Utilizing An Emotional Diet- Part 4- Release Time

As mentioned in the last chapter, increasing our self-awareness by ‘checking in’ with ourselves is essential to an emotional diet.  Once we are more self-aware we are better able to identify feelings and then engage in activities that allow us to release them in a healthy way.  It can be a challenge to carve out time in our busy schedule to do this, however, ‘release time’ is a necessary part of our emotional diet. 

Here are some activities that can help us to release feelings:

Professional Counseling-  Time spent weekly or bi-weekly with a mental health professional offers a private, supportive, and structured environment in which to not only verbalize what we are feeling, but to express it.  This may involve crying or yelling out our frustrations, essentially, allowing our body to do whatever it needs to do without censorship.  It can be therapeutic when we allow ourselves just ‘to be’ while in the presence of a non-judgmental witness to our pain.

Mutual Support Group-  We can gain ‘experience, strength, and hope’ from sharing with others who are struggling.  This is the foundation of 12-step groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous and the many other ‘anonymous’ groups in the community.  Be aware that support groups today vary in purpose, age, gender, and topic.  They may be described as meetings, workshops, clubs, or committees, however, to be effective as a support group, they should share the same foundation- use of members’ personal experiences to create a sense of purpose and bonding without the presence of a professional to structure and mediate discussions and/or activities.  They are, essentially, run by and for the members.

Physical Exercise-  Our emotions are basically energy churning within us and our bodies let us know when feelings are triggered.  When we are boiling with anger, our blood pressure, respiration, and pulse increase.  When we are filled with fear, blood circulation to our extremities decreases, muscles tense, and our pulse increases.  To release anger or frustration, we can try punching a punching bag or pillow, doing sit-ups, jumping rope, or engaging in a routine activity until we feel physically drained, not just slightly sweaty or tired.  To release nervous energy or anxiety, we can try power-walking, climbing stairs, or progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tensing and relaxing each muscle in a very focused, structured way.   For guidance in this technique, listen to the CD “Letting Go of Stress” by Emmett Miller, MD, available on www.amazon.com.  

When attempting to incorporate ‘release time’ into our emotional diet it is helpful to keep an open mind.  We can’t be certain what type of physical activity will help us until we try it. It is important to focus on the process of learning what works best for us without judging our efforts.  Sometimes, it takes a few tries before we know if something is helpful.

This blog may inspire some of us to begin creating a healthy emotional diet for ourselves. It may have helped others to recognize that they are already utilizing an emotional diet, but would benefit from adding some of the ideas expressed in each chapter.

Utilizing an Emotional Diet- Part 3- Learning Time

According to Wikipedia, our bodies are made up of approximately 642 muscles.  In order to build our muscle we need to challenge it on a consistent basis by engaging in a workout, sometimes pushing our bodies past our expected limit.  It is also necessary to push ourselves in other ways.  What enables us to ‘bounce back’ from life struggles, to problem-solve, and, essentially, to grow as a person, is our emotional resiliency.  Resiliency increases as we encounter new experiences, face the challenges they offer, and allow for some emotional discomfort.

The following ideas can help us to incorporate new experiences into our emotional diet:

Read-  The possibilities are endless when we pick up a book or magazine or explore a blog or article on the internet.  We can discover new information and expand our understanding of the world around us as well as our own views and biases on so many topics. 

Get Active- Take a class or workshop that provides hands-on experience in learning a new skill or expanding on an existing one.  Most community colleges offer continuing education/personal development courses which are time-limited and relatively inexpensive.  We can also support our local community by signing up for an adult education course at our local high school or library.  These courses are generally offered by local residents who possess a particular talent or knowledge and can provide an opportunity to connect with others in our neighborhood.

Explore -  We do not need to take a cruise around the world or visit an exotic location, although these are ways to step outside our comfort zone. Most of us tend to follow the same route to places we visit on a regular basis.  Try taking a different street, exit, or highway to get to the same place.  Explore your own neighborhood by walking or driving down each consecutive block and finding out where it leads to.  Rather than relying on technology, try to utilize a printed map and explore the next town over to where you work or live.

Increasing our resiliency through learning requires stepping out of our comfort zone and, most likely,  making mistakes and learning from them.   We may experience anxiety, however, it is important to remind ourselves that this feeling is appropriate, only temporary, and does not have to stop us from taking a step.  In the words of actor John Wayne, famous for his role as an American cowboy-  “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.”

May this blog inspire us to ‘saddle up’ and keep moving forward on our journey.

In the next chapter, we will explore opportunities for emotional release.