Feeling Overwhelmed? Try This.
Life can feel really overwhelming at times. There’s good news though- naming our emotions actually helps them feel more manageable. Seriously. Without doing anything else, naming your emotions can actually help them feel less overwhelming.
Sounds simple, right? Well, putting a name to our emotions can actually be a lot more difficult than it sounds.
Our society isn’t great about discussing mental or emotional health, so it should come as no surprise, that our emotions often get overlooked. And, like so many people, you may find that you may easily notice when you’re having a bad day or that you’re feeling ok, but a bad day and feeling ok aren’t actually emotions.
So, if it’s been quite awhile since you’ve actually sat down and thought about the emotions you are feeling, try to start by looking at an emotion chart or emotions wheel. A quick Google search will give you plenty of these to choose from. These charts help by showing you the many possible emotions and combinations of emotions you can be feeling at any given moment.
Like anything new, naming our emotions takes intentional practice before it becomes a habit. Try setting an alarm to go off a few times throughout the day and list all the emotions you’re feeling whenever it goes off. This practice helps you begin to recognize the way different emotions feel for you, notice any patterns that are showing up throughout your day, and gives you an opportunity to take care of yourself before your emotions spiral into exhaustion, rage, or burnout.
If you notice you’ve been feeling more overwhelmed lately, this is a great way to start taking care of yourself and feel more in control of navigating the stressors in your life.
