Emotions

I have always considered myself a heart-driven person, emotional, intense, expressive, and yes, sometimes I am a mess. There is much to learn about emotions, self-awareness, and growth.

We all experience emotions, which are determined by our individual perceptions of the world around us. – I call it “the glass of perception” which allows us to view and interpret things in a unique way.

The glass of perception

I believe it reflects our mindset, for instance, if I wake up and think “what a great night of sleep” — Next, my kid runs screaming loudly and jumps on my bed at 7 am, I think “I can handle this, I am perfectly well rested” — I go about my day feeling great and at ease, with a positive outlook. Chances are that everything will continue to flow with grace and I will maintain a positive, more relaxed level of emotions.

Or, I wake up and think “OMG, I am so tired, that was the shortest night ever…” — Same scenario (my kid running, being loud, jumping on the bed.) I dig my face into the pillow begging for silence, and a few more minutes of sleep, please! — Simply impossible.  Ugh! I grudgingly go about my day, cranky and irritable. Chances are, everything will feel harder, perhaps navigating a more stressful level of emotions.

I am not saying that how we sleep determines our emotions, although a good night’s rest is always helpful. — My example illustrates how emotions can be triggered by a single thought. This thought will color the glass of perception and will help determine how we see things.

House cleaning

Recently we attended an event that we were super excited about, and were really looking forward to it. — The day of the event, we realized we didn’t have tickets!

Truth be told I was so very mad at my guy because he said he was going to buy the tickets, but did not. — In his defense, he had an extra busy week at work and completely forgot. And I didn’t buy the tickets because I thought he was going to do it.

Luckily, he was able to score tickets at the last minute, we attended, had a wonderful time, met nice people, and learned lots. — One of the speakers talked about “emotional intelligence” – Coincidence…? I think Not!

The takeaway

• Self-awareness — become aware of your own emotions, what drives your emotional triggers is based on your past experiences
• Perspective — stay out of judgment
• Look for emotions in others — listen to verbal cues, observe body language
• Empathy — practice listening, connect and imagine what it’s like to be in their shoes
• Bet on your strengths, accept your shortcomings — “partner with your weakness and focus on your strength”

Personally, I seem to lack perspective, sometimes I get caught up in the moment, and most often than not, I am reactive. I need time and space to process my emotions, perhaps to understand what the trigger is, and what is exactly I’m feeling. This can cause tension and arguments. — In my defense, I am becoming more aware, and learning how to handle my emotions.

I especially relate to the last point, accepting our shortcomings. I believe this will yield peace of mind, self-acceptance, and more self-awareness. And perhaps next time, if my guy forgets to buy tickets to an event that we have been planning to attend for weeks, my reaction will be one of empathy and perspective, and the experience will flow in a more relaxed and happy way for all.

❥ Namaste

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