Author: Anna Godfrey

Emotional Self-Regulation: 5 Key Skills for Managing Emotions

“On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin.”
There are a number of skills that can help us self-regulate our emotions.
1. Create space
Emotions happen fast. We don’t think “now I will be angry” — we are just suddenly clench-jawed and furious. So the number one skill in regulating difficult emotions, the gift we can give ourselves, is to pause. Take a breath. Slow down the moment between trigger and response.
2. Noticing what you feel
An equally important skill involves the ability to become aware of what you’re feeling. Tune in to yourself and consider: in what parts of your body are you noticing sensations? Is your stomach upset? Is your heart racing? Do you feel tension in your neck or head?
Your physical symptoms can be clues to what you are experiencing emotionally. Inquiring into what is happening to you physically can also distract your focus and allow some of the intensity of the emotion to go away.
3. Naming what you feel
After noticing what you feel, the ability to name it can help you get control of what is happening. Ask yourself: what would you call the emotions you’re feeling? Is it anger, sadness, disappointment, or resentment? What else is it? One strong emotion that often hides beneath others is fear.
Many of us feel more than one emotion at a time, so don’t hesitate to identify multiple emotions you might be feeling. Then dig a little deeper. If you feel fear, what are you afraid of? If you feel anger, what are you angry about or toward? Being able to name your emotions will help you get one step closer to sharing your emotions with others.
4. Accepting the emotion
Emotions are a normal and natural part of how we respond to situations. Rather than beating yourself up for feeling angry or scared, recognize that your emotional reactions are valid. Try to practice self-compassion and give yourself grace. Recognize that experiencing emotions is a normal human reaction.
5. Practicing mindfulness
Mindfulness helps us “live in the moment” by paying attention to what is inside us. Use your senses to notice what is happening around you in nonjudgmental ways. These skills can help you stay calm and avoid engaging in negative thought patterns when you are in the midst of emotional pain.

Padmasana (Lotus Pose): Benefits and Step-By-Step Guide

What is Lotus Pose?
Lotus pose, or padmasana, is yoga’s most famous meditation pose. It is an advanced seated yoga posture wherein the knees are bent and the feet rest on top of opposite thighs.
Instructions
Sit with your legs outstretched.Bend one leg and place the foot on top of the opposite thigh.Carefully bend the other leg and place the foot on top of the opposite thigh.Rest your hands on your thighs. Inhale and lengthen your spine.Close your eyes and breathe while holding the pose.

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Reframing Negative Thoughts: Recognize, Reflect, Question, Replace

“Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve done before.”
Common negative thinking patterns can be grouped into four main categories.
Catastrophizing: This is when we expect the worst to happen. For example, if you make a small mistake at work, you might start thinking that you’ll get fired, even when there’s no real evidence for it.
Overgeneralization: This occurs when we take one negative event and believe that it’s going to keep happening. If you have a bad date, you might think, “I’ll never find someone who likes me,” which is unlikely.
Personalization: This is when you believe that everything others do or say is some kind of reaction to you. For instance, if a friend is short with you, you might think it’s because they’re mad at you, when they could just be having a bad day.
All-or-nothing thinking: In this pattern, things are either perfect or terrible, with no middle ground. For example, if you don’t meet all your goals, you might think you’re a complete failure, which is not a fair or realistic way to judge yourself.
How to reframe negative thoughts
1. Notice your negative thought
Recognize when a negative thought enters your head. It might concern someone else, yourself, or even a circumstance. The first step to altering these thoughts is acknowledging them.
Use an app on your phone or keep a little notebook for notes. Note down any bad idea that occurs to you. This exercise facilitates the identification of negative thought patterns and triggers.
2. Take a break and reflect
Breathe deeply and count to five whenever you catch yourself thinking something bad. This little diversion can help you reframe the idea and prevent it from spiraling out of control.
3. Question the thought’s accuracy
After jotting down the unfavorable thinking, question it by posing queries such as “Is this thought really true?” or “Do I have proof to back up this idea?” You’ll frequently discover that your pessimistic ideas are more grounded in emotions than in reality.
4. Seek alternative explanations
Examine alternative perspectives on the matter. Is there a more positive or neutral perspective you could take? For example, if you’re thinking, “I never do anything right,” you might reframe it to, “I make mistakes sometimes, but I also have many successes.”
5. Replace with a positive thought
For each negative thought you identify, try to think of a positive or more realistic counterpart. This calls for a more nuanced perspective on the issue rather than dismissing it entirely. When a buddy doesn’t respond to your text and you assume that “I must have offended them,” think of alternate scenarios. For example, “They might be busy or didn’t see my message.”

7 Ways to Strengthen Resilience and Improve Mental Health

“Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.”
Over time, resilience is a skill that can be improved and developed. Developing resilience is implementing techniques that improve your capacity to handle obstacles in life.
1. Nurture strong relationships
In relationships, you have a support system. Invest time and effort in building and maintaining good relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.
Make plans for a regular activity with a trusted person, such as going for a weekly stroll or coffee date.
2. Prioritize physical health
Your resilience is greatly impacted by your physical health. A healthy body can recover from illness or exhaustion more quickly and can handle stress better.
3. Discover your purpose
Having a purpose in life can help you stay motivated and on track, especially when things are difficult. It can be found in your job, hobbies, volunteering, or relationships.
4. Embrace change
Being able to accept and adjust to change might help you become more flexible and resilient. Name a recent shift that occurred in your life, and then write in your notebook about the possibilities and lessons it provided.
5. Build self-confidence
You can overcome obstacles more skillfully if you have faith in your talents. List your strengths, accomplishments, and learnings from failure to remind yourself of your capabilities.
6. Maintain perspective
Recognize your emotions in a particular scenario, but keep an eye on the wider picture to save yourself from becoming overwhelmed. When faced with a challenge, write down both positive and negative aspects to maintain a balanced view.
7. Develop problem-solving skills
Being able to solve difficulties gives you the confidence to take action, which strengthens resilience. Next time you face a problem, brainstorm possible solutions before deciding what to do.
8. Learn stress management techniques
During trying circumstances, it’s essential to manage stress well. Discover what relieves your stress the most for you by trying out several stress-relieving techniques, such as breathing techniques, yoga, therapy, walking, or journaling.