Life is a kaleidoscope of emotions. Joy, anger, sadness, resentment, fear, and a multitude of other emotions weave through our daily lives, often unnoticed or unacknowledged. We are so consumed with our external circumstances that we often overlook our internal emotional landscape. In the rush of our lives, we fail to realize that dealing with negative emotions effectively is key to our overall mental well-being. So, the question is – How to deal with negative emotions?
Recognizing the Invisible: Unacknowledged Emotions
An unexpected and troublesome aspect of being human is that we feel so much more than we consciously realize. Our lives are filled with emotions – some joyful, some distressing – that lie just outside the sphere of our conscious understanding. These emotions go unnoticed because they’re often too shocking, too sad, or too contrary to our expectations to confront.
There’s an inherent fear and timidity associated with confronting these emotions. We may feel anger where we are expected to feel love, sadness where we are expected to be practical. It’s this fear of confronting the true nature of our emotions that prevents us from registering our authentic reality.
We also ignore our feelings because they rush into our minds too quickly, in too great a quantity for us to disentangle them in the limited time we devote to self-understanding. Unless we consciously identify and adequately feel our emotions, we risk falling prey to psychological ills like anxiety, paranoia, depression, and worse.
The Consequences of Ignoring Emotions
It’s important to understand that mental unwellness often stems from an accumulation of unfelt feelings. We are doing ourselves a disservice by not regularly acknowledging and understanding our true emotions.
This understanding begins with a simple, yet deep question that we should ask ourselves regularly – “What am I feeling now?” To draw out meaningful answers, it’s best to sit somewhere quiet, perhaps in bed with the lights dimmed, with a notepad and pen at hand.
This isn’t about dwelling on negative emotions or indulging in self-pity. Instead, it’s about acknowledging our feelings, allowing them to surface, and dealing with them constructively. It’s about developing the emotional intelligence to recognize, understand, and manage our feelings.
Techniques for Dealing with Negative Emotions
Here are some practical steps to take to deal with negative emotions:
Self-Reflection and Introspection
Start by carving out time each day for self-understanding. This dedicated time should be spent alone, in a quiet place, free from distractions.
Acknowledging Your Emotions
Close your eyes and ask yourself, “What am I feeling now?” Let the free-form nature of the question resonate within you. After a few moments of scanning the inner depths of your mind, you may begin to notice the first inklings of certain emotions.
Writing Down Your Emotions
Keep a pad and pen handy to jot down any feelings or thoughts that emerge during this introspective process. You may uncover a disguised anxiety or detect traces of past traumas that still linger. Writing down your emotions helps you identify and understand them better.
Body Awareness
Our bodies often hold silent emotions. To uncover these, ask questions like, “What is my body feeling?”, “If my shoulders could speak right now, what might they say?” These questions may seem strange, but they can be surprisingly revealing.
FAQs About Dealing with Negative Emotions
- Is it really necessary to write down emotions? Yes, writing down emotions helps in acknowledging and understanding them better.
- How frequently should I introspect my emotions? Ideally, you should introspect daily.
- What if I struggle to identify my emotions? It’s normal. Keep practicing, and it will become easier over time.
- Can unacknowledged emotions really cause mental ailments? Yes, untreated emotions can lead to issues like anxiety, depression, etc.
- Can my body actually hold emotions? Yes, our body often expresses what our words can’t.
In Conclusion: Embrace Emotional Intelligence
As you learn how to deal with negative emotions, remember that the journey to emotional intelligence and emotional wellness takes time and consistent effort. Every emotion has its place, and every feeling has its value. As the saying goes, “We seem to have so much time for everything – except for what can save us.” It’s about time we save ourselves by acknowledging, understanding, and effectively dealing with our negative emotions. After all, emotional health is as important as physical health. It’s time we started giving it the attention it deserves.