Emotional Wellness
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) define emotional wellness as “…the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult times.” (Aug 2022). This goes beyond simple positive thinking. Emotional wellness is more about coming to terms with everything we feel and expressing them in non-toxic ways, such as talking about them with others. Being able to relax, say “no” without guilt, and feel truly content are also signs of good emotional wellness.
How Can I Build Emotional Wellness?
Emotional wellness stems from positive thinking. Finding an optimistic thread in a series of misfortunes may seem, on the surface, like toxic positivity. But rather than repress certain emotions, positive thinking pushes us to acknowledge what we’re feeling honestly. It’s a survival mechanism that helps us stay balanced in times when we feel beaten down. The following are steps, as presented by the National Institutes of Health, for strengthening our emotional wellness:
Build Resilience
Resilience is being able to bounce back after hardship and cope with whatever life throws our way. Building up our resilience requires:
Bodily health. Our brains are just another organ. It is directly connected to our nervous system, which means good heart rate and blood pressure are key for a well-functioning brain. Joining a gym, a hiking group or yoga class, can help with this while also contributing to the next element.
A social network. The saying goes, “There’s safety in numbers”, and it’s certainly true for mental health. Having friends who can relate to our struggle gives us an emotional foundation for sharing our feelings and receiving validation.
Thankfulness is a good way to practice positive thinking in general. No matter the circumstances, find any reason to be grateful. This improves our strength of character and keeps us keenly aware of our circumstances.
Look at problems in a new way - try to see issues as challenges instead of stressors. It helps find what advantages we have in the situation and the list of strengths we can use to pull through.
Reduce Stress
A cliché that may ring hollow. But reducing stress does not mean magically removing life’s issues. It relates to chronic stress, feeling like one can never relax, even when things are going well. Here are effective and healthy ways to lower our chronic stress and anxiety:
Get enough sleep. This is easier for some people than others; working parents may find this particularly difficult. It requires readjusting the daily schedule to include rest, even if it’s a 30-minute midday nap. But prioritizing relaxation in general can help stabilize our blood pressure, rest our joints and muscles, and rebalance our sense of focus.
Be self-compassionate. Recognize that none of us are superhuman and we are all doing the best we can. Everyone commits mistakes; even the best in their fields sometimes make malformed decisions. When we forgive ourselves, we clear away superfluous negative emotions and make room for assessing solutions.
Madonna said it best, “Freedom comes when you learn to say no” Even if the task is not inconvenient and we’re not doing anything important, taking time to do something that makes us happy is vital for our health. A good rule of thumb is to remember that “No” is a complete sentence and “I’m busy” is the only detail needed.
Practice Mindfulness
Just like positive thoughts, engaging all our senses in each present moment takes practice. Viscerally absorbing our surroundings can be done in several ways:
Walk outside. There are a plethora of smells, sounds, colors, and textures. Everything from what we feel in the temperature to the brightness of the sunlight can remind us that we are a part of this world, in the present moment. As long as we stay centered and aware of what’s happening, we will be less caught off-guard by unwanted surprises.
Breathe. Breathe deeply in through the nose, slowly enough to feel both lungs expanding, then let them shrink while releasing that breath through the mouth. Pay attention to what you smell while you inhale and what you hear while you exhale. Notice how your limbs feel while you are breathing; you may become more physically conscious of your muscles, bones, and blood flow.
Practice mindful eating. This has nothing to do with diet, but rather taking the time to taste everything, reflect on how certain foods feel in the mouth, and what sort of effort goes into chewing and swallowing. This allows us to take in food more slowly, giving our stomach ample time to communicate whether it is full or still hungry.
There Is Always Help
This may be a lot to take in. It is not unusual for people to need professional, therapeutic guidance while implementing these life changes. One-on-one counseling is always an option, but there are also support groups available for those looking for a more communal chain of support. Psychological self-help books can also give good guidelines that fall in line with our individual lives and comfort levels. Check out our Wellness Counseling under the Specialties tab and contact us to see how we can help.
Sources
National Institutes of Health. (Aug 8, 2022). Health Information, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.nih.gov/health-information/emotional-wellness-toolkit#:~:text=Emotional%20wellness%20is%20the%20ability,to%20change%20and%20difficult%20times.
University of New Hampshire. (2022). Wellness/Self Care: Emotional Wellness. Health & Wellness, University of New Hampshire. https://www.unh.edu/health/emotional-wellness.
NHS. (Nov 6, 2019). 5 steps to mental wellbeing. National Health Services. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/.