Everything You Need to Know About Emotional Awareness
“I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them.” -Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
If you find yourself feeling like you’re at the mercy of your emotions (unsure how you feel about things, unable to identify your own emotions, or unaware of WHY you’re feeling what you’re feeling), it might be time to take a look at your emotional awareness.
But...what exactly IS emotional awareness? And why is it important? Read on to find out!
Emotional Awareness—What Is It?
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Put simply, it means the ability to recognize and understand your own emotions.
At first glance, that might sound easy enough to master. But all too often, people struggle to truly identify and reflect on their emotions.
Think about the last time you felt upset. Maybe you fought with a partner, maybe work didn't go well that day, or maybe it was just one of those days where everything felt "off".
But what was the real emotion you felt? Were you sad? Remorseful? Afraid? Angry? Grieving? Sometimes, that’s harder to uncover!
The Feelings Wheel
If you were surprised to discover there was more to that last rough day you had than you thought, you’re not alone. Most of us don’t realize how many emotions we feel each day.
Some researchers believe we are capable of feeling as many as 34,000 emotions!
Here is a “feelings wheel” that can help you start to understand and recognize some of your basic emotions:
Think about each emotion in the wheel. Try to picture a time when you experienced those feelings. How did it make you feel? What caused it? What is the world like when you feel serenity, joy, and trust, versus when you feel pensiveness, boredom, or disgust?
Understanding your emotions is the first step to building emotional awareness!
Why Do You Need Emotional Awareness?
Now that we know what emotional awareness is, let’s talk about WHY we need to build it up.
When you aren’t aware of your emotions, you:
- Let yourself bottle them up
- Harbor negative feelings without processing them
- Have trouble relating to others and understanding their emotions
- Holding onto negative feelings and energy is poison to your mental and emotional health. (And in turn, that starts to harm your physical health as well!)
But if you can identify your emotions and work through them, you can rid yourself of negative energy, live in the positive, and build a stronger relationship with yourself and others.
How Do You Build Emotional Awareness?
So, how do you develop stronger emotional awareness? The answer (as it is in so many things) is practice! Commit to these steps and practice them daily:
Step 1: Notice Your Emotions
The first step is being AWARE of your own emotions. Next time you start to feel something, check back on the feelings wheel. Which emotion are you falling into? And is it where you want to be?
Step 2: Identify (and Control) Your Triggers
Once you’re better at noticing your emotions, it’s time to take control! Start paying attention to what’s causing you to feel certain emotions. Are there people in your life who leave you feeling resentful? Or activities that help you feel at peace?
Try to eliminate the triggers that put you in a negative space. Instead, fill your life with the things that lead you to the emotions you want to feel.
Step 3: Process Negative Emotions
We’re all going to feel negative emotions sometimes. (We’re only human, after all!) There are some triggers you just can’t avoid—no matter how hard you try. When those situations happen, don’t just push those feelings down and ignore them.
That only leads to more resentment and negativity. Instead, process your emotions! Here are some tips to help:
- Find the good that can come from the bad situation
- Focus on gratitude
- Acknowledge your negative emotion and actively work toward a happier place
Step 4: Practice Self Care
Above all, take care of yourself. When you neglect your own mental and emotional health, you’re more likely to find yourself stressed, resentful, sad, and even angry.
Give yourself a physical outlet, whether that’s exercising regularly or simply going for a walk in the fresh air.
Take care of your body by eating well and drinking plenty of water.
Finally, find rituals that let you unwind and lead you to joy. Journaling, doing a puzzle, listening to music, or enjoying a nice cup of tea are just a few ideas!
At Teamotions, we are committed to creating tea blends that help you manage stress and feel those positive emotions! Each ingredient, each blend is chosen specifically to help you care for yourself and strengthen your mental, emotional, and physical health.
Try incorporating one of our blends into your self-care ritual, like Discover Joy, a lemon vanilla green and oolong blend with ashwagandha, formed to help you feel happier! (Better yet, try our Teamotions Sample Set and enjoy each of our six signature blends to see what resonates with you!)
Remember to fill your own cup (pun intended)—the more you take care of yourself, the stronger you will be at controlling your emotions, staying aware and positive, and showing up as your best self!