When we think of the term “self care,” the idea of emotional self care may not immediately come to mind. Furthermore, many of us may not even understand what exactly emotional self care is or how to approach implementing it in our lives.

Emotional self care has to do with acknowledging, understanding, and honoring our feelings. It is also engaging in positive practices to work toward healing those parts of our emotional selves that have been hurt or in need of our loving attention.

As humans, we are emotional beings and developing an emotional self care practice is not only deeply beneficial, it is essential to living a life in which we are thriving from the inside out!

Emotional Self Care Practices to Implement This Year

Journal

Writing down your thoughts and feelings has several benefits.

It allows you to vent, releasing challenging emotions that may otherwise build up and begin to have a greater impact.

It also gives you the opportunity to reflect on how you feel and why.

Journaling is a practice that is unique to each person.

Some may write to the journal itself in the style of “Dear Diary…,” while others may write to their higher power or in the form of prayer. Another approach is to write to your inner self, communicating and connecting with your own voice.

While there are many ways to build a journaling practice, each of them has the power to support emotional healing. By reflecting on our experiences and emotions, we develop a better understanding of who we are and what we need.

Mediate

Meditation is merely the clearing of thoughts from the mind for a sustained period of time. Our natural state is one of peace, clarity, and elevated vibration; and when we quiet mental chatter, we allow ourselves back into alignment.

You can dedicate a special space in your home to meditation, practice in nature, or anywhere you happen to be. Just close your eyes and focus your attention on something other than your own thoughts.

Concentrate on your breathing or peaceful music. Allow any thoughts that do pop in (they will) to pass through without shifting your attention to them.

Meditation can last anywhere from a few moments to the better part of an hour depending on individual preference. This practice is helpful at times when we recognize that we are feeling overwhelmed, and also prevents us from getting to that point.

Get to Know Your Triggers

We all have emotional soft spots based on our life experiences.

When these sensitivities are pressed upon, often unintentionally, they can trigger intense emotional responses.

Depending on how our triggers impact us, they have the potential to lead to unhealthy thoughts and behaviors; however, when we invest in recognizing and understanding our triggers, we reclaim our power and our peace.

Getting to know your triggers can be a challenging undertaking. It involves paying attention to how you feel, and noticing when you feel hurt, angry, or any variety of strong negative emotion.

When you identify that you’re experiencing difficult, unwanted emotions, put some thought into what made you feel that way. Furthermore, consider what underlying hurts from your past could be amplifying your current feelings.

Oftentimes, it can be unreasonable to expect yourself to analyze your feelings while in the thick of an emotional response. It may be necessary to soothe yourself in the moment, then recall and reflect once you’re feeling more at ease.

Once you’re able to identify and understand your triggers and where they’ve come from, you can begin to heal past wounds and create healthy patterns moving forward.

Release Habits That No Longer Serve You

We often have habits of thought and behavior that have been developed subconsciously in response to something our previous self needed to survive.

These may include having a guard up against possible vulnerability, electing to withdraw (or attack) when faced with conflict, or prioritizing the opinions of others over our own sense of peace.

While these may have served us in the past, as we evolve they can begin to hold us back.

As we walk through our journey of self discovery, healing, and living life as our most complete selves, we may find that we no longer need to engage in unhealthy habits of mind and behavior.

When viewing through a lens of wellness, healthier approaches seem more and more appealing.

When we are living in our peace, we can trade anxiety and perfectionism for reasonable expectations, manageable schedules, and grace.

Instead of avoiding (or raging in the face of) conflict, we meet it with kindness, consideration, and confidence.

When tempted with seeking to numb or hide from our emotions, we instead mindfully honor how we are feeling and choose to show ourselves loving care when we need it most.

Releasing what no longer serves us clears a path for our better selves to step into being.

Engage in Creative Expression

There is a special kind of magic that comes from engaging our creativity to express and explore what we’re feeling.

When we connect to our emotions through poetry, story telling, painting, sculpting, singing, acting, dancing, or an endless list of possible creative outlets, we have the opportunity to know ourselves in new ways.

When we focus our emotions into a mindful creative process, we give them a new kind of life. Feelings that may have once seemed overwhelming become vehicles for self realization and even transformation.

Practice Gratitude

Simply acknowledging your appreciation for all that you already have can change the way you see everything.

Taking a moment to pause and consider those things in your life for which you are most thankful has the power to change anger, sadness, frustration, envy, or boredom to a sense of joyful peace.

Developing a gratitude practice can help to maintain an elevated level of perception.

Consistently writing, speaking and thinking about what you’re grateful for has been known to produce satisfying feelings, increase the depth of joy felt from pleasant experiences, make it easier to approach life’s challenges and even have a positive impact on overall health.

So, whether you keep a gratitude journal, offer a daily prayer of thankfulness, or just make it a point to spend time reveling in all that you’ve been blessed with, practicing intentional appreciation for what you have is an excellent way to give yourself an emotional boost.

Consider Finding a “Right Fit” Therapist

Sometimes, our emotions impact us in a way that feels unmanageable and we need help navigating our way back to wellness.

Other times, we just need assistance sorting through what we’re feeling.

In any case, it can be extremely beneficial to enlist the support of a mental health professional.

Most health insurance plans include mental health counseling for their members, and there are also several therapy options offered online.

When it comes to making a connection with a therapist who can effectively assist you on your journey toward mental wellbeing, however, it is important to take the time to find the right fit.

It may not be the first or second person that you meet with, but don’t be afraid to keep looking until you find someone who makes you feel heard and understood, someone with whom you can be honest and vulnerable. It will be worth the search.

Care for Your Emotional Self

It’s important to find ways to express, explore, and honor our feelings.

When we take the time to understand and respect our emotions, we never need to suppress or hide from them.

Instead, we become masters of our own wellbeing. We heal and begin to flourish in completely new ways.

This year is the perfect time to invest time, energy, and thought into emotional self care. Let’s engage in activities that activate healing and develop practices that promote peace.

Emotional self care is the key to thriving from the inside out.