Your Emotions Are Gifts to Help You Discover Your Inner Self
Reviewed and verified by Anthea Lai (RP, Qualifying)
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your emotions and unsure of how to handle them?
Have you ever wished to have no emotions so your loved ones don’t get hurt again?
Emotions are a gift. They act like a compass guiding us towards the right direction to discover our inner self. By identifying our real emotions and inner desires, we can better process and regulate our emotions and thoughts.
What is Emotional Regulation?
Emotional dysregulation occurs when someone struggles to manage or calm intense emotions, especially negative ones like anger, frustration, or jealousy.
Which emotions do you experience the most and how do they impacted you and those around you?. Do you wish your emotions can stop taking you on a daily rollercoaster that makes you spin?
Emotional Regulation Matters A Lot
- Regulating your emotions has so many great benefits:
- maintain and/or grow strong long-term interpersonal relationships,
- repair broken relationships and respect from others
- reduce stress, which is a root to many health conditions
- regain self-control and understanding of your thoughts to make better decisions
- improve overall performance at work and/or school
Common Challenges with Emotional Regulation
Regulating your emotions can be a challenge that many people face, especially for those that often act impulsively or feel overwhelmed. Our emotions can get so intense and cause us to make decisions we wouldn’t otherwise make.
It is important to remember that everyone struggles with this at times, so treat yourself with kindness and understanding.
Find healthy ways to deal with conflict
Cultivate Deep Breathing Exercises as part of your daily routine: Take deep, slow breaths that will help you calm down. A popular exercise is inhaling through your nose for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 4 seconds, exhaling through your mouth for 4 seconds and holding your breath for 4 seconds.
Identify Triggers to Regularly Cause Negative Emotions: Recognize what situations will evoke strong emotions in you. For example, if you notice that you feel anxious when you drive, you can develop strategies to lessen your anxiety and feel less stressed.
Taking a Pause Before Reacting: Instead of responding immediately, take time to calm down and reflect on the situation. For example, when someone says something that upsets you, take a moment to breathe and calm down, so that you can respond less impulsively and more rationally.
When to Seek Help
Self-regulating your emotions is a helpful skill to learn, but there are times when professional help is necessary. If you find that certain emotions are intense, overwhelming and constant, it may be an indicator of more serious issues such as chronic anxiety, depression, or mood disorders may be at play. Psychotherapy can help you deal with these emotions in ways that go beyond simple self-regulation techniques. It is important to recognize when you need help, and to understand that seeking support is not a sign of failure, but shows your commitment to self improvement.
At Grace Health Centre, our team of therapists and physicians offer psychotherapy services that are free with OHIP or covered by insurance. If you are interested in booking a free initial consultation with us, you can get started here.
Psychoeducational Course Is Affordable and Build Community
Self-regulating your emotions is a helpful skill to learn, but there are times when professional help is necessary. If you find that certain emotions are intense, overwhelming and constant, it may be an indicator of more serious issues such as chronic anxiety, depression, or mood disorders may be at play. Psychotherapy can help you deal with these emotions in ways that go beyond simple self-regulation techniques. It is important to recognize when you need help, and to understand that seeking support is not a sign of failure, but shows your commitment to self improvement.
At Grace Health Centre, our team of therapists and physicians offer psychotherapy services that are free with OHIP or covered by insurance. If you are interested in booking a free initial consultation with us, you can get started here.