Knowing how to find your center after experiencing intense emotions is an invaluable skill. The details will depend on the situation and the emotion itself, along with your personal preferences. For some general advice regarding emotional regulation, consider the following practical strategies.
1. Reunite With Your Body
It’s important to understand that each emotion has a physiological root in the body. When you feel stressed, your adrenal glands are releasing cortisol. When you feel content, your brain is firing neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. The physical sensations that accompany these emotions are tangible and often predictable. See if you can notice them for yourself. Caring for the body regulates emotional energy. In the same way that you feel frazzled and frustrated when you haven’t slept well, you can restore your sense of internal calm by prioritizing relaxation.
Take breaks throughout the day to reunite with your body, especially when it seems most difficult. A short walk, a moment of meditation and breathwork, an hour on the yoga mat, or an evening of at-home spa treatment all serve the same purpose. Scheduling this time for yourself will help balance your nervous system, hormones, and emotions.
2. Pay Attention to Your Cycles
Natural cycles are a fundamental aspect of life. Each one of us has a daily sleep cycle known as a circadian rhythm. Moon cycles impact energy levels and hormones. Some people experience seasonal cycles of depression when the sun is hiding behind wintry clouds. These ups and downs can affect your emotional balance rather profoundly.
Simply maintaining awareness of your personal cycles will help you to find equilibrium. Carve out extra time for rest when you know a vulnerable point in your cycle is coming. This will give you the opportunity to recharge for moments of heightened activity. Supplements may help you get through turbulent times. Many Le-Vel Thrive reviews, for example, discuss the mood-stabilizing effects of their adult multivitamin blend. Find something that works for you, so you can fall back on it as needed.
3. Improve Your Relationships
When your relationships are healthy, you can feel healthier, too. Strive to surround yourself with people who support, encourage, and respect you. Anything less may throw your emotional center off the tracks. Maintain open and honest communication with your loved ones. If you’ve been hurt, tell them. If you need to set a new boundary for personal space, tell them. When they do things for you that feel affirming and uplifting, tell them about that as well! This habit will help you to acknowledge and make room for your emotions as soon as they arise. As difficult as it may be, it is crucial that you walk away from relationships that are no longer good for you. Seek professional advice if you feel confused. Advocating for yourself in this way can bring significant emotional relief.
4. Accept Your Emotions
Perhaps most fundamentally of all, emotional balance will only come from your willingness to flow with your feelings. When you fight off certain feelings or criticize yourself for having them, you are more likely to fall into an emotional trap. Simply let them come and go like clouds passing overhead. Accepting emotions with compassion rather than judgment takes substantial practice. Once you begin to integrate this strategy into your daily life, you will be able to relax into your resilient nature. Feelings of all kinds will emerge and inevitably fade away. Grief, anxiety, anger, and exhaustion are perfectly normal; in fact, each one serves a unique healing purpose. Respond to these experiences with ample self care. Remind yourself that you can survive anything, and affirm the positive beliefs you hold rather than the negative ones.
Everyone deals with emotional imbalance at some point. Allowing your feelings to move through you––and caring for yourself throughout the process––will empower you with a sense of stability. Then, you will be able to handle any difficult situation with grace.