One minute you might find yourself anxious because you are running late and the next minute you might experience joy as a baby smiles at you on the bus.

Emotions are a normal and fluctuating part of our human experience and identifying them as they come up can help you better understand yourself!

Photo by Tengyart on Unsplash

Some emotions are considered "good":

• Joy

• Gratitude

• Serenity

• Hope

But others have a reputation as being "bad":

• Jealousy

• Anger

• Guilt

• Sadness

While we may not appreciate "negative" emotions they are important too! For example:

• Fear can encourage you to take necessary actions to avoid danger.

• Sadness can encourage you to reach out for help in a time of need.

It is useful at any time to identify your emotions, but especially if you are not feeling like your best self.

One effective strategy is: name it to tame it! Naming an emotion makes it less mysterious and easier to move through.

Search for a list if you have trouble coming up with the emotion yourself:

If you are still having trouble identifying the emotion, try:

• Actively accepting the emotion

• Actively allowing yourself to feel it

• Identifying the physical sensations that are accompanying the emotion

• Determining what triggered the emotion

No emotion will last forever: including ones that are challenging! By committing to understanding your emotions, they can be your friend and naming them is the first step to understanding.

Think of your emotions as clouds, always moving and shifting. Even if the clouds get stormy, the clear, blue sky is still there!

How are you feeling right now? Don't just jump instantly to "Fine," really think about it!