Emotional wellbeing is an important part of both physical and mental health. It refers to how you deal with stress, and how you adapt to challenges that life throws your way. From emotional regulation to self-awareness, and coping skills, you could see it as a tool kit for improving your overall wellness. What does emotional wellness mean, and how does it affect mental health?
In this blog post, I’ll be talking about the following:
- How emotional wellbeing affects emotion regulation
- How it increases resilience for better coping skills
- How it helps you nurture healthy relationships
- How it improves productivity at work and in life
- How it improves your physical health and wellness
- How it enhances your overall quality of life
Whether you are looking for added coping skills while battling depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions or seeking healthy ways to deal with everyday stressors, emotional wellbeing holds the key to a higher level of resilience.
The Importance of Emotional Wellbeing
As women, we face many challenges. Finding some sort of balance in life is hard enough. Dealing with burnout, stress and anxiety makes it even harder. You may sometimes wonder if you will ever be able to find ways to cope with the many emotions you need to process each day. These emotions affect many areas of your life, from your relationships to the quality of your life, productivity, mental health, and even physical health. Emotional wellbeing focuses on how you can learn to find healthy ways to cope with negative and positive emotions in a way that helps you adapt more easily.
First things first, what is meant when we talk about emotional wellbeing? According to WebMD, emotional health is your ability to deal with positive and negative emotions in a way that focuses on good coping skills. Psychology Today states that emotional wellness is also about having awareness, understanding and (most importantly) acceptance of your emotions.
Some of the ways that emotional wellbeing affects your overall health include:
Emotion regulation
Learning how to handle emotions helps you accept your feelings, whether negative or positive. Dealing with complex emotions such as self-doubt, resentment, uncertainty, fear and sadness can be overwhelming. This means learning how to identify and accept all of these feelings through coping strategies. As you find effective ways to regulate emotions, it becomes easier to boost your resilience. This, in turn, makes it easier to handle future challenges. Healthy coping mechanisms include therapy, meditation, mindfulness and exercises or activities that channel your emotions. Creativity, exercise and hobbies can all help you find healthy ways to regulate your emotions.
Increased resilience
Resilience is a learnt skill. It’s not about having no negative emotions but rather knowing how to draw on your inner strengths. As you learn how to deal with emotions, it is easier to use healthy coping strategies to help you get through challenges. In turn, the impact of negative emotions is reduced over time, making it easier to deal with future difficulties. Resilience is boosted by coping skills, healthy relationships, getting involved with your community, putting effort into social connections and focusing on positive emotions.
Better relationships
Relationships play a key role in emotional wellness. Those who have good coping skills and a higher level of resilience typically find it easier to have healthy relationships. That’s not to say that those dealing with depression, anxiety, stress or other challenges do not have loving, nurturing relationships, of course. It simply means that it’s easier to give to others when you are looking after your own needs. When you are able to understand, accept and regulate your emotions, you are better equipped to form relationships based on trust, empathy, communication, intimacy, and the ability to see things from the perspective of partners.
Increased productivity
When you need to juggle deadlines on an off day when your mood is low, everything feels harder. Emotions can run high during times of pressure on the work front. Learning how to manage frustration, self-doubt, stress and other emotions is essential. When you are in a positive state of being, it is easier to get through your to-do list. Things like focus, problem-solving, creativity, and work satisfaction are much easier when your emotions are regulated.
Physical health
Emotions are very closely tied to your physical health. Chronic stress, anxiety, self-doubt, negative self-image, anger and moods that are left unchecked can quickly take their toll. This can lead to a wide range of disorders, from heart problems to gastro issues and immune disorders. You may get sick easily. You may experience weight fluctuations if you are not eating properly. If you are battling with serious emotional stress or depression, see a doctor or therapist immediately. While emotional health is something that can be improved in small ways, serious challenges can have a major impact on your physical wellbeing.
Overall wellness
Last but not least, the biggest impact of all is your quality of life. Emotional wellness is what makes you better equipped to get through the challenges of everyday life, with the skills needed to deal with all emotions. Whether it is journalling on a bad day, re-routing stress through exercise, getting creative when you’re feeling low, listening to your body when you’re not feeling great, knowing when to talk to a friend, volunteering with a local shelter or old age home, having a regular meditation practice or simply allowing yourself to recognise, accept and feel your emotions, all of these strategies help you grow more resilient. This will improve your overall wellness in a way that makes life easier and better.
Something important to note: there is no replacement for professional help. Emotional health goes hand in hand with physical and mental health. If you are struggling to handle difficult emotions, it is essential to get help right away.
Brushing off difficult feelings is dangerous. The most effective coping strategy of all is getting help from a professional who can help you through challenges. Emotional wellbeing means finding ways to deal with your emotions – whether that is therapy, self care or both.
