Developing emotional wellness through practicing self-compassion and awareness
Written by Heather Harden, Operations Coordinator
Emotional wellness is the ability to respond to situations, people, and changes in a calm, loving and compassionate manner. Cultivating our emotional well-being is a life-long process. It’s not something we can attain—like a diploma. Instead, emotional wellness must be maintained. There are many ways to improve your emotional wellbeing, such as managing stress, connecting with others, taking care of your physical health and so on. If you’re not sure where to start, here are two simple practices you can incorporate into your daily routine that will take less than 15 minutes.
Self-Compassion
Let’s start with a little exercise. Stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself ten things that you like about yourself. Did you find this easy or difficult? Most people find it easier to list all the things they don’t like about themselves as opposed to what they do like about themselves. Being kind to yourself and to others requires more strength and energy. Practicing self-compassion helps expand warmth and kindness to ourselves as well as to others. The more we can show love and compassion to ourselves the easier it will be for us to extent the same grace to others.
Practice Self-Compassion: Start your day in front of a mirror, look into your eyes, smile, and speak God’s word into your life. For example, say:
In Him I have redemption. (Ephesians 1:7)
God will guide me forever. (Psalm 45:14)
He has made everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
God is my strength. (Psalm 37:39)
My heart and mind have peace. (Philippians 4:7)
God created me in His image. (Genesis 1:27)
God is my helper. (Psalm 121:1-2)
God is always present in my life. (Psalm 46:1-2)
Awareness
Imagine you want to hang a new picture on the wall. You grab a hammer and nail out of the toolbox to help you accomplish this task. The hammer is a great tool to use when you need to place a nail into the wall. However, if it was permanently stuck to your hand, it wouldn’t be as useful. Rather, it would become more of a nuisance than a tool. Scratching an itch on your forehead may pose life-threatening results.
Just as the hammer is a tool, so is your mind. A healthy mind is a tool we use when we need to solve a problem, hang a picture, or give someone good advice. However, if our mind is in perpetual thought and worry it can become a distraction and keep us from being able to focus. Developing awareness of our thoughts is essential to our ability to stay focused and be more productive. When we take time to notice our thoughts, we gain perspective on what may be triggering our negative emotions and we’re able to better recognize and manage them. Simply noticing, can make all the difference.
Practice Awareness: Set a timer for 10 minutes. Sit in a comfortable upright position. Rest your hands in your lap. Close your eyes and relax in your chair. Focusing on your breath, follow each inhale and exhale from beginning to end. If your mind wanders off, gently redirect it back to your breath. Notice your mind, notice any distractions, notice any tendencies. Keep returning to the breath over and over and over. When the timer is up, take a moment to review the thoughts that came to your mind or the distractions you encounter throughout the day. The more you practice awareness, the easier it will become. Remember, consistency is key!
Mental and emotional wellness is vital to our overall health. Some experts believe that disease and other physical ailments are linked to poor emotional health. If you need help with an ongoing mental health concern, don’t wait to get help. Contact the Student Health Center or Student Counseling Services. For emergency assistance, call the LUPD Emergency line at (434) 592-3911.
