Did you know that your mind processes, on average, 60 thousand thoughts each day? And you are experiencing at least one emotion nearly all the time you are awake each day? That is a lot to process and handle while also managing to live your right, right?
There are some situations that can put the mind into overdrive, with a flood of emotions following. This can wreak havoc to your mindset, productivity, and performance when you need them to be at their best.
Not sure if you are successfully negotiating all these feelings or if they are ruling your life? If you are ready to get your emotional health under control, then these four life hacks are for you. When you adopt these daily habits, you will learn to become the master of your emotions in no time.
#1. Name What You are Feeling.
The most important habit that can help you improve your emotional health is being able to understand your emotions. This starts by naming what you are feeling. Identifying your feelings and understanding the nuances between, say, apprehension and fear, helps you to recognize patterns, identify triggers, and determine which emotions are causing you to make which decisions.
Naming your feelings helps you better regulate them because, without understanding what you are feeling or where these emotions came from, you cannot make the best decisions about what to do with them. Plus, when you put a label on your feelings, your physiological response is decreased. When you recognize that you are feeling rage, for example, your body stops producing as many stress hormones because it understands that you are not in danger.
#2. Practice Mindfulness.
Becoming more mindful allows you to pay closer attention to what is happening in the present, which enables you to be more aware of your feelings, thoughts, and physical responses to these. Mindfulness teaches you to accept and acknowledge these things rather than become overwhelmed by them. This means you are managing your emotions better, which can make you more self-aware while enhancing your ability to concentrate.
Mindfulness techniques are growing in popularity. Some standard practices include deep-breathing exercise, yoga, and meditation. Learning mindfulness strategies and then practicing them just a few minutes every day can help you improve your emotional health.
#3. Turn Negative Self-Talk Around.
Self-talk is the voice inside your head that is narrating your life. It can be a voice of optimism and positivity, but for many of us, it is a voice of criticism and pessimism. When your self-talk focuses on what you did wrong, what is wrong with you, and how you need to improve, it affects your emotional health and well-being. Changing that negative self-talk into more positive affirmations is essential for improving how you feel.
When you hear that negative voice chime in, ask yourself if what you are saying to yourself is based in reality. If the answer is no, then you have confirmation that your own negative bias is sabotaging you, so you can ignore those thoughts and move forward. If the answer is yes, then decide which two or three things you need to do to resolve the problem, then start acting. Ignoring that negative voice is also a good tactic. If you ignore your inner critic long enough, they will eventually stop talking.
#4. Become More Curious.
Curiosity is a hallmark of the emotionally healthy. When you are curious, you are open to ways to keep learning and growing in your life. This leads to continuous improvement and development. When you are curious about yourself, you become more self-aware and pay more attention to your needs, as well. Asking questions of yourself and others keeps you open to new perspectives and ideas, which helps you develop better empathy, too.
Following these steps will take some time before they become good habits, but they are so worth it in the end. Your life depends on it.
If you, or your team, is struggling emotionally, reach out to turn this around. We have programs and trainings to help.