Better Understand Your Emotions?…

Naming our emotions — what psychologists call labeling — is an important first step in dealing with them effectively. But it’s harder than it sounds; many of us struggle to identify what exactly we are feeling, and often times the most obvious label isn’t actually the most accurate…

Anger and stress are two of the emotions we see most in the workplace — or at least those are the terms we use for them most frequently. Yet they are often masks for deeper feelings that we could and should describe in more nuanced and precise ways, so that we develop greater levels of emotional agility, a critical capability that enables us to interact more successfully with ourselves and the world…

It’s been shown that when people don’t acknowledge and address their emotions, they display lower wellbeing and more physical symptoms of stress, like headaches. There is a high cost to avoiding our feelings. On the flip side, having the right vocabulary allows us to see the real issue at hand-to take a messy experience, understand it more clearly, and build a roadmap to address the problem.

— Susan David, Harvard Business Review (From 3 Ways to Better Understand Your Emotions) 

My favourite therapist leads with feelings, and their broader implications. So often, there is something older and more profound at the root of issues. I’ve certainly benefitted greatly from addressing quietly problematic baggage. I’m not gonna say therapy is fun, but it is freeing personally and quite kind to my relationships. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl