4 Tips for Self-Regulation
October is Emotional Wellness Month! Emotional Wellness is about our thoughts, emotions, and ability to deal with life's challenges. Though our Emotional Wellness goals look different for all of us, however, we can agree that there is always room for growth as we are on our journey to become the best version of ourselves.
Although each of the dimensions deserves our equal attention, I like to spend a lot of time exploring ways to grow in my Emotional Wellness Dimension. As we all know, life is always happening and there will always be things what occur that is outside of our control and how we react and respond can make all the difference.
When I think about Emotional Wellness, this term comes to mind: Self-Regulation.
What is Self-Regulation?
Self-regulation can be defined in various ways. Self- regulation is the ability to monitor and manage your energy states, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in ways that are acceptable and produce positive results.
Why is Self-Regulation Important?
When we’re dealing with difficult emotions, experiencing stress, or facing a challenge it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, become those things, or experience extreme distress. That’s where self-regulation comes in as a strategy to take a pause between a feeling and an action—take the time to think things through, make a plan, wait patiently.
Here Are Some Strategies To Practice Self-Regulation:
Mindfulness- awareness that arises from paying attention to the present moment without judgement. e.g. focused breathing, gratitude, and other mindfulness practices.
Cognitive Reframing- changing your thought patterns to reinterpret a situation.
e.g. a friend did not return your calls or texts for several days, instead of “my friend doesn’t want to be bothered” instead of “ my friend must be really busy.”
Acceptance- e.g. This has happened and I feel this… what can I control vs. what I can’t control
Problem-Solving- e.g. - What steps can I take to solve my problem?
Emotional Wellness Resources
Before you go, be sure to check out the resources we complied for you below. Additionally, on our social media platforms we will be discussing everything emotional wellness, including:
What It Means To Be Emotionally Well
Habits that Impact Our Emotional Well-Being
Improving Our Emotional Wellness
Maintaining Our Emotional Wellness