You may have noticed that when you are sad, you feel less energy, or when you are excited, your heart races. It’s not just you; it is true that your emotions can affect not just your mind but also your body. In fact, your emotions are supposed to activate your body. That is why emotions are also known as “feelings” - you feel them!
Each emotion you feel is designed to provoke a certain reaction. For example, feeling angry might trigger a fight response or feeling scared might cause a flight response. These negative emotions are not a problem so long as you listen to them and respond appropriately. If you ignore such feelings, or doubt their validity and repress them, this could negatively impact your health. On the other hand, if you learn to manage them and address the causes of these feelings, you can reduce your risk of health conditions like heart disease and improve your immune system.
How do you manage emotions? Well first you will need to notice them and name them, i.e. acknowledge them. After acknowledging your emotions, you might be able to trace their source and address the cause of the emotions, by making changes or better choices. If that is not possible, you may be able to change the way you think about something. For example, grief about a loss can be reframed as gratitude about having had the experience that was lost. Remember though: you are not getting rid of the grief or sadness, you are just keeping it from becoming overwhelming. Always allow yourself to feel your full range of emotions fully, just not constantly!
Each emotion you feel is designed to provoke a certain reaction. For example, feeling angry might trigger a fight response or feeling scared might cause a flight response. These negative emotions are not a problem so long as you listen to them and respond appropriately. If you ignore such feelings, or doubt their validity and repress them, this could negatively impact your health. On the other hand, if you learn to manage them and address the causes of these feelings, you can reduce your risk of health conditions like heart disease and improve your immune system.
How do you manage emotions? Well first you will need to notice them and name them, i.e. acknowledge them. After acknowledging your emotions, you might be able to trace their source and address the cause of the emotions, by making changes or better choices. If that is not possible, you may be able to change the way you think about something. For example, grief about a loss can be reframed as gratitude about having had the experience that was lost. Remember though: you are not getting rid of the grief or sadness, you are just keeping it from becoming overwhelming. Always allow yourself to feel your full range of emotions fully, just not constantly!
