Well-being involves many different aspects. However, when we think of well -being , we think more of our individual well-being in terms of how well we feel, how satisfied we are with our lives, and how well we function in different areas.
You may often get confused by the different types of well-being that people talk about. They all seem to be interconnected and discrimination can be complex.
For example, we may think of positive relationships as part of good functioning as we know that humans are social beings. However, there is something more to social well-being that is related to the so-called emotional well-being. This mean that not only our social interactions but also our relationship with ourselves is a separate area of well-being.
The core of well-being is how we experience our world, so it is a combination of objective facts and subjective perceptions. Our experience of our world is influenced by our physical health, but also by our environment, the people in our lives and the actions we take that change our environment.
In this article we will focus on emotional well-being.
Emotional well-being is the ability to safely express or manage our emotions, as well as to create positive emotions. It starts with being aware of how you are feeling. But can we recognize the emotions? In order to be able to observe them and then express them, it is important to be able to recognize them.
Many people can’t name what they feel and therefore often can’t communicate it. It may be helpful to start by simply trying to categorize what you feel into the four main groups: sadness, anger, fear, joy. If even this seems difficult, start with the sign of emotion, positive or negative.
Then you can try making a diary to ask yourself open-ended questions to explore a little more. A diary is a productive way to explore and express our feelings safely without hurting others.
Expressing our feelings to others in a positive way can also contribute to our sense of emotional well-being while allowing others to express their feelings to us. You can do this by starting the sentences with "I feel…".
People who know how to recognize their emotions feel more satisfied with themselves and therefore, feel more prosperous in general.
Taking the time to engage in activities that create positive emotions in you is just as important as managing negative emotions. For example, research has highlighted the power of gratitude for creating positive emotions. Give it a try to take a break every day where you will be grateful for three specific things.
Emotional well-being is therefore linked to social well-being because we can better form and maintain relationships with others when we are able to regulate our emotions. Negativity and unpredictable extremities make it more difficult to build and maintain close relationships. At the same time, having meaningful relationships tends to make us feel better and is a good motivator for managing our emotions.