It seems that these days, many of us are unhappy, in denial, and stressed-out. We can’t solely put the blame on the pandemic and the people around us. In reality, our emotional health relies on our habits, how we deal with our emotions, and how we view emotional health as a whole.
In pursuit of wellness, we often focus on improving our physical health. But know that aside from this, wellness has eight aspects. Out of these factors, emotional well-being is one of the hardest to achieve.
To achieve better emotional health, you need to be able to understand what your emotions are and how you can turn negative feelings into positive ones. But then, feelings and emotions can be so hard to express and understand.
These are the reasons we find it so hard to achieve emotional wellness:
You Focus on What You Can’t Control
One of the reasons why you are always stressed out is because you tend to put your attention on the things you cannot control. For instance, you want to get that promotion at work. Instead of improving your skills and showing off what you can do, you focus on your opponents and let your emotions demotivate you.
Focusing on your rivals and not doing anything about it will only increase your stress levels. You will only drown in your negative feelings because you cannot control the results. But if you focus on improving yourself, you get to increase your chances of being their worthy competitor.
Put your attention on things you have absolute control over. Learn new skills that will help you achieve the position you are aiming for. Look for a mentor and expand your network to learn about the tricks of the trade.
Don’t forget to take good care of yourself and dress the part. If you have insecurities, take time on improving them. This could mean taking a public speaking course, visiting a licensed orthodontist regularly to maintain your oral health and fix your smile, or starting a more positive outlook in life.
You Don’t Keep Healthy Boundaries
If you demand respect, people will treat you with respect. Of course, there is an exemption to this. This is since most people only give true respect to those who earned their respect.
But in a sense, setting boundaries will give people the idea of how you want to be treated. If you don’t set up personal boundaries, people will think you are okay with how they treat you. Remember that boundaries are crucial to any relationship.
Failure to set healthy boundaries will make the people around you think that you are okay with how they treat you. You could already be hurting without them knowing if you don’t let them know how you feel. Don’t be afraid to let them know your likes and dislikes and how you want to be treated.
If you were able to voice out your concerns and some people treat you without respect, then it is time to let them go. There is no point in wasting your time with the people who don’t love and respect you. Know your limits, be confident enough to say no, and don’t let anyone take advantage of you.
You Can’t Accept Mistakes
Some people have too much pride that they don’t acknowledge the fact when they make a mistake. It is crucial that you learn that we all make mistakes. Hurting other people’s feelings unintentionally also counts as a mistake.
Being emotionally healthy also meant knowing when you did something that hurt other people’s feelings. It is not enough that you say sorry and try to move on as soon as possible. It is also about learning from your mistakes and making sure you don’t commit the same mistakes again.
It is also crucial that you go through the healing process if your mistakes hurt you in the process. Sometimes, we do things to ourselves that lead to feelings of sadness, guilt, and regret. Learn how to forgive yourself and turn this into a learning experience.
You Trust No One for Support
Do you often keep your problems to yourself? You may think that sharing your problems won’t help solve the issue itself. But keeping all your problems to yourself is never healthy.
You may think you are okay with writing down your feelings in your journal. But sometimes, we need a person or two to talk to, listen to us vent, and not judge for doing so. There will be times when you just need someone who will listen to you sincerely and offer their support whenever you need them.
Accepting support does not show weakness. In fact, it shows how strong you are emotionally for being able to show your vulnerable side. The next time you feel sad or lonely, try to reach out to a trusted friend, a closed loved one, or a trained professional.
If you really want to achieve emotional wellness, you can start by using this article as your guide. Don’t try to do everything on your own and seek support as needed. Set healthy boundaries and accept and learn from your mistakes. Don’t forget to put your focus on what you can control, not on the things you can’t change.
