8 Ways to Be More Emotionally In Tune With Yourself

Our emotions dictate how we feel and, to a great degree, what we do. Understanding our emotions will help us to be more in control of ourselves so that we can embrace, rather than suppress, our feelings and enjoy a more fulfilling life. When you are able to understand your emotions, you get to know yourself better and have a greater appreciation of your underlying needs. Here are 9 ways that moms can be more emotionally in tune with themselves. If you fit into this category, then keep reading.

What are Emotions

Emotions are the feelings we have that let us know how we are being affected by the things happening to us. We should consider our emotions to be neither positive nor negative. They are simply signals directing us in the right direction and helping us to make sense of what we are experiencing. 

Appreciating Happiness

Happiness is one of the first emotions that humans experience. As babies and children we derive happiness from the sense of safety and belonging we get from our parents and other family members. As we get older, we tend to associate happiness with a sense of joy, pleasure or emotional contentment. 

When we reflect on the things that bring us true happiness, we will be able to identify the things that are most important in our lives. 

Loneliness

Loneliness is a feeling of isolation. It can occur when we are physically on our own as well as when we are in the middle of a crowd. One of the most basic of human needs is that of belonging. This evidences itself as a longing for social interaction. Rather than letting loneliness immobilize you, use it as a nudge that you need to connect with your family members and reconnect with friends that you may have lost contact with.

Learn More About Your Emotions

Learning about our emotions is a fascinating subject that will pay off in greater understanding of ourselves. There are a number of excellent websites that feature emotional wellness articles that will help you to direct your emotions positively. Make it your habit to read, meditate upon  and apply the guidance from one or two of these articles weekly as part of your emotional wellness maintenance. 

Fear 

Psychologists tell us that fear is our most basic survival mechanism. It warns us of danger and activates the body’s fight or flight mechanism. In times past, the fearful situation was likely to be an attacking wild animal or marauding band. Today, it is more likely to be a bill that we can’t pay or a failed exam paper. 

Fear can keep a person from taking risks as they are consumed with the thought of failing. While it is not possible to eliminate the emotion of fear, it is certainly possible to act with courage in spite of it. 

Disgust

Disgust is another emotion that is designed to help protect us from danger. It is a feeling of abhorrence to something that we consider to be grossly unpleasant. We often feel disgust when in the presence of rodents, cockroaches or feces. When we hear about or see terrible acts of cruelty or other things that contravene our social norms we also react with disgust. 

Use disgust to your advantage by acting on the emotion to stay well clear of the thing that causes it. If your initial reaction to something that your peers are doing is disgust, do not allow yourself to be drawn into it!

Sadness

We feel sad in the wake of the loss of something that is important to us. There are a number of degrees of sadness and they can express themselves in different ways. Though we may not enjoy this emotion, it has a key purpose. It helps us to process grief, disappointment and loss. 

When you have feelings of sadness, take the opportunity to step back and analyze yourself. Identify the root cause of your sadness and think about what you can do differently in future. In this way, sadness can help us to be more introspective and to learn from our negative experiences. 

Anger

The emotion of anger results when we are frustrated that we cannot get what we want. Anger is often expressed in physical reactions such as clenching our fists, yelling or getting violent. However, you can use anger in a more constructive way if you allow it to force you to confront the situation that is causing your frustration. 

When anger boils up inside you, it may be best to remove yourself from the situation and provide yourself the time to calm down. Going for a walk or exercising can help to work through the anger emotion. But then you should return to the cause of your frustration and look for practical ways to resolve it. 

Anticipation

The emotion of anticipation is a feeling of arousal that we have leading up to a time that will be either exciting, anxiety producing or that has an uncertain outcome. Anticipation for a worrisome outcome can be used to motivate us to prepare as fully as possible, planning for both a positive and a negative result. Nervous anticipation can be a sign that we are engaging in activities that are slightly beyond our comfort zone. Being able to control that anticipation and experience such new things is a healthy sign.

Jealousy

Jealousy is a longing for what someone else has got and you don’t. When we feel jealous of another person, we can easily begin to think that they are happier, more successful and ‘better’ than we are. This can lead to a sense of insecurity and lowered self esteem. 

When jealousy rears its head, identify quickly exactly what it is that has sparked the emotion. This will help you to identify what is missing in your life. Rather than allowing your jealousy to fester, rationally consider whether that thing is really of value to your life. If it is, start taking concrete action to acquire it for yourself and stop comparing yourself to the other person.