Before you begin working with the energy exercises in this workbook, it is important to understand why you are doing them. This understanding will help ensure that benefits are received more quickly and that your efforts to get balanced emotions do not become waste.
All of us at some time or another go through periods of feeling emotionally unbalanced or out of balance, i.e., emotional ups and downs, periods of anxiety or depression, feelings of being overwhelmed by everyday life events. In short, we feel out of sorts with ourselves, our lives, and our world.
In this state, it is more difficult to stay in touch with who we are, what we want from life, and how best to achieve it. It also becomes harder to control negative emotions. We are more vulnerable to life’s bumps and bruises in this weakened state of being. It becomes difficult to bounce back from the everyday challenges of everyday living—a poor grade on a test, an argument with a friend or partner, illness of ourselves or a loved one.
If you find yourself here regularly, you are batting against the odds. But, if you find yourself here only occasionally, you are not alone.
What are some techniques you can use?
1) Develop a positive mental attitude. Dwell on what you like about yourself and your life, not what you don’t like.
2) Take more time for yourself to relax and unwind. Meditation, yoga, or Tai Chi can be beneficial in this regard.
3) Exercise regularly, which will help you stay physically fit, thus relieving some of the stress that contributes to emotional imbalance.
4) Participate in activities and hobbies you enjoy. Being active and doing things we like will contribute to a positive mood and outlook.
5) Spend time with people who make you feel good about yourself. Surrounding yourself with supportive, caring individuals can help pull you out of an unbalanced state.
6) Learn to recognize the warning signs that you are becoming emotionally unbalanced. For example, do you tend to feel tired and listless? Do your feelings change quickly from happy to sad or angry without apparent cause? Do you have difficulty sleeping? Recognizing these signs can help you stop an emotional “roller coaster ride” before it gets started.
7) If you begin to feel out of sorts, take steps immediately to reduce the intensity of your emotions. Exercise or spend time outdoors doing something active—take a hike, go for a run, do some gardening. Or curl up with a good book and forget about everyday concerns—forget about yourself! Read a work of fiction, a mystery, or a fantasy. This latter tactic will distract you from your problems and may even improve your perspective about them.
8) Remember that using any or all of these techniques is not just for times of feeling bad but also helps develop the habit of maintaining emotional balance. In this way, you can learn to stay centered and positive in the face of life’s ups and downs.
In conclusion, our emotions are a vital part of who we are. Unlike the physical body, which wears out over time, emotional energy is constantly replenished through our food and what we choose to think about—good or bad. Therefore, we can stay emotionally healthy and strong by positively working with our emotions.
