Introduction
One of the most pressing issues in our society today is that of emotional wellness. There are doctors for all types of physical issues, and doctors for mental issues.
When it comes to emotional issues however, western medicine really isn’t very effective. Attempts to suppress difficult emotions with medication (be it self-medication or otherwise) often leads to undesirable side effects.
Learning to cope with difficult emotions is highly important. Simply put, we haven’t been taught the tools to process emotions properly.
The result most often manifests as drug and alcohol use, behavioral outbursts, depression, anxiety, sexual misconduct and so on. These examples are symptomatic of typical mild to moderate emotional problems.
Emotional Baggage
Many people have heard the term emotional baggage, but how many of us actually understand what it means? In this section we will dive deeper into emotional baggage, where it comes from and how to heal and prevent it.
What is emotional baggage?
Emotional baggage is simply unprocessed or unresolved emotional energy pattern. Often these are a result of traumatic experiences or other emotionally intense events. Breakups, deaths, failures, rejections, and so on. These are the most obvious causes for emotional baggage
Though it is sometimes possible to collect baggage for the relatively insignificant things as well. Grudges, guilt, anger, fear, jealousy and many other emotions
Simply put when an emotion arises to our conscious mind, we can either process it immediately, attempt to resolve it later, or try to run from it.
While obviously the ideal solution is to process our emotions immediately, sometimes our immediate environment is not the best place to have some kind of emotional breakdown.
Resolving the emotion later can work. as long as we process the emotion before it drifts out of the conscious and into the subconscious. At this point is when it becomes baggage.
Similarly, attempting to run from or escape our emotions through drugs, alcohol, distraction, or other escape tactics also results in emotional baggage.
How can we prevent emotional baggage?
Becoming comfortable with feeling all of our emotions is the best way to prevent emotional baggage. Additionally there is often much wisdom to be gained from the emotions we tend to judge as negative.
The truth is we are feeling that particular emotion for a reason. In accepting it we accept ourselves. Allowing ourselves to feel difficult emotions helps us grow. Diamonds are formed under pressure.
How to heal emotional baggage
One very effective way to identify and release emotional baggage is The Emotion Code developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson. The process is very simple to learn, and the book has all the information to get started. They also offer a course and certifications as well for those interested in becoming a practitioner.
https://discoverhealing.com/the-emotion-code/
Of course one of the best ways to free of emotional baggage is to ensure that you stop taking on any more. Take responsibility for your emotions and commit not ever burdening yourself or anyone else again.
Emotional Digestion
Much like food, there is a nutritional value to emotions. To gain that nutritional value, emotions have to be digested. The difference is that doesn’t always happen automatically.
Practice
I have adopted the practice of digesting my emotions nightly. Any emotion I may have experienced throughout the day is allowed to come up, be felt and acknowledged.
Anything I did not have the opportunity to feel fully gets processed at this time
Emotional Health
What is emotional health?
Now that we understand emotional baggage, I would like to move on to what defines emotional health.
Emotional health is a state of being in which you allow yourself, and are comfortable feeling all of your emotions.
What does this look like?
When you feel your emotions fully as they come up you are no longer burdened by them. Also, you are not as reactive to them. With a little practice you begin to appreciate and see your emotions for what they are without judging them as good or bad.
Obviously situations in life may arise that aren’t appropriate to dive deeply into that emotion right then and there, but it is important to do it regularly in order to keep yourself clear of stagnant emotional energy.
Promoting emotional health
These are some of the factors to consider in regards to emotional health and wellness
- Habit
- Environment
- Exercise
- Diet
Habits can be physical, mental, emotional. We are generally pretty aware of our physical habits, but what about our emotional and mental ones? Thought patterns, emotional reactions, can be categorized as habit
Your Environment is providing constant feedback of your internal state. Having an environment where we feel safe to heal is crucial.
Exercise can also be physical, mental, or emotional. Practicing feeling our feelings is akin to lifting weights at the gym. In the same way, practicing uplifting thoughts helps us feel better about ourselves and others.
Diet – Diet is perhaps one of the most important factors in emotional wellness (as well as overall wellness as a whole) Most of our serotonin is produced in our gut.