www.thinkingmindset.com/2019/10/the-emotional-and-the-rational-self/
- https://www.thinkingmindset.com/2019/10/emotional-management-healthy-skepticism/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/supersurvivors/201911/building-emotional-intelligence-isnt-hard-you-think
Featured Photo: theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/11/how-to-get-better-at-expressing-emotions/416493/
