How to Develop Emotional Fitness?

Check-in

How often do you power through your day without realizing how tired you are, physically and emotionally? 

Reality

Like many of you, I am a full-time working parent—with a teenager.  Most often, my daily routine starts the minute I wake up, and rushing through the day seems to have become the norm.  Can you relate to this experience?  

Of course, there are routine task that we must perform everyday for our family and at work, regardless of our emotional state.  Have you ever noticed how easy it is for us to default to “auto-pilot” mode?  What is meant by auto-pilot?  

For me it is when our brain behaves as if it is pre-programmed in a kind of “survivor mode” that allows us to accomplish routine tasks, even when we are experiencing intense or troubling feelings.  

Auto-pilot mode can be helpful in getting us through the day.  However, if our emotions are never examined and evaluated in a healthy process because the “auto-pilot” brain has taken over, then over time we can develop anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and/or depression.    

My goal is to help you increase your emotional awareness.  Your emotional fitness has a significant impact on your physical health, as well the quality of relationships in your life.  To this end, I present these questions to help you “check in” on your emotional condition throughout the day:  

Reflection:

  1. Are you aware of any tension in your body?
  2. Do you know how this physical tension develops throughout the day?
  3. Are you familiar with the different physical sensations you usually experience?    
  4. Have you ever taken time to slow down and try to understand the meaning behind these physical sensations?
  5. Are you aware of the correlation between your emotional state and your behavior?
  6. Are you able to set and maintain healthy boundaries with others?