Emotions are impermanent little messengers that help us to make decisions as we approach life. They are meant to exist in the moment, then go away. For me and my anxiety though, the emotions I experience tend to stick longer than necessary. Lately, I have noticed that more people have been feeling the same, and it’s no wonder—it is easy to get caught up in our emotions and harder to see the bigger picture when we remain in a smaller place, such as in social distancing or staying at home. When this happens, here are three tips I have learned to help in managing overwhelming emotions.
- Firstly, the goal is not to control emotions; rather, it is by accepting emotions that we are able to let them go. It is natural and perfectly okay to feel worried, frustrated or sad—let them have their place in the moment.
- Secondly, the key is to not to get swept up in one’s emotions; while it is beneficial to investigate the cause of a feeling when a particular emotion or thought keeps appearing, it is not necessary nor helpful to treat every emotion with suspicion.
- Lastly, remember to separate your emotions from the self: we are all complex individuals with experiences and characteristics, but you are not your feelings. Emotions will come and go, but it is you who stays, you who makes decisions.
Not every day is going to be perfect, just like how using any of these tips won’t always immediately turn those feelings around. But these tips are helpful for moving on, so that way the feelings don’t seem to last forever.