Emotions are an integral part of the human experience. Emotions are a pathway to experiencing joy and at times can feel overwhelming to us. We often dismiss, minimize or avoid our feelings because we have not been taught to emotionally regulate or have not learned and practiced specific skills designed to support us. I am here to tell you there is another way. There is a concept called emotional regulation which means our ability to identify, understand, and respond effectively to an emotional experience.
Learning how to emotionally regulate can be a powerful tool for personal growth and can enhance our ability to move through difficult situations. Here are a few ways we can understand and practice emotional regulation.
Being Aware Of Your Bodily Sensations
When we are in tune with our internal world, including our emotions and physical sensations, we are better able to understand what is happening to us and can aid us in our ability to regulate ourselves more effectively.
Our emotions often are present physically before we can cognitively recognize them. I invite you to notice various sensations within your body. For example, you may notice that you feel overall fatigue or your muscles feel weighed down. This could be a sign that you are experiencing sadness. When we can identify our physical sensations and name the emotion associated with them, then we can better understand our needs.
I encourage you to develop this awareness as it can facilitate connecting with your emotions in a healthy way. You can practice this by asking yourself, “Where do I feel anger?” or “Where do I feel joy?” By leaning into exploring this, you are helping yourself understand your feelings on a deeper level.
Using Mindfulness For Emotions
Another helpful way to work on emotion regulation is by incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine. Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It can be easy to cast harsh judgments on our emotions, whether it be feeling angry for experiencing an emotion or believing we need to “get over” an emotional experience.
By allowing our emotions to be present without judgment; we can move through the emotional experience in a balanced way. It is important to explore where we may have received these beliefs about our emotions, whether from our family or society. This approach gives us the ability to accept our emotions without criticism.
Self-Compassion For Emotional Regulation
Often, we can be critical when we are experiencing emotions and can respond in a harsh way towards ourselves. Self-compassion is a great tool to use when we are using negative self-talk with emotional experiences.
The easiest way to use this skill is to imagine a loved one going through a difficult time and exploring how you would respond to them, and then using the same love and affection towards yourself. So, perhaps when you may be judging your emotions, you could use a compassionate phrase such as, “This is a difficult moment in time”. By offering kindness to yourself in a difficult moment, the hope is to be able to move through an emotion more effectively.
I invite you to explore your beliefs around your emotions and practice accepting them with compassion and free of judgement. As you are continuing on your journey of healing and wholeness, I encourage you to lean into your emotions as they are beautiful messengers that can teach us about our internal world and can help us experience life in a fulfilling way.
Additional Resource:
10 Tips For Shifting Your Relationship To Your Body: This evidence-based guide will provide you with 10 tips to help you move towards more peace with your body. It will equip you with skills around body image challenges with self-compassion.
Compassionate Affirmation: “My emotions are a beautiful part of life and they add richness and meaning to my life.”
Becoming Anchored in Hope,
Laura
LPC-MHSP, CEDS-C, ACS, NCC
Owner + Director
Laura is committed to guiding individuals along their path to mental wellness and has carefully gathered a team of skilled, knowledgeable, and committed therapists at Anchored Counseling Co. to assist in this mission.
The professionals here create an environment that is supportive and affirmed, informed by an understanding of trauma. At Anchored Counseling Co., there’s a shared belief in the fundamental worth of each person, and therapy is delivered with warmth and empathy. The therapeutic philosophy here is built on the premise that every client has the natural ability to enact meaningful and enduring change in their life.
To connect with a therapist who aligns with your unique needs, please contact our office at 615.510.3797 or contact us here.
