12 Ways Noticing Your Feelings Can Improve Your Life

"1. You will live life in the present moment. When you ask yourself “what am I feeling?” it places you into the here and now. You become oriented to what’s going on inside of you and around you and are no longer distracted or disconnected.

2. You’ll grow to be more self-aware. Your feelings are the most profound expression of who you are. When you are able to pause and direct your attention toward what you are feeling, you are helping your brain connect to your body. Knowing what you feel, want, and need is how you truly know yourself.

3. You will make decisions that better suit you. When you attend to your feelings, you will soon uncover what you like or dislike, what you’re passionate about, and what makes you enraged, excited, sad, joyous, amused, and so on that will guide you to make decisions that align with who you are.

4. You’ll care less about what other people think. It’s common to doubt yourself when you are out of touch with how you feel, or when you don’t value what your emotions are telling you. With self-doubt, you’re more vulnerable to the voices and opinions of others. When it comes right down to it, the only person that truly knows what’s best for you is yourself.

5. You’ll feel more connected to others. When you push down your feelings, you push down your sense of self. This makes it hard for other people to know and connect with the real you.

6. You will be experienced by others as more authentic and genuine. We tend to admire those who know who they are. Their behaviors, demeanor, choices, and communication align. If you understand and embrace what’s going on internally, the external world will notice.

7. You’ll get better at setting limits with others. When your emotions are understood and managed, you can better separate your feelings from others’ feelings. Emotional awareness creates an invisible boundary between you and others that allows for healthy relationship boundaries.

8. You will be in control of your emotions rather than your emotions controlling you. The more you try not to feel, the more you’ll feel powerless over your emotions. When you can name what it is that you’re feeling, process it, and figure out what to do next, you hold the power.

9. You’ll feel energized. Emotions are energy inside of you. Imagine being angry for just a second. Did you recall that whooshing sense inside of you, driving you to take action? That’s what all emotions are meant for: guiding and motivating you to do something.

10. You will have more direction and motivation. Once you take note of the energy happening inside of you and notice, reflect, and feel, the choices you make will come naturally.

11. Your physical health will benefit. Research shows that pushing down or suppressing your feelings can lead to muscle tension, sleep disturbance, heart disease, hypertension, over- or undereating, and an array of other physical issues.

12. You will feel more fulfilled with your life. You’ll uncover who you are, feel motivated knowing you are your own guide in life, have confidence and ease in making choices, and ultimately feel more connected to yourself and others."

Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!

Reflection:

Are you aware of your own feelings?

#EmotionalRegulation #Emotions #Self-awareness