We all have those days when we wake up feeling moody or “on the wrong side of our bed”, and even though it would have been nice to just stay indoors or by ourselves while we find our “regular mood” again, as adults, we still have to get to our daily jobs, function well at them and meet those other obligations that are expected of us. So the question now becomes, how do we manage our emotions on days like these?
Firstly, I would like to say that if this “moody feeling” is something that happens very often and appears to be severe, then you definitely need to seek professional medical advice, beyond whatever tips or advice I may share with you here. When I refer to managing emotions, I am referring to the type of emotional adjustments that allow us to have positive interactions in the world around us just as we otherwise would on any typical day. If that is the case, the few strategies I’ll be sharing here would surely be of help to you.
There are many ways of managing emotions; from simple, old tricks like; taking a deep breath, counting to 10, biting your tongue, etc. to more complex mind control techniques that would require some training and many hours of practice. Learning and mastering these tricks could be likened to one trying to build muscles; it takes a while to build and a lifetime of practice to maintain. It’s a lifetime project if you want to achieve mastery at it.
Emotions like anger, shame, and sadness (to name a few) are difficult and distressing. Most people would rather not experience them, so why bother learning how to cope with them? Unfortunately, the sad news is that these emotions are inevitable (both positive and negative). It is therefore better to learn how to deal with them so they don’t cause more harm than they should.
Look at it this way, what if you use these emotional events as an opportunity to learn from those feelings you might be experiencing in those moments? The trick is to pay attention and not be distracted by your resistance to the emotions because they might connect you to something new about yourself, people, or life in general.
For example; What if you could sit with the anger and really let yourself feel it? Embrace the emotion, look at it, and feel the power it has without necessarily reacting. You’ll eventually find that you’re able to express those emotions more purposefully and maybe to your benefit. You can decide what next steps to take. Be intentional and conscious, instead of reactive. When you resist by refusing to look or pretending it’s not there, the emotion is expressed in unconscious ways.
Emotions may just be the way to finding our human-to-human connection with others in this chaotic, yet interesting world. The key is staying present with yourself.
Below are five tips I want to share with you to help you manage your emotions better.
- Be Self-conscious
Just like I mentioned above, the first step in managing emotions is self-consciousness. A lot of complex factors affect our thinking and view of events in so many ways that we’re not even aware of. Our culture, our education, our attitudes, our beliefs, economic situation, civilization and so much more. Our ability to be self-conscious and aware of our state of mind at all times will immensely help us to not be reactive to situations and events around us.
- Think Positive thoughts
Most people do not realize the harmful effects of flooding the mind with negative thoughts. Managing your emotions properly can be learned through the regular practice of awareness of positive and negative thoughts in our minds. More often than not, the negative thoughts are what is responsible for creating those negative emotions that cause stress and sadness. Take deliberate steps to keep the negative thoughts out and the positive ones in.
- Relieve Stress
There is a powerful connection between how stressed out our body and mind are with the state of emotional health. People who are stressed out are usually grouchy and easily irritated at things, happenings, or people around them. Moreover, stress elimination activities like; exercise, rest, and fun activities also help the body to release positive chemicals like endorphins and dopamine which helps the body feel pleasure thereby releasing positive emotions. Nobody is immune from stress. But the situation that causes stress can be managed by managing emotions.
- Distract Yourself
Immediate relief from negative emotions can be achieved by quickly diverting your attention to something else. The transmission of emotional distress and deliberately trying to do something else can redirect emotional energy. This is always useful. This strategy will provide temporary relief from the tension caused by emotions directed by unpleasant thoughts that flow through the mind control.
- Use mind tricks
Another way to temporarily distract yourself from negative emotions so you don’t react in a hostile way is to use simple tricks that can make you react differently to situations that ordinarily would have caused you stress or sadness. For example, having a keyword in your heart that pops up whenever you find yourself in a certain situation; the word helps you to be more self-aware and reminds you of actions to take whenever you find yourself in such situations. Others include; dressing up for no reason (looking good can make you feel better about yourself), Having a favorite song, movie, or book that helps to lift up your spirit whenever you’re feeling down, or engaging in activities you enjoy doing like drawing, gardening, playing with your pets or anything that can serve as an antidote for when you’re having a “sour day.”
Managing our emotions is simply a matter of making the decision to take control. Learning to control the things that you can, and also learning to deal with this you can’t control. Try any of these five tips mentioned above and see if they will help you improve how you manage your emotions.
- Be self-conscious
- Think Positive thoughts
- Relieve stress
- Distract yourself
- Use mind tricks
Remember, you only have one life to live, LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST!
With Love and gratitude as always, Xo!
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Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.