Decoding Emotions: The Key Equation for Emotional Resilience
Emotions are a vital part of our human experience. They influence our thoughts, actions, and wellbeing … all day, every day.
Today, let's unravel the equation for emotions and explore why some emotions get stuck, while others ebb and flow like a passing stream.
The Equation for Emotions: Bodily Sensation and Thought
At the core of emotions is a vital equation: a bodily sensation, coupled with a thought.
This equation is the essence of how emotions operate for us as humans, ie. this is how they are living in daily action.
As you can see, there is an interplay of a physical, bodily experience and the thoughts that form concurrent with the physical sensation.
This is the foundation of every emotional experience we have.
Distinguishing Emotions from Feelings
What makes an emotion different from a feeling? Feelings come and go.
How many times did you stub your toe as a kid that you can’t remember? Or how many times did you fall down and scrape your knee that you don’t remember?
These feelings, the physical sensations of stubbing your toe or scraping your knee, came and went so you don’t even remember them. Why? Because you didn’t have any “crap” (aka heightened thoughts) about those times that you stubbed your toe or scraped your knee.
Why Emotions Get Stuck: The Role of Thoughts
Emotions get stuck.
Why is that? Because of the thought that is associated with emotions.
The thoughts are what get stuck in our bodies.
When coupled with a bodily sensation, these thoughts can create a feedback loop, leading to the persistence of certain emotions. And this is how emotions get stuck and create a lasting negative impact on our overall wellbeing.
Managing Thoughts for Emotional Resilience: An Updated Approach
So what is emotional resilience? Simply speaking, emotional resilience is the ability to adapt to stressful situations and cope with life's ups and downs. It is our ability to effectively manage and process emotions on a daily basis.
The key to unraveling and processing emotions lies in our ability to manage the thoughts – aka the conversations – surrounding them.
By working with the conversations we have in our minds, we can get straight to the root of our emotions. And this is the ultimate path for effective processing of your emotions.
Emotional Resilience: An Updated Approach
It is the thoughts we have that dictate our emotions. So instead of letting thoughts control, it is vital that we learn to observe, acknowledge, and guide our mental conversations.
Then, we reframe those thoughts to find effectiveness and workability.
This is how to effectively process emotions and build emotional resilience.
Conclusion: Embrace Emotional Resilience
Emotions are not mere fleeting experiences; they are a dynamic nexus of bodily sensations and thoughts. By embracing the art of managing the thoughts, you can empower yourself with your emotions, and foster a more resilient and mindful approach to your emotional wellbeing.
