I'm a big advocate on becoming proactive in gaining the understanding necessary to develop emotional well-being for our lives. I believe that God is the ultimate answer of course, but I also am not ignorant to the fact that He desires for us to do our part as well. In other words, He doesn't hold a magic wand over our lives removing everything that hinders us. We have been given a part to play too. An easy way to explain this is ... we do our best and God does the rest! :) So what are some things we can do in order to promote our own emotional well-being? Here's some of my thoughts:
- First and foremost I believe we need to accept our feelings. Strong emotions have a way of producing anxiety in to our lives. For instance ... anger, fear, sorrow and failure have huge impacts on our emotional state. We attempt to escape things by denying them. Not only is this not good for us, it also doesn't work. We can spend so much energy in denial, we can begin facing things unemotionally which only leads to even more anxiety. When we face things unemotionally we are walking in what's called "detachment" and detachment is destructive. When we suppress emotions or avoid emotions we become susceptible to not being able to experience positive emotions such as joy, happiness, compassion and empathy. Instead of blocking your emotions, allow them to be expressed. If your angry, express that anger in to a channel that's healthy. Ask God to remove the anger. The Bible doesn't say we will never become angry ... it says when we're angry don't sin while going through the process of it.
- The second important thing we can do is embrace our vulnerability. When we embrace vulnerability we are taking the steps necessary to overcome insecurity. When you begin to understand and discover that certain situations or circumstances in life cause you to over-react, you can guard against the stress levels they create. When we pinpoint the cause of what's affecting us the most, we can better determine the steps needed in order to see things in a new light or proper perspective ... so to speak. When we reinterpret situations or circumstances that occur in our lives then we are more apt to decrease the stress levels they create.
- The third thing we can do is begin focusing on developing our strengths and talents. When you come across people who are bored and unhappy you may find that the direct correlation to this is that they have very few interests or hobbies in their lives. A great way to increase self-confidence and bolster self-esteem is to begin discovering your gifts and talents that God has instilled inside of you. We have all been given gifts and talents, no one is left out of the loop. God has divinely constructed each person in a very unique way. We are all different and we all have our own set of gifts and talents to share with the Body of Christ. Begin discovering and sharing yours!
- The fourth thing we can do is instead of isolating ourselves, we can choose to become involved with other people. Believe it or not, isolation and loneliness are two of the main reasons people find themselves experiencing emotional disorders in their lives. Isolation produces loneliness. When we isolate ourselves, we are allowing the enemy to bring us to a point of not having any spiritual reinforcements around us to help carry us through the difficult times we face. People need people. When we are alone and isolated we have the great potential to focus on our problems and become so saturated in them that we can barely function. Depression usually follows close behind. It is a companion to isolation and loneliness. When we share our concerns and cares with others we give ourselves the opportunity to help view them in a clearer perspective. Find someone you trust and share your heart with them. Don't carry it all by yourself.
- This last and final thought is carried in by the fourth thought. We must know when to seek help. Don't play games with attempting to become the lone wolf. Some problems are difficult to solve alone and this is when we must bring ourselves to the point of allowing other people that we trust to come in and help us. We need good, solid direction and advice. We all have a tendency to walk in self-deception and this is why we find it difficult to view problems objectively. Whenever you feel as though you're making very little headway in something is probably a good indication that you need outside help. Don't allow pride to stop you from asking for help. Satan wants you to be alone and overwhelmed! A willingness to seek help should never be looked upon as a sign of emotional instability or weakness. Not true. Do not wait until you feel overwhelmed ... seek help immediately!
Well I hope these thoughts I've shared today have helped you! I know they have helped me tremendously in my own life. Until next time ... embrace God's best in your life! Also ... listen to my radio show "Embracing God's Best" here's the direct link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/embracing-gods-best
Praying God's BEST for you!
Tracy Cavelli Trussell :)
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