Characteristics of An Emotionally Healthy Person
Being healthy is not just about whether your body is strong, and your muscles are fit. Mental and emotional health are also important. And, in the same way you can identify habits and traits that make someone physically healthy, there are characteristics that tell you someone is emotionally healthy, as well.
As the pandemic has led to a decline in the emotional health of many in the workforce, it’s critical for both leaders and their team to practice self-care and to remain healthy, both physically and emotionally. If not, there is the risk for the body to shut down, which can lead to illness, stress and burnout, absenteeism, raised healthcare costs and, in extreme cases, turnover.
Those in leadership positions, no matter the level, are at risk to experience a decline in their emotional health which, if not attended to, can be detrimental for the business, and team members. The fallout can be long-felt.
So, how can leaders know if they, and their employees, are doing well? What does an emotionally healthy person do? What are their traits? Here are a few.
They are Self-Aware
Self-awareness is crucial for emotional health because this is what allows you to understand and recognize your own emotions, what is causing them, and how they are affecting your decisions and behavior. When you lack self-awareness, you cannot accurately monitor your feelings and they can take control of your choices quickly.
They Focus on the Positive
When you maintain a positive attitude, you are much more likely to be stronger emotionally. Being optimistic does not mean you never have negative emotions, but it does say that you believe that positive things are ahead and that your negative situation will not last. Your positive attitude helps you see yourself through adversity while helping you to set goals and make them happen.
They are Adaptable
One of the reasons emotionally healthy people are so good at bouncing back after a disappointment is their ability to adapt to new circumstances. When you cling too hard to expectations or assumptions, you can become disillusioned when things do not go your way. But, when you remain adaptable, you recognize when it is time to change goals or try a new way. Being flexible allows you to make better choices about your situation to help you realize your dreams.
They are Analytical
When it comes to your emotions, they are not always the most helpful in making decisions. Emotionally healthy people know how to examine and understand their feelings while also analyzing their habits, past experiences, and goals to make the best choices. And being analytical also means you are always interested in improvement, which keeps you finding new ways to better yourself and become healthier and stable.
They Believe in Themselves
Being emotionally healthy means believing that you have the right to be happy, you are worthy of that, and you believe in yourself. A belief in yourself will allow you to work for the future and to know that you have what it takes to make sure it all turns out well. While believing in yourself must turn into action for it to be truly beneficial, when you have this faith in your abilities, you are much more likely to act in positive ways.
They are Empathetic
Part of emotional health is being able to recognize and empathize with others. Empathy is when you understand how someone else feels from their point of view. When you are in touch with your own emotions, you are much more likely to be able to see and empathize these emotions in others and to understand the type of support someone might need to help them deal with their feelings effectively.
They Honor Their Needs
When you have emotional health, you know the difference between what you need and what you want in life, and you respect your needs over your wants when you must choose. Honoring your need for safety and shelter, for example, is much healthier than honoring your desire to go out with friends when you can’t really afford it. When you have emotional health, you understand how important it is to take loving care of yourself and to honor those most critical things in your life.
Now that you know the traits of someone who is in control of their emotional health, turn this around if you want to identify those who don’t. Identifying times when a member is under stress and not functioning well is the time to take action to turn this around before it spirals out of control.
Share these with your employees at a meeting, or print and hand out so they have it for their own self-awareness. If you’d like training on stress management and emotional health in the workplace, reach out for more information.