Achieve emotional well-being on a daily basisEmotional well-being is the result of calm, the product of being masters and managers of one's emotions. In this scenario, the mind becomes the best ally of balance, satisfaction and happiness.
Last update: May 21, 2022
Achieving emotional well-being and maintaining it is synonymous with quality of life. This psychological profession would allow us, among other things, to reduce the effects of anxiety, stress and anguish which, like a veil of ashes, obscures the ability to be happy. It is therefore a dimension that we should all reach.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines emotional well-being as a state of mind in which the person is able to use their abilities to manage problems and difficulties, feel good about themselves and be able to contribute to the community . In other words, a skill that also returns to those around us.
Santiago Ramón y Cajal used to say that only joy is a guarantee of health and well-being. However, achieving a balanced, rewarding and harmonious mental and emotional state is no easy task. Especially when the world is too loud, demanding and even chaotic. But let's not lose hope: we all have the resources to achieve emotional well-being.
"The human being spends the first half of his life ruining his health and the other half trying to recover it."
-Giuseppe Leonard-
Ways to achieve emotional well-being
Achieving emotional well-being allows us to improve physical, psychological and even social health. Relationships are better and bonds are strengthened. We could almost say that this dimension is the most decisive variable for human happiness and satisfaction. However, few aspects remain so long in the basement of oblivion.
This is because, as a rule, nowadays it is almost more important to have a job even at the cost of health. It is also important to adjust to other people's expectations, even though they don't fit our own. It is crucial to achieve the set goals, even when they negatively affect our physical and psychological balance.
Research work conducted at the University of Oxford indicates that while it is more necessary than ever to promote emotional well-being, on average many people still do not take this dimension into account. It is not understood, for example, the impact that stress, anxiety or emotional distress can have on general health. It is essential to provide effective strategies so that each of us can, from childhood and adolescence, learn how to achieve emotional well-being.
1. Reflection on oneself: what happens to me "here and now", what I feel, what I need and who I am
Self-reflection and self-awareness are evocative words that describe complex realities. In simple terms, they refer to the connection with oneself to reflect on every emotion felt, elaborate thought and hidden need.
It also means initiating appropriate dialogues with ourselves to strengthen our identity and thus lead a life in accordance with desires and actions, behaviors and values. Monitoring ourselves daily to know what happens inside us is the first step towards emotional well-being.
2. Everything I feel is valid, but I have to work on my inner peace
To achieve emotional well-being, it is important to understand that all emotions experienced are valid, including those with a negative value. Tiredness, sadness, resentment, anger, distress, fear and disappointments are acceptable and, as such, we cannot and should not repress them. On the contrary, understand them and then transform them into healthier states.
This involves, among other things, learning to manage daily stress. Skills such as problem solving, reinterpreting or reframing experiences so that you don't see everything alone from the prism of pessimism and take a more flexible approach are always helpful.
3. I accept what I cannot change to achieve emotional well-being
Sometimes the conduct of some people is incomprehensible to us and there are those who behave differently than we would like. Nonetheless, to achieve emotional well-being it is necessary to accept realities that we will not be able to change. And that includes the personalities of many of those around us.
The same is true of numerous experiences we face. We all wish life was kinder and certainly easier, but we are forced to assume its ups and downs and complexity.
We cannot change people, just as we cannot prevent destiny from presenting us with certain adversities. However, achieving emotional well-being also means knowing how to adapt to these circumstances. As Viktor Frankl said, if we can't change something, we change ourselves.
4. I give myself what I deserve when I need it
Maybe right now we need a physical and mental break, yet we don't know how to slow down. We may be aware that a certain circumstance, person or task is limiting our mental health. Despite this, we do not decide to distance ourselves.
We all have limits and above all needs. Giving ourselves what we deserve in any situation is not selfishness, but psychological well-being. Achieving emotional well-being also means being attentive to our "red flags".
What do we mean by that? As psychologist Frances Vaughan explains, we all have an inner voice that warns us when something is wrong. Often our intuition warns us that it is time to stop, to take care of ourselves, to put aside certain realities. However, we tend to live on autopilot mode, we stopped listening to our needs in order to prioritize our obligations.
5. Open to change, flexible mind to achieve emotional well-being
Achieving emotional well-being also involves stopping resisting the inevitable: changes. If we cling to what no longer has meaning or use, we will be stuck in perpetual suffering. It is therefore necessary to be able to develop a flexible approach to adapt to each variation and not fear it; in doing so, we will not hesitate to seize the opportunities and, above all, we will look to the horizon with hope.
Conclusions
Few skills are more useful than developing the points described in this article. Emotional well-being requires care that translates into an investment on our part. If we take care of our physical health, why not do the same with our emotional one.
