There are many many emotions … but we can often get stuck using the same descriptors … ‘I’m anxious’,’ I’m stressed … ‘
Take a look at the motion wheel above to see just how many options there are!
When we identify the real emotion it can really help us to identify what’s causing it and then we can look to work through it.
For example – you might feel really angry all the time!
But actually, it might be frustrated rather than anger … and you might be frustrated about a certain thing … now we can look to take action.
Below we look at 3 nice and simple tools that can help to manage those complex and vast emotions.
It can help to use the concept of a doughnut to work through this.
Imagine that the emotion you are stuck on is actually the centre of your doughnut.
Now imagine that the centre was taken out and no longer existed …
The anger doesn’t exist as a choice but the whole rest of the doughnut is filled with alternative emotions to choose from … what would you choose?
Practise replacing your original emotion with different ones and see how they feel.
Journaling is a great way to express yourself and free writing makes it very easy to do. No need to spell check or grammar check, no need to make sure it makes sense and certainly no need to keep it or read it back.
Take a blank piece of paper … think about the amotion you are feeling and then just start writing, no stopping or thinking … and if you don’t know what to say … write that and keep going. You will be amazed at how much you pull out.
This is your subconscious talking and it’s helping you make sense of stuff.
When you think you are all finished … fold up the paper and tear it up!
Let it all go, breathe and move on.
In this activity take a few minutes to sit and breathe – maybe look at the mindfulness resource document to help you get started.
But then visualise the emotion you are feeling.
Just let it be there – don’t try and get rid of it but take a good look and explore it – feel curious not concerned.
Then when you are satisfied you know what’s going on and what emotion that is you can start to think of another colour which might be more in line with how you want to feel.
Slowly see the colours changing and the new colour sitting there instead.
Imagine that emotion and breathe it in 😊