Expressing Emotions is beneficial for humans. Have you ever felt an emotion and didn’t know what you felt or even why you felt that way? If you answered yes to this question, you are not alone.
Although difficult at times to talk about and express emotions are a normal, natural, and healthy part of being human. Emotions and the ability to express emotions give us the ability to connect deeper with ourselves, thereby improving communication and relationships with others.
We are born to feel a range of emotions, from sadness, anger, joy, happiness and fear. Stopping this natural and healthy process can lead to negative and unhealthy consequences. Just like we are naturally born to breathe, we are naturally born to feel. Holding or stopping your breath, leads to death, stuffing and numbing your emotions creates unhappiness, stress and other life threating illnesses and disease.
BENEFITS OF EXPRESSING EMOTIONS
Learning how to express emotions in a healthy way has some benefits:
- Improves the ability to connect with self and others leading to healthier and happier relationships
- Improves decision making and ability to solve problems
- Increases resilience
- Reduces stress
- Reduces anxiety
- Improves confidence
- Reduces depressive symptoms
STEPS TO UNDERSTANDING EMOTIONS
NORMALIZATION
Emotions are normal, we all have them, we all feel them and they are all necessary. Our brain is a muscle and it is responsible for everything that we do, think, and feel.
When it comes to processing our emotions, we have to identify our emotions, express them and keep moving forward, in order for our brain to do a proper job and allow us to feel healthy emotions. During the normalization process, the first step is to identify your emotions.
How do you express your emotions if you don’t know how you feel? Use the daily mental fitness check-in worksheet to identify your emotions.
DAILY MENTAL FITNESS CHECK-IN
I recommend completing the daily mental fitness check-in worksheet for yourself and with your family. Emotions can be tricky and if you are someone who hasn’t expressed emotions in years or feels overwhelmed by their emotions or you’re not sure what your emotions feel like, you’re not alone in this. Completing the daily worksheet with allow you the opportunity to get more connected your emotions and begin living a more full, healthier and happier life.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF
Remember you are human and humans feel. Practice self-love and compassion. Give yourself permission to let go of any thoughts and beliefs around emotions that are no longer serving you.
If you are noticing feelings of guilt and embarrassment when expressing emotions, think about it. They may be attached to a non-supportive thought, story or belief that you were once told about that emotion.
EMOTIONS HAVE A TIPPING POINT
Everyone is at a different place on the emotional spectrum. If you are someone who hasn’t felt emotions in a long time and are worried about starting the feeling process and losing control, seek professional support. If you are someone with a pre-existing or underlying mental health or medical condition, seek professional supports during this process. Professionals are in place to support people in finding harmony and balance. Finding tools and solutions that work best for you is the key. You are not alone.
DOWNLOAD THE “Daily Mental Fitness Check-In” WORKSHEET
