Figuring Out Emotions Using An Emotions Journal
One of the skills I am passionate about developing is emotional regulation. There are many reasons why, however one of the main reasons is because I knew I needed to relearn.
One of the main ways I have learnt to figure out my own emotions is by using an emotions journal. However, before I share how I started to figure out my emotions using an emotions journal, let’s discuss emotional regulation and why it is important.
Why Develop Emotional Regulation?
Emotional Regulation is useful for your own self-management as well as building relationships with others. Some benefits of developing emotional regulation include –
- managing stress more effectively,
- identify and express your own needs,
- not taking things personally,
- responding rather than reacting,
- growing compassion in self and others,
- living with greater harmony and peace,
- making intentional choices, and
- greater self-trust and confidence.
Emotional literacy is the building block of emotional intelligence. Subsequently, when we develop our own emotional literacy we can access and develop important information about ourselves and others and process any emotional baggage (don’t worry we all have it!), take better care of ourselves and look after wellbeing.
What is Emotional Regulation?
Emotional regulation continues to evolve. Subsequently, there are a number of definitions on emotional regulation, including –
- “as extrinsic and intrinsic processes responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and modifying emotional reactions” ~ Ross Thompson, 1994,
- “the ability of an individual to modulate an emotion or set of emotions” ~ APA Dictionary,
- “referring to the understanding, acceptance, and modulation of emotional responses, is a process that children and adolescents carry out in order to adapt to their psychosocial environment, orienting themselves toward the achievement of their evolutionary goals and favouring their mental health.” ~ Van Lissa et al 2019, and
- “…is a process by which individuals modify the duration or intensity of their emotions to best respond to environmental challenges” ~ Aldao and Plate, 2018
- “refers to the processes by which individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express these emotions.” ~ Gross, 1998
After reading the above, do you agree that emotional regulation could be a useful to develop? If so, read on as I share one way I have been figuring our my emotions using an emotions journal.
Figuring Out Emotions Using An Emotions Journal
To develop my own emotional regulation, I chose to create an emotions journal. I used this journal regularly, not just when I was going through a difficult time. It also helped me to understand and learn to manage my emotions more effectively on a day-to-day or maybe more accurately on a moment-to-moment basis (and yes I still journal with it).
My emotional regulation journal is basically keeping a journal or ‘notes’ on your emotions. You can write about the name of the emotion/s, shifts in them, what was going on at the time or leading up to you noticing the emotion, whether or not you thought the emotion/s was appropriate and were any other people present. Basically an emotions journal is an empowering way to reconnect with your Self and explore what is going on within you.
Over to You…
Remember, figuring out our emotions using an emotions journal can take a while (or maybe that is just me). It is not something you master over night, it takes time to see results (and I continue to learn). If you choose to start to use an emotions journal, I recommend taking your time, bringing your self-compassion with you and discover what works best for you as we are all unique.
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