Do You Check in on Your Emotional Wellness Ongoing?

Do you check in on your emotional wellness? You go to your doctor to get checkups and you bring your car in to get tuned up and if something is wrong with either, you likely make a plan and get the support you need to fix.  Most of us are pretty good about these things, however, when was the last time you checked in on your emotional health? If it was recently, congratulations and keep doing this. If it has not been for a long time, let this serve as a reminder that your emotional health is critical to your overall well being. The quality of your life is impacted by your emotional health, so having good emotional health results in a better life overall. 

Emotional wellness is about what we think and feel. When you have good emotional wellness, you are able to control and express emotions appropriately. When you have good emotional health, you experience more positive relationships and social interactions. When you have good emotional health, you have coping strategies that allow you to manage challenging situations and seek support as is needed. In addition, when you have good emotional health, you have more confidence, better self-esteem, and find it easier to navigate the ups and downs of life.

If you have not taken time to check in on your emotional wellness, go through the following questions, writing out your answers.

• What are the emotions I experience most often? 

• Are these the emotions I want to be experiencing most often?

• If the answer is “no” to the question above, what emotions would I rather be experiencing?

• Am I able to express my emotions appropriately?

• Do my emotions cause me to lose control and behave in a way I later regret?

• Am I able to focus or be present in the moment or am I dwelling on the past or worrying about the future?

• Do I take time for myself?

• Do I have skills and strategies that help me deal with hard things in my life?

• Do I have people in my life who support me and make me feel good?

• Do I have healthy boundaries with others, as well as with myself regarding how much I take on at one time?

• Do I generally feel pretty good about myself?

If, in answering these questions, you recognize that your emotional health is not where you want it, know that there are things you can do to improve it. The key to improving your emotional health is consistency. It does not take a lot of time overall, however, creating small, impactful, daily habits will help you improve and maintain your improved emotional health. Some ways of doing this are:

• Journaling. You can have specific journal prompts such as, How do I want to feel today and what will help me feel that way? or The things I have accomplished which I am proud of are ____. or The one thing I can work on, so that I feel better overall this month is _____. You can also simply ask yourself, What is on my mind right now? and start journaling what comes up for you. There is no wrong way to journal so give it a try.

• Practicing meditation / mindfulness. When you learn how to focus your brain, you will be more present in the moment, instead of feeling upset about thing that happened in the past, or worrying about the future. If you are looking for a simple, free 5 Minute Meditation, you can grab one HERE.

• Talking to a coach. A coach can help you uncover thoughts and manage thoughts that are causing negative emotions, as well as teaching you coping strategies specific to your needs. If you want to learn more about this, you can email me at [email protected].

• Setting better boundaries. Get comfortable saying “no” to others when you already have too much on your plate, or when you feel like what they are requesting does not work for you at the time of the request. Also, set boundaries with yourself. Give yourself permission to not feel like you need to do it all…or to do it all perfectly.

• Spend time with people who make you feel good. Prioritize socializing with individuals who support you, who are kind to you, and who make you feel good when you are with them. If you are looking for a positive community of women who support one another, you can join my Facebook community HERE.

• Practice gratitude. Each day, write down 1-3 things for which you are grateful. There are small, positive things happening every day, even during challenging times. When you take time to intentionally notice them, you will start to notice more of them, which will improve your overall emotional health.

• Get enough sleep. Sleep is very important to both your physical health and your emotional health. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each night and limit electronics prior to bed as well as when you first wake up in the morning. Also, create a dark, cool sleeping environment.

• Be your own biggest fan. Every day, write down something that you are proud of or something that you did well that day. It can be something big or something small which you may otherwise not give yourself credit for. Your brain is wired to focus on negative things, so be sure to remind it that you are doing good things every single day.

Doing one or more of these consistently will help you improve your overall emotional wellness, so I encourage you to try a few, adding one at a time, until you find what works best for you. If you want ongoing strategies to help you manage your mindset and emotional wellness, you can sign up to receive my exclusive tips and strategies HERE. Even though there are many things you can do to improve your emotional wellness, none of these activities are a replacement for formal therapy. If you have been experiencing low mood, significant stress, anxiety, or burnout for a long period of time, or if you are having any thoughts about hurting yourself, seek professional help immediately.