We all cope with emotions in different ways. Learning to understand and accept your emotions for what they are and what they can teach you is an essential life skill, one that can show you a great deal about yourself and help you grow as a person.
QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON:
One of the most common reactions to emotions, especially negative or uncomfortable ones, is to ignore them or reject how they make us feel. Because they make us feel bad, we choose not to handle them, which means we are not adequately dealing with them. Instead of accepting and processing these feelings, we may stuff them down or numb their effects with self-destructive behaviors like drinking or using drugs.
Accepting your emotion does not mean you resign yourself to always feeling this way. Just because you are sad now does not mean you give up and want to remain wretched forever. It is not about wallowing in your pain or negative emotions.
Instead, acceptance means that you are aware that this is how you feel right now. It is what is necessary for you in your life currently, and in the future, things will change, and you will feel better. When you accept your emotions, you do not hold on to these feelings but instead experience them in the present and become ready to move past them later.
Emotions are not something you can discard just because you do not like them. Your mind and body feel these emotions for a reason. Erasing them completely would not be healthy for you. Emotions are there to tell you what to avoid, what to value, and what makes you happy.
They help us decide who is essential in our lives and how we should spend our time. Therefore, learning to listen to and accept your emotions can teach you a lot about what is essential in your life, if you know how to listen and stop trying to push them away.
QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON:
Thinking
- Are you actively thinking about understanding yourself and your emotions?
- Are you thinking about all the the things that help you accept your emotions?
- Are you thinking about how you can further develop how to accept your emotions?
Talk – New Language
- Are you actively expressing the how you feel?
- Do you speak of all the good and positive things that make you feel good and name the things that you like?
- Are you continuously telling yourself and reminding yourself to accept your feelings and emotions?
Behaviour
- Do you accept your emotions and own up to them fully?
- Do you try and focus on positive behaviours that help you accept your emotions?
- Do you continuously learn more about how to accept your feelings and emotions ?
Relationships & Contribution
- Do you acknowledge that by accepting your emotions, you will be able to live your life more authentically?
- Are you willing to make sure that you always try to accept your emotions so that you can express them to your peers better?
