Simply be aware of your current state of mind, the feeling you are experiencing right now.
Then label that emotion, becoming a witness to it. Labelling detaches the emotion from us, and we begin to see it as a separate entity, no longer identifying with it, or being at its mercy.

ABCs Of Emotions: Awareness

The art of balance requires us to be okay with the inner turmoil, and willing to go inside the storm.
When we resist or suppress an emotion, it grows inside us, but if we stay with our emotions and let them dance, it flows out of our system.

ABCs Of Emotions: Balance

When we dig deeper and feel the intensity of the emotion, observing our body sensations, we need to gauge the intensity and take care of ourselves by stepping back and moving away from entertaining the emotion if it heats up above boiling point.

ABCs Of Emotions: Care And Curiosity

We can make use of our friends, family, online resources and healthy habits to manage our intense emotions.
Support can also mean self-compassion, meditation, patience, mindfulness and breathing exercises.

ABCs Of Emotions: Support

“A” is for AwarenessThe first step is to be aware. Ask yourself: How am I feeling right now? Simply answering this question names the experience and creates a jumping-off point for a workable relationship with the emotion. Labeling an emotional state organizes the chaos in the mind so you can begin to notice and work with it more effectively. Cultivating awareness helps form the habit of acknowledging when an emotion has taken center stage, and naming the emotion provides space to work more skillfully with its drama.“B” is for BalanceAs your awareness grows, you’ll likely notice more often how difficult it is to stay balanced in the throes of emotional intensity—this is normal. &nbsp;Balance does not mean never being knocked off kilter. It means being okay with the internal rollercoaster and having a willingness to go along for the ride. Pushing away unpleasantness or desperately clawing for a better experience actually feeds the power an emotion has. Instead, try to stay with the emotion. Notice what it feels like in that moment without trying to change it. Taking this balanced stance builds confidence in your ability to remain in any experience and have the endurance to witness emotions as they ebb and flow.<BLOCKQUOTE>Pushing away unpleasantness or desperately clawing for a better experience actually feeds the power an emotion has.</BLOCKQUOTE>“C” is for Curiosity and CareNext, dig deeper and investigate the emotion. Be curious how it feels in the body. Does it feel tingly? Or hot? Where is the emotion most intense? Dropping out of your stories and into your bodily sensations deprives the emotion of reinforcement from thoughts, and eventually it will lose momentum. Curiosity also can reveal <a href="https://www.mindful.org/calming-rush-panic-emotions/" rel="noreferrer noopener" dir="ltr">when an emotion has become too intense</a>. At this point, it is important to take care of yourself by stepping back until you feel ready to return to your practice. Knowing when you need to exercise care is an important skill when working with emotional intensity in a way that is compassionate toward yourself.“S” is for SupportWhen emotions reach a certain threshold where they are too intense to work with productively, tap into your support network. Support can come from friends, family, healthy habits, or resources available to you. Support can also come from inner states of mind, like cultivating self-compassion, loving-kindness, patience, and gratitude. Utilize your external and internal support networks when emotions become too overwhelming. Feeling connected during times of emotional turbulence will help you take better care of your well being and gently work with turning intensity into wisdom.For more from Oren J. Sofer and Dan Harris, check out some <a href="https://10percenthappier.app.link/mindfulonline" rel="noreferrer noopener" dir="ltr">free guided meditations</a> from <a href="https://10percenthappier.app.link/mindfulonline" rel="noreferrer noopener" dir="ltr">10% Happier</a>.<img src="https://cdn.mindful.org/CalmPanicEmotion2.jpg?q=80&amp;fm=jpg&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;h=375" width="231" height="173"><UL><LI>Bob Stahl</LI><LI>March 27, 2017</LI></UL><img src="https://cdn.mindful.org/stars.png?q=80&amp;fm=jpg&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;h=375" width="231" height="173"><div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
Guided Meditation
</div>
</div><UL><LI>Mark Bertin</LI><LI>March 19, 2021</LI></UL><UL><LI>Misty Pratt</LI><LI>April 22, 2021</LI></UL><img src="https://cdn.mindful.org/AdobeStock_278572176-scaled.jpeg?q=80&amp;fm=jpg&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;h=375" width="231" height="173"><div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
Well-Being
</div>
</div><UL><LI>Ava Whitney-Coulter</LI><LI>April 21, 2021</LI></UL><img src="https://cdn.mindful.org/mindful-m-transparent.png" width="100" height="100">

A practical framework for becoming aware of and working with emotional intensity and transforming emotional struggle into inner wisdom.

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

mentalhealth

Mental Health

“A” is for Awareness

The first step is to be aware. Ask yourself: How am I feeling right now? Simply answering this question names the experience and creates a jumping-off point for a workable relationship with the emotion. Labeling an emotional state organizes the chaos in the mind so you can begin to notice and work with it more effectively. Cultivating awareness helps form the habit of acknowledging when an emotion has taken center stage, and naming the emotion provides space to work more skillfully with its drama.

“B” is for Balance

As your awareness grows, you’ll likely notice more often how difficult it is to stay balanced in the throes of emotional intensity—this is normal.  Balance does not mean never being knocked off kilter. It means being okay with the internal rollercoaster and having a willingness to go along for the ride. Pushing away unpleasantness or desperately clawing for a better experience actually feeds the power an emotion has. Instead, try to stay with the emotion. Notice what it feels like in that moment without trying to change it. Taking this balanced stance builds confidence in your ability to remain in any experience and have the endurance to witness emotions as they ebb and flow.

Pushing away unpleasantness or desperately clawing for a better experience actually feeds the power an emotion has.

“C” is for Curiosity and Care

Next, dig deeper and investigate the emotion. Be curious how it feels in the body. Does it feel tingly? Or hot? Where is the emotion most intense? Dropping out of your stories and into your bodily sensations deprives the emotion of reinforcement from thoughts, and eventually it will lose momentum. Curiosity also can reveal <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.mindful.org/calming-rush-panic-emotions/" rel="noreferrer noopener">when an emotion has become too intense </a>. At this point, it is important to take care of yourself by stepping back until you feel ready to return to your practice. Knowing when you need to exercise care is an important skill when working with emotional intensity in a way that is compassionate toward yourself.

“S” is for Support

When emotions reach a certain threshold where they are too intense to work with productively, tap into your support network. Support can come from friends, family, healthy habits, or resources available to you. Support can also come from inner states of mind, like cultivating self-compassion, loving-kindness, patience, and gratitude. Utilize your external and internal support networks when emotions become too overwhelming. Feeling connected during times of emotional turbulence will help you take better care of your well being and gently work with turning intensity into wisdom.

For more from Oren J. Sofer and Dan Harris, check out some <a dir="ltr" href="https://10percenthappier.app.link/mindfulonline" rel="noreferrer noopener">free guided meditations </a>from <a dir="ltr" href="https://10percenthappier.app.link/mindfulonline" rel="noreferrer noopener">10% Happier </a>.

<ul><li>Bob Stahl </li><li>March 27, 2017 </li> </ul>

<ul><li>Mark Bertin </li><li>March 19, 2021 </li> </ul>

<ul><li>Misty Pratt </li><li>April 22, 2021 </li> </ul>

<ul><li>Ava Whitney-Coulter </li><li>April 21, 2021 </li> </ul>

The ABCs of Emotions - Mindful

ABCs Of Emotions: Awareness

ABCs Of Emotions: Balance

ABCs Of Emotions: Care And Curiosity

ABCs Of Emotions: Support

CURATED BY

Related collections

More like this