by Krystle Barrington on May 3,2023
With May dedicated to mental health awareness, it reminds me to take a moment to analyze how I have been feeling. As women, we wear many different hats that can become overwhelming if we do not stop to care for ourselves. From the study hall on campus to the corner office, life has the potential to influence our emotions in some way. While we may not all carry the same challenges, we need to acknowledge how we are feeling along with making the time to process those feelings. Below I have provided a few strategies to help on the days you are not feeling like yourself.
Unplugging can be challenging when living in such a digitized society. However, isolating ourselves for a short amount of time allows us to eliminate distractions to check in with ourselves. How we use that time to recharge is up to us, but remember the end goal is to create a space to feel, think, and understand where we are emotionally.
Journaling is easily one of the most convenient ways to sit with our emotions. Whether it's pen-and-paper or an iPad you prefer, there are no rules or judgments to your expressions. Write down your thoughts and feelings for a few minutes of your day, then release all the positive and negative emotions as needed.
Getting creative is the perfect way to release our emotions! Whether it’s through painting or writing poetry, getting creative is an effective way to express what we carry in our hearts and minds. The goal isn't to get it perfect but simply to translate our feelings into an art form of our choice.
Therapy, especially in the black community, is becoming less taboo. It is an outlet where we share things we may otherwise keep to ourselves. On a personal note, therapy has been a safe space that I did not know I needed to reflect and share in ways I could not before. Consider this a gentle nudge to give it a try if you've been thinking about it. It just might be the key to connecting you with your emotions.
Managing our emotions can sometimes be a task; however, with the right tools, emotional wellness is something we can all achieve. It is never too late to start tending to the areas of ourselves that no one else sees. I pray that moving forward, we will find healthier ways to acknowledge and process our emotions to handle life challenges the best we can.