4 Steps to Reconcile Difficult Emotions

Life is full of surprises. Each day brings new challenges, detours and obstacles that shake things up in our day-to day so we can possibly see things from a new perspective. Many of us, including myself, often times neglect the notion of taking the good with the bad in order to see things through. What I have realized in my journey to reclaim personal happiness, fulfillment and peacefulness in the midst of everyday stressors is the importance emotions play in our decision-making process.

Acknowledging our feelings instead of simply ignoring them can provide a sense of emotional clarity and acceptance for the situation at hand. However, moving toward emotional balance is a process and is not an easy feat. One of the major roadblocks I have discovered that is a work in progress for the great majority of society is not allowing ourselves to take things personally. It is not the best approach and it creates negative energy and an instinctive reaction.

As a thirty-something year-old, I am relearning how to interact with others in stressful and difficult situations for the betterment of all parties involved. If you honestly think about it, when you react instinctively does it help you feel better? Are you relieved? Is the situation ever resolved with the best possible solution?

The answers to all of these questions are most likely, “NO.” Not allowing ourselves to get trapped in our own headspace provides clarity to acknowledge feelings and truly understand that everything is not meant or intended to be taken personally. This mindset can create a huge relief and a sense of unyielding composure, despite what life delivers.

To better understand our emotions and get a more accurate sense of it all, let’s take a closer look at four simple steps that can help us on our quest for mindfulness and mental freedom.

• Awareness - It is the first step in dealing with emotions effectively because avoiding our feelings can take a huge toll in all facets of our lives.

• The next step is to identify the emotions you are experiencing. It is a tough one because often times we struggle with pinpointing our exact emotions.

• Introspection is needed to understand WHY you are feeling this way. According to a research journal on the significance of unpacking emotional differentiation, when people don’t allow themselves to acknowledge or address their emotions, they tend to demonstrate a lower well-being accompanied with more “physical symptoms of stress, like headaches.”

• Last but not least, create a course of action to deal with the issue at hand. Perhaps, try writing it out? Social psychologist James Pennebaker, has completed more than 40 years of research between the links of writing and emotional processing. His thorough examinations unveiled that people who tend to write about their emotionally charged episodes experience a noticeable increase in their physical and mental health.

Our emotions serve a wide-range of purposes and there is no greater time than the present to begin applying these practices for both inner and outer peace. Despite the fact that our emotions can be mighty and short-lived or complicated and unrelenting and the list goes on; one thing is for certain, despite the type of emotion we maybe experiencing, they can influence our behavior. While, at the same time, giving us the necessary tools and resources we need to effectively communicate and establish meaningful relationships within our social worlds.

As we continue navigating throughout our daily lives and striving to make balanced healthy choices, it is important to always remember that our feelings help us survive and thrive. Ultimately, this is the purpose of our ever-changing, complex emotions.