Connecting with Emotions- Part I
Learning to connect with emotions
What are you feeling right now?
Yes, stop what you are doing and let’s check in with your body. After reading this sentence close your eyes and connect with yourself by scanning your body from the top of your head all the way down to your toes.
What feelings came up? What sensations did you notice?
Your physical sensations are often a representation of emotional reactions we hold in our bodies. For many of us, emotions may seem dangerous or unpredictable. We dismiss our feelings to focus on rather more important external demands and to portray ourselves as strong, independent, and in control. However, emotions communicate our inner needs and wants. Being able to connect with our feelings, understand them, and appropriately express them, makes us emotionally intelligent. It gives us a deeper understanding of our motivations as well as it helps to create healthy connections with others.
Emotional self-exploration can be a fun process! As if you were an investigator with a magnifying glass, getting to know yourself inside and out. Below are a few steps you can implement to engage in the process of self-connectivity and emotional awareness.
1. Complete a body scan. Just like the one you practiced in the beginning of this exercise. As you scan your body, notice what feelings and sensations are evident.
2. Name the emotions and sensations. There are no bad or good emotions. Each emotion is a response to an internal thought, desire, or an external trigger. Name it and accept it for what it is.
3. Notice which parts of your body hold your emotions. Location of emotional expression can tell us about triggers for emotions. Constant shoulder tightness, lightness in the heart, pit in the gut sensation, or tingling in the hands and feet- all communicate about your body’s needs.
4. Journal about your emotional experiences. Write about experiences you encountered throughout the day and add thoughts and feelings to those experiences. Writing can help to shift your perspective on emotions and help to re-connect with your body.
5. Make time for what you love. You are worthy of taking time for your needs and wants. Connecting with positive activities you enjoy engaging in will create more pleasant emotions. Your body will be more likely to experience and accept those emotions. Which will help to teach your body that feelings are safe, healthy, and helpful.
Sandra Knapp, MS, LPCS
Mind Matters Therapy Services, LLC
Yes, stop what you are doing and let’s check in with your body. After reading this sentence close your eyes and connect with yourself by scanning your body from the top of your head all the way down to your toes.
What feelings came up? What sensations did you notice?
Your physical sensations are often a representation of emotional reactions we hold in our bodies. For many of us, emotions may seem dangerous or unpredictable. We dismiss our feelings to focus on rather more important external demands and to portray ourselves as strong, independent, and in control. However, emotions communicate our inner needs and wants. Being able to connect with our feelings, understand them, and appropriately express them, makes us emotionally intelligent. It gives us a deeper understanding of our motivations as well as it helps to create healthy connections with others.
Emotional self-exploration can be a fun process! As if you were an investigator with a magnifying glass, getting to know yourself inside and out. Below are a few steps you can implement to engage in the process of self-connectivity and emotional awareness.
1. Complete a body scan. Just like the one you practiced in the beginning of this exercise. As you scan your body, notice what feelings and sensations are evident.
2. Name the emotions and sensations. There are no bad or good emotions. Each emotion is a response to an internal thought, desire, or an external trigger. Name it and accept it for what it is.
3. Notice which parts of your body hold your emotions. Location of emotional expression can tell us about triggers for emotions. Constant shoulder tightness, lightness in the heart, pit in the gut sensation, or tingling in the hands and feet- all communicate about your body’s needs.
4. Journal about your emotional experiences. Write about experiences you encountered throughout the day and add thoughts and feelings to those experiences. Writing can help to shift your perspective on emotions and help to re-connect with your body.
5. Make time for what you love. You are worthy of taking time for your needs and wants. Connecting with positive activities you enjoy engaging in will create more pleasant emotions. Your body will be more likely to experience and accept those emotions. Which will help to teach your body that feelings are safe, healthy, and helpful.
Sandra Knapp, MS, LPCS
Mind Matters Therapy Services, LLC
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