TIANA HILL | OCTOBER 2022
The leaves are changing, the morning air is crisp, and whether you are team PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) or not, Pumpkin Spice is in abundance. Fall has arrived! It’s my favorite season of the year. I love when the nights grow dark earlier in the evening, the house glows from candlelight, and has a gentle stillness.
With all the coziness that fall brings, it is a great time to slow down and turn your attention inward to bring awareness to your emotional well-being. October is Emotional Wellness Month. The entire month is dedicated to focusing on emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
So, what does it mean to be emotionally well?
The National Center for Emotional Wellness describes it as an awareness, understanding, and acceptance of your emotions and your ability to manage effectively through challenges and change. Everyone has challenges and problems; however, how you manage or cope with those issues determines your emotional wellness. Take a moment to consider your level of emotional health.
“With all the coziness that fall brings, it is a great time to slow down and turn your attention inward to bring awareness to your emotional well-being. ”
— Tiana Hill
- How quickly do you bounce back after a setback? First, allow yourself the time and space to feel and process the situation, and then take steps to move on.
- Are you mostly a positive person? Being in an occasional bad mood is normal; however, constantly being grumpy or having a negative attitude diminishes your internal happiness.
- Do you maintain healthy relationships? Keeping healthy relationships reduces stress, brings joy, and increases one’s overall happiness.
- Are you able to have challenging conversations or disagreements and keep calm? This is a tough one for many of us. I like to remind myself to QTIP (quit taking it personally)!
Something else to consider is the toll that being emotionally unwell takes on your health. Emotional wellness supports us in regulating our emotions which reduces stress. However, our immune system is compromised when stressed, leaving us susceptible to illness.
And guess what? You don’t have time to be sick!
Here are some things you can do to support your emotional wellness:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Get adequate sleep
- Connect with loved ones
- Get out into nature
- Exercise
- Meditate and utilize relaxation techniques
- Journal
Talk with someone about how you are feeling. That can be a trusted friend, family member, or therapist. As a therapist in training, I am a big proponent of therapy. A trusted therapeutic relationship can allow you to explore your thoughts and feelings in a safe space while also providing you with coping skills to manage daily stressors.
Learning new ways to cope with life’s stressors and maintaining a healthy emotional balance helps in every aspect of life. So may this new season bring you health, joy, and happiness.
Until next time, be well.
Tianasquare
