What is Emotional Well-Being?

Emotionally we are great when we have excitement, love, happiness, and acceptance in our lives and we are building pleasant and joyful memories every day. On the other side of the horizon is when we are experiencing unpleasant, rocky, and compromising situations every day but if we are able to handle them well, we are in our emotionally good state, otherwise, we need to retrospect or introspect.

According to Psychology Today, the definition of emotional well-being is “the ability to practice stress-management techniques, be resilient, and generate the emotions that lead to good feelings.”

Mental well-being

Biological, psychological, social and environment are some of the factors which play a major role in influencing our mental wellbeing or our mental health. Some of the other factors are:-

• Your lifestyle
• Are you discriminated against or bullied?
• Facing Violence or aggression
• Educational qualifications
• How are you connected with your community?
• Are you socially active?
• Your economic resources

The above are some of the common triggers which cause imbalance to our mental wellbeing. The ability to deal with these stress triggers and the way you express your feelings to others or to your community helps you to have a great relationship with your community or your society members. Dealing with your insecurities and fears in a focussed manner is the strength of your mind and your emotional wellness!

Physical well-being

Accepting your body as your best friend and taking care of it is of prime importance. “Your Body is your best friend” as you will need it till your last breath to house your heart, mind, and your soul. Regular exercise to keep your body in action and maintain the movement, fuelling it right so as to keep it away from any kind of diseases or illness is your duty so as to prevent from having any kind of stress to the mind. Meditation and spiritual mindfulness go a long way in keeping the body, mind & soul in alignment.

Emotional well-being in particular is about accepting and expressing feelings in a way that can help maintain positive mental and physical health.

How to stay in tune with and improve your emotional well-being

1. Learn how to address stress appropriately

Yoga, walking/exercising, deep breathing, meditation, and connecting with friends are among many healthy and comforting stress-relief techniques. These differ depending on the situation

In situations where you have fewer coping strategies available, consider going inward using your senses to relieve stress. instance, this can include:

• Listening to your favorite or otherwise soothing music
• Thinking about an enjoyable memory
• Doodling or drawing something
• Smelling a favorite essential oil or comforting scent
• Take a long deep breath.

2. Build your emotional intelligence

The way you cope with stress and the ability to manage relationships and communicate effectively in times of conflict, recognize understand and use your emotions positively is known as emotional intelligence. Basically, how intelligently you deal with your emotions.

This is very important for your overall emotional well-being. For example, this can be divided into four forms:

1. Self-awareness — Identify your strengths, weaknesses, what drives you, and recognize your own emotions.

2. Self-management — Take charge and understand certain situations and redirect negative feelings or destructive impulses away.

3. Social awareness — Understand the context of situations and try to consider others' feelings.

4. Relationship management — Don’t expect from others and negotiate your emotions and enjoy others' company.

3. Practice mindfulness regularly

Many a time we are doing a task in a robotic way, not doing it with our presence. Even if you are doing a mundane activity like loading a dishwasher do it with awareness and do it with yourself present there, instead of thinking what to cook for dinner. Did you know that regular mindfulness practice can actually help rewire your brain to respond to things in a healthier manner?

You can do a long or a short meditation, or just be there with full presence in whatever you are doing.

As a result, you’ll get better at your mindfulness practice.

4. Consider keeping a mood journal

Our daily activities, food, entertainment, friends, and family can be triggers for emotional response. If we maintain a journal to identify those triggers and the patterns which were there can help you to identify and anticipate responses or reactions. Once you identify your triggers you can manipulate your responses.

5. Welcome all emotions

Most of the time we try to camouflage our emotions and fear negative emotions but they are the protective ones. We are not to hide them, rather accept them as a natural and healthy way to developing healthy emotional wellbeing. You don’t have to go to the washroom to cry, you don’t have to control your laughter and certainly, you don’t have to control your anger, just learn to do it in a controlled manner. You don’t have to hurt others to express yourself.

6. Make sure to dedicate time to things you enjoy

Many people have so many obligations in life that they do not feel they have time to do the things that bring them joy. Going for a walk, having a cup of tea in solitude or reading a book, listening to music, or any other activity that brings you happiness has to be incorporated into your daily schedule. Including this not only helps you maintain positive emotional well-being; it can also help you be more productive by giving your mind and body a reprieve from stress.

7. Find support

Having adequate support is important. So, confiding in trusted friends, family, a coach, or a support group can help in managing your emotional well-being. Don’t bottle up as it can burst, vent out the feelings which will make you lighter and feel better.