Emotional well-being 7 ways to improve emotional well-being
Today it is not easy to feel good about oneself and our environment. For this reason, it is important to talk about emotional well-being, that is, what we can do to enhance positive or pleasant emotions and put negative or painful ones aside.
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Emotional well-being explanation
Emotional well-being refers to a state of being in which an individual can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and creatively, and make a contribution to their community. It is characterized by the presence of positive emotions, such as happiness, contentment, and satisfaction, and the absence of negative emotions, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Emotional well-being is an important aspect of overall health and well-being and is closely linked to physical health, cognitive functioning, and social relationships.
7 ways to improve your emotional well-being
1. Accept the pain
How can emotional well-being be achieved? First of all, the most important thing is to accept that we are human beings and that we feel emotions of all kinds, both pleasant and painful. This acceptance is essential because it is what allows us to achieve emotional well-being. However, many people reject this acceptance to avoid feeling pain, as they associate it with weakness and that is usually not liked.
Even so, if we reflect a little, we will realize that, despite the pain that painful emotions cause us, they are not so bad and it is worse not to experience them than to face them. Who loses a loved one and does not feel sadness? It is impossible not to feel anything.
The great Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran wrote “your joyousness is your unhappiness unmasked and the well from which your laughter flows is often filled with your tears”, and how else can it be? The deeper the pain in your being, the more joy you can contain.” In the poem, he is referring to the fact that those people who are capable of feeling and overcoming painful emotions will be more capable of feeling and enjoying pleasant emotions fully.
2. Be grateful
If you want to improve your emotional well-being, you must be a grateful person, either to yourself or to others. the feeling is a wonderful pill to have a more beautiful emotional life and it is very important to acknowledge everything you have. The meanings of appreciating consider that, on the one hand, a person shows and expresses gratitude towards another for the esteem they have for him, and, on the other hand, it also means valuing the other.
Thus, being grateful means starting a process of personal decentralization, that is, ceasing to be the center to give more importance to others. Psychologist Robert Emmons, one of the leading researchers and author of books like Thanks! and The Little Book of Gratitude, affirms that implementing gratitude practices contributes to emotional well-being, improves personal relationships, and allows us to identify what is relevant in each person’s life.
The result of giving thanks requires previously identifying what are the things for which you want to give thanks and then expressing them in the form of a thought or writing. It is essential to know and recall them continuously.
3. Let the emotions flow
If your goal is to deliver the good’s emotional well-being, it is imperative that you accept that harrowing emotions are part of individual nature. You must be willing to feel them to overcome them, but how to do it? If you want to overcome them, you must make them flow and not become embedded inside you. We say you how to do it below:
- Talk about it: people need to explain what hurts us to free ourselves and to get it out of our interior.
- Write about what you feel: Another way to overcome painful emotions is to write about them. A more effective pattern than expressing them verbally. Writing about things that hurt is very healing and makes the pain gradually disappear.
4. write what you feel
We tend to frequently remember positive or pleasant emotions. We recreate them because our mind does not distinguish between real experiences and memories. In this significance, having good memories is an important treasure for future happiness.
On the other hand, when it comes to overcoming negative emotions, it is good to talk or write about them. There is a very popular phrase in positive psychology, whose origin is unknown that says the following: “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” This quote perfectly explains the two ideas that we have just exposed.
5. Be alert to the relationship between feelings and emotions
One of the most important aspects to improve emotional well-being is the relationship between thoughts and emotions. Cognitive psychology delves into this aspect. The idea is to accept that there is such a relationship and that both thoughts and emotions influence each other, so we have the opportunity to direct thoughts.
For example, it is said that 90% of the thoughts that worry us will never occur, so why have them? In other words, we can try to control our thoughts so that they do not trigger painful emotions in us. This idea is also known as “rethinking the situations” we live in to change what we think, therefore, what we feel.
6. Building and maintaining social connections
Building and maintaining social connections is an important aspect of improving emotional well-being. Social connections provide a sense of belonging, support, and companionship, all of which can improve mental health and overall well-being.
Here are a few ways to build and maintain social connections:
- Join a club or organization: Joining a club or organization that aligns with your interests can be a great way to meet new people who share similar passions.
- Volunteer: Volunteering can be a great way to meet new people, while also contributing to a cause you care about.
- Attend social events: Whether it’s a party, a concert, or a community gathering, attending social events can be a great way to meet new people and form connections.
- Make an effort to stay in touch with friends and family: Regularly reaching out to friends and family can help maintain strong connections and provide a sense of support and companionship.
- Use technology: Social media and messaging apps can be a great way to stay in touch with people you may not be able to see in person.
- Seek professional help: If you are having difficulty building and maintaining social connections, a therapist or counselor can help you work through any underlying issues and develop strategies for building and maintaining connections.
It’s worth noting that social connections can take many forms, and it’s important to find what works for you. Building and maintaining social connections takes time and effort, but it can have a big impact on emotional well-being.
7. Seeking professional help
Seeking professional help can be an important step in improving emotional well-being. A therapist or counselor can provide guidance and support in managing emotional difficulties, and help individuals develop strategies for coping with stress and improving overall well-being.
Here are a few things to consider when seeking professional help:
- Finding the right therapist: It’s important to find a therapist or counselor who is a good fit for you. This might involve looking for someone with specific training or experience in the areas you need help with, or someone with a certain approach or style.
- Understanding different types of therapy: There are many different types of therapy available, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), talk therapy, and psychoanalytic therapy. Each type of therapy has its own focus, and some may be better suited to certain issues than others.
- Knowing what to expect: Therapy sessions usually involve talking with a therapist about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It’s important to understand that the process of therapy can take time, and that progress may not be immediate.
- Be prepared to do homework: Therapists usually give homework to their patients, which is a task to be done between sessions. It’s important to be prepared to do these tasks to make progress.
- Privacy: The information you share in therapy sessions is confidential, and will not be shared with others without your permission.
- Cost: Some people may be hesitant to seek professional help due to the cost. But there are many low-cost or sliding-scale options available, and some insurance plans may cover therapy services.
It’s crucial to remember that seeking professional assistance is a sign of strength, not weakness. It takes courage to acknowledge that you need help and to take steps to improve your emotional well-being.
Conclusion
Emotional well-being is an important aspect of overall health and well-being. It refers to the ability to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors positively and healthily. Improving emotional well-being can involve a variety of strategies, such as exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, engaging in activities that bring pleasure and fulfillment, building and maintaining social connections, and seeking professional help when needed.
It’s worth noting that emotional well-being is a complex and multi-faceted concept that can be influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, life experiences, and individual coping mechanisms. Therefore, it’s important to understand that everyone’s emotional well-being journey is unique and will require different strategies.
It is a constant work in progress and it’s important to be kind to yourself and to remember that it’s okay to not be okay sometimes. It’s important to engage in self-care activities that benefit your mind and body, to practice self-compassion, and not to shy away from seeking professional help when needed.
If you want to read more articles similar to this, we recommend that you enter our Self-care category.
