Name It

Avoiding emotions only makes them bigger. They can fester and build up negative pressure within us that becomes all-consuming.

Emotional identification & modulation are typically learned through developmental stages as a child. Identification is knowing how to name our emotions. Modulation is the ability to regulate them....knowing how to reduce the intensity of an emotional experience and the length of time you experience it.

If one of these stages is not learned as a child, it can show itself in negative ways as an adult; for example...anger issues, detachment issues, depression, addiction, or an overall unhealthy state-of-mind.

If you think you missed these developmental stages as a child...

it's not too late to learn them.

Processing our emotions in a healthy way clears space in our hearts and minds. It helps to relieve emotional pain, helps us sleep better, and improves our outlook on life. 

Pushing them down only cracks away at our self-worth and our relationships. Often, this happens slowly over time and we are not even aware of it. 

Until we identify what our emotions are...

we cannot be in control of how to regulate them in a healthy way. 

As you feel emotions arise: 

TAKE 5 MINUTES TO SIT WITH YOUR FEELINGS

• Ask yourself what you are feeling right now... Name It
• Pay attention to what is happening in your body... rapid heart beat, shallow breathing, adrenaline rush

CALL A TRUSTED FRIEND OR CONFIDANT

• Ask them if you can just vent for minute
• Name that emotion you feel... anger, hurt, sadness, etc...

JOURNAL

• Write down that emotion... Name It
• Write about the experience made you feel this way
• Through your writing, see if you can identify any other insights

These activities help you balance yourself so you can review and reflect on your emotions. It releases that pressure inside. It gives you the opportunity to decide how to move forward from it. 

Modeling emotional intelligence is the best gift that we can give our children. By learning this  while they are young it will help them cope with what life throws their way.