Being Emotionally Well

The challenges of life can take a serious toll on your emotional wellness. How you cope with these challenges can have a positive or negative outcome. Depression, stress, anxiety, restlessness, and anger are just a few of the signs that you are spiraling down a dark tunnel.  In turn, this can affect your ability to carry out daily activities whether at home, school or work. It also impacts your relationships with family members, friends and coworkers.  It may also impact your physical health.

Emotional wellness involves adjusting to challenges, coping with stress and being able to express your feelings in a positive way.  This does not mean that you won’t feel anger, pain/hurt and stress.  How you respond to these negative feelings is most important.

Emotionally well people display healthy and positive characteristics.

• They manage their stress level and exhibit coping skills. They recognize stress and identify activities to cope it.
• They accept themselves for who they are. They understand that they are not perfect and allows themselves to feel and process their emotions.
• They demonstrate emotional agility. They are able to bounce back and thrive even in the mists of emotional setbacks.
• They live with integrity and display kindness towards others.
• They live with a purpose. They find the time to do things that are meaningful to they and that they enjoy doing.

Are you struggling with maintaining good emotional Here are some ways to improve or maintain good emotional health as outlined on familydoctor.org:

• Be aware of your emotions and reactions: Notice what in your life makes you sad, frustrated, or angry. Try to address or change those things.
• Express your feelings in appropriate ways: Let people close to you know when something is bothering you. Keeping feelings of sadness or anger inside adds to stress. It can cause problems in your relationships and at work or school.
• Think before you act: Give yourself time to think and be calm before you say or do something you might regret.
• Manage stress:Learn relaxation methods to cope with stress. These could include deep breathing, meditation, and exercise.
• Strive for balance: Find a healthy balance between work and play, and between activity and rest. Make time for things you enjoy. Focus on positive things in your life.
• Take care of your physical health:Exercise regularly, eat healthy meals, and get enough sleep. Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol. Keep your physical health from affecting your emotional health.
• Connect with others:Make a lunch date, join a group, and say hi to strangers. We need positive connections with other people.
• Find purpose and meaning: Figure out what’s important to you in life, and focus on that. This could be your work, your family, volunteering, caregiving, or something else. Spend your time doing what feels meaningful to you.
• Stay positive: Focus on the good things in your life. Forgive yourself for making mistakes and forgive others. Spend time with healthy, positive people.