KANISA GEORGE

THE BUSINESS of life is the accumulation of memories. Good, bad, in-between and indifferent. Each memory contains a collage of moving images, characters and emotions that define the tenor of the experience. Of the variables above, our emotional response carries significant weight, as it impacts how we respond to future experiences and how well we adjust to hardship. Be that as it may, most of us don’t fully grasp that our inability to properly understand our emotional state can have a profound and lasting impact on our well-being.

Are you having trouble connecting with others emotionally? Do you struggle to get through daily tasks? When our metaphorical tank feels low, emotional imbalance might be the root of the issue.

It is very common, according to psychologists, for an individual to be disconnected from their emotional self. One writer suggests a person who lacks emotional well-being can either be described as one who doesn’t want to place too much emphasis on their emotions, or one who doesn’t know how to define them.

While we endeavour to promote what we regard as important aspects of our lives, we often fail to ensure that the emotional parts of ourselves are taken care of. Achieving an overall sense of well-being can only be accomplished when we achieve emotional balance. Yet this is something that most of us shy away from. Is it that facing your emotions is intimating? Or maybe we don’t know how to identify them and understand what they really mean?

Frankly, when faced with emotions, most of us gravitate towards the knee-jerk reaction we often resort to, temporarily quelling the burden sometimes attached to emotions. We either force ourselves to ignore them or let them overwhelm us, but no matter the course we adopt, we’ll eventually hit a brick wall.

Some life coaches preach that emotional balance is the ability to recognise your emotions and the emotions of others while being able to respond to them responsibly.

Developing a state of mind that allows you to be aware of your emotions, understand triggers and respond in a gentle, wise and empathetic manner ensures that you can navigate life even when faced with hardship and obstacles.

One writer believes that the real key to emotional balance is consciousness and making time to tap into the emotions you are experiencing fully. Justine Gammill believes that achieving emotional balance involves self-study, as we aren’t often clear about our feelings. He suggests that spending a little time inside your head is the only way to truly address how you feel, why you feel that way, and what actions might be required to change it.

Because emotions reflect the process by which an individual automatically puts meaningful labels on experiences, having a sound knowledge of your emotional self invariably fosters positive growth and enhances the relationship you share with yourself. Once you have tapped into this part of yourself, it becomes easier to master emotional regulation. Instead of practising avoidance, we are better positioned t