Chennai: For over a year, increased focus has shifted into health and well-being owing to the standstill that the pandemic has brought us all into. Since then, individuals have increased their awareness and action into emotional health and immunity as well.
City-based psychologist and emotional intelligence coach Nivetha Raj shares five ways to build your emotional immunity.
Strengthening emotional immunity helps by protecting one from toxins to the mind and also in fighting against the toxins to the mind. These toxins includes anxiety, worry, fear, stress, unpleasant emotions, negative thinking and unresolved feelings. This affects our mind and hence the quality of our life. Here are five realistic ways to develop your emotional immunity and promote positive emotional health.
Relax: Human minds are constantly at work, filled with tasks and thoughts. The idea of busyness is a leading cause for stress which leads to emotional exhaustion. Practice relaxation through prayer, adequate sleep, meditation, music, time with nature or any way that soothes you.
Rejuvenate: Life isnāt a race, itās a journey thatās meant to be experienced and enjoyed. Take time out to engage in rejuvenating experiences; it helps to counterattack negative feelings. Engage in activities that make you feel positive, motivated and like yourself. It could be singing, dancing, painting, cooking, gardening, playing games, adventures, spending time with people, etc.
Reorganise: Finding it hard to manage time, will lead to chaos in every aspect of life. Discipline yourself to organize your priorities based on the 24 hours you have each day, disorganized living leads to distress. Outline tasks and thoughts on a weekly/daily basis. Use resources, reminders and notes to help manage your time better.
Reconnect: Relationships provide us with love, safety, security and a sense of belonging, which is why they are to be nurtured and cared for. Look for constant ways to stay connected with others, practice empathy, value others and engage in conversations. Having an inner circle whom you can count is key to positive emotional health.
Reinvent: The nature of life requires us to constantly change and evolve. During such times, individuals need to be open to adapt and reinvent in order to move forward. Keep evolving by looking for new ways to do things, create new goals, develop habits, rekindle hobbies, learn a new skill. This helps build confidence and resilience.
When you incorporate these practices into daily life, you build your emotional immunity thereby promoting positive emotional health. You are then better equipped to handle threats and toxins that come your way. Remember to fuel your emotional health every day, it doesnāt build on its own, she winds up.