Emotions can drive our behaviours in both a positive and negative way. We take on challenges because we feel excited, we cry because we feel upset or disappointed and we make sacrifices because we care and feel deeply.

However dealing with emotions can be challenging and sometimes overwhelming, especially when life is hectic. It can be easy on occasion to give into feelings of anger, frustration and anxiety.

Each emotion creates a complex psychological state that involves three distinct components: a subjective experience, an internal physiological response, and an external responsive choice of behaviour.

The concept of primary emotions dates back at least to the Book of Rites, a first-century Chinese encyclopedia that identifies seven “feelings”: joy, anger, sadness, fear, love, disliking, and liking.

We will of course all experience a whole palette of additional emotions throughout our lifetimes. Negative emotions that may include anger, jealousy or bitterness, can spiral out of control with far reaching consequences, if not managed carefully. It is important to understand that you have a great deal more control over your emotions than perhaps you sometimes believe, and creating approaches to manage emotions is fundamental to your overall emotional wellbeing and mental health.

There are many ways that you can manage your emotions and here are three useful tips:

1. Understand your emotional triggers

First of all in order to manage your emotions, you need to understand them. We all have emotional needs that are just as important as our physical needs. Taking time to identify your emotional needs is important. For example feeling in control, respected, appreciated, safe, trusted or valued may be very important to you. If your perception is that those needs have not been met this could trigger a negative emotion.

2. Reframe your thinking

When you understand your triggers, you will be more in control of your emotions and can use them to your advantage. When you know that something is triggering a negative emotion, take your focus away from that person or situation and work on reframing your thinking. Refocus on something positive in order to help you regain your composure and seek out some of the opportunities by thinking about the situation more positively.

3. Gain Perspective

When you are experiencing very strong emotions, it can be difficult to think straight. When you are angry or afraid, your body goes into a fight or flight mode, which can cause you to react emotionally instead of responding logically and this is when you can end up behaving irrationally. Learn to take a deep breath and calm down when you are experiencing negative emotions. If you are having a heated discussion with someone take some time out to calm down and gain some perspective before taking the conversation any further.

In summary

Emotional management is a very useful life skill and it will help you to feel more in control, improve your relationship with others and promote personal wellbeing and inner peace.

If you would like access to the digital version of the bite-sized book of creativity here is the link – https://www.thelearningarchitect.com/bite-sized-books/

Stop by the Life Skills Library at the World of Learning Conference and Exhibition on 15 & 16 October where you can collect complimentary copies of the bite sized books from the library.