Improve Your Emotional Health

Improve Your Emotional Health

1) Connectedness: Love, intimacy, friendship, social support, and spirituality- in other words, “connectedness”- improve both the quality and the quantity of our days in this world. Connection to others adds health, joy, and meaning to our lives.

 a) Plan to spend time with family and friends each week.

b) Join a group of like-minded people with whom you can form new relationships. If you are facing hardship, join a support group.

c) Aim to smile at or exchange a friendly word with a stranger.

d) Incorporate more physical touch into your day: physical touch releases oxytocin (the “cuddle hormone”) and reduces stress hormones.

e) Find some time each day to laugh and play. Even a 2 minute “fake laugh” can trigger the release of feel-good neurotransmitters in your brain.

f) Pray: even if you don’t have a formal religious belief or practice, simply connecting with a higher power has been shown to positively affect emotional and physical health.

2) Express yourself. Allowing for self-expression is a wonderful way to explore emotions and achieve balance. Find your unique means of self-expression.

a) Develop a hobby or talent (for example, music or art), engage every day as a mode of self expression.

b) Journal your emotions and thoughts, it’s an excellent way to express and clarify your feelings.

c) Engage a therapist or coach to help you if you’re “stuck”.

3) Work on optimism, self confidence, and compassion:

a) Take time every day to list 5 things for which you are grateful, those blessings which grace your day.

b) If you suffer from low self-esteem, praise yourself and focus on your positive character traits and talents. Practice self-compassion when you make a mistake.

c) Volunteer: research suggests that helping others is a sure way to make ourselves feel happier and more productive.