I think I speak for everyone when I say that it’s time to normalize making space for emotional health check-ins.
Let’s make check-ins a thing in 2023. It’s time we make a habit of being vulnerable in our relationships and encourage one another to take inventory of all of the factors that may be contributing to our mood changes, our anxiety levels, and ultimately, how we FEEL in our experience.
Gone are the days where it’s considered *inappropriate* or *weak* or *shameful* to be honest about where you are emotionally. That perspective on emotion has expired. Let it go. Throw it out. Walk away. Let’s move on and experience the emotional growth that is meant for us.
Break the illusion that you’re alone and there’s something intrinsically “wrong” with you for feeling the way you’re feeling.
When it comes to emotions, there’s no such thing as “wrong!” Every emotion absolutely serves a purpose and has a message to be acknowledged, processed, and integrated into your greater understanding of yourself and the world.
Understanding your emotional body can equip you with insight that would otherwise be unattainable.
Whether you conduct an emotional health check-in on your own or involve a safe person in your life around whom you feel accepted and celebrated for your authenticity, a quick check-in can really impact the trajectory of your day.
So many of us are roaming this physical plane completely disconnected from our emotional bodies, unsure about how to best support ourselves during uncomfortable or even distressing periods of our lives.
Guess what? It doesn’t have to be this way! Emotional growth is possible in any stage of your life.
Consider an emotional check-in simply a data point amongst multiple data points throughout the duration of your life that allows you to better understand: a) how you’re feeling, b) what may be contributing to that feeling (both internal and external factors), and c) what you can do to self-soothe before gently encouraging yourself to move forward.
Even a quick check-in can ultimately shape your day in that you may identify what actions and mindset changes you may initiate in order to make for a better experience.
Put simply, a check-in will allow you to know yourself better and honor yourself in your authenticity and decrease the potential for emotional overwhelm or distress.
This will: increase your tolerance to emotional distress, improve your relationships with both yourself and others, increase productivity, and ultimately allow for decisions that are more optimal to you.
So, grab your journal or call your person. It’s time to check-in and check-out your psyche!
What to ask or reflect on:
- How am I feeling? What can I call this emotion? How does it feel in my body? What other times have I felt something similar?
- Am I hungry? What have I eaten today? When was the last time I ate? How has my appetite been trending over the last few days?
- Am I thirsty? Have I been drinking too many sugary beverages? Could I be dehydrated?
- Am I withdrawing from or being affected by caffeine, alcohol, or some other substance?
- Am I tired or sleepy?
- Am I overworked? Does my mind need a break and the opportunity to rest and reset?
- Am I processing something difficult? What could I have been compartmentalizing for too long? Is it time to sit down and make space to finally reflect?
- Am I feeling overwhelmed or destabilized by change? How can I incorporate routines or rituals that may enable be to stabilize?
- Am I feeling hurt in a relationship? What boundaries may I need to set in order to feel protected or respected? Will this require a conversation or action alone?
- Do I feel overextended? How can I reclaim my resources? What changes can I make to invest my time, energy, and money more appropriately?
What to remind yourself:
- How I’m feeling is temporary
- I am not alone (not in life and certainly not in this experience)
- A good meal and a night’s rest can work wonders
- Nothing is as urgent as anxiety may suggest
- I can use perceived setbacks as potential breakthroughs
- Tomorrow is a new day
Focus on one small action to self-soothe until you feel prepared to move forward:
- Take a bubble bath/shower
- Journal
- Call a friend
- Go for a drive
- Dance to your favorite song
- Go for a run/walk
- Cuddle your dog
- Watch a lighthearted movie
- Clean your room
- Go to the gym
- Eat a comforting meal
- Take a nap
- Meditate
- Cry it out (seriously, crying helps regulate your emotions!)
What’s YOUR favorite way to support yourself through a challenging emotional experience? Let us know down below in the comments.
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