We human beings are wired to have feelings and emotions about stuff. It is the expression of these innermost feelings and sentiments that might become a problem.
Although some of us, the extroverts, are better at expressing their emotions, the good news is that almost anybody could learn to get better at it through focus and practice.
Emotional Intelligence – A Bit about It
It was almost 20 years ago when Daniel Goleman, an author and science journalist, coined the term ‘emotional intelligence’. His book, by the same name, made the idea popular and made it a key part of psychological research in years to follow.
As the name suggests, emotional intelligence is all about dealing with emotions in a better and more effective manner. One major part of emotional intelligence is good emotional expression. Whether it is through writing or spoken words, how emotions and feelings are conveyed and expressed matters a lot.
Surprising Health Benefits of Better Emotional Expression
Studies have shown people who repress their negative emotions were more stressful than others who did not.
Some of the other benefits of writing about emotions included better health results for patients of breast cancer, asthma and even traumatic event survivors.
Another study on aging found that emotional expression was one of the common traits, along with positivity, in people living for more than 100 years.
Final Tips to Get Better at Emotional Expression
Emotional intelligence, unlike IQ, is a skill that can be acquired with practice and commitment. Here are some tips to help you become better emotions communicator:
- First, look within. Understand what you are feeling and why. Make sure you accurately label these feelings. If you do not understand them properly, you would never be able to express them.
- Understand that there might be some defensiveness when you will be expressing your emotions. You need to be prepared for that. Surely, you cannot let the situation get out of control.
- Make sure you have a proper explanation as to why you are feeling the way you are because the other person would want to know it. Have concrete evidences and instances from the past. You might also want to highlight the actions of the other persons.
- Express your concerns. You should express it in a way that the other person can see things from your perspective.
Rekha Shrivastava thoroughly understands the importance of emotional expression. Using hypnosis procedures, she aims to help people overcome their fear of expression emotions. Sign up for a free consultation.
Sources
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/11/how-to-get-better-at-expressing-emotions/416493/
http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-25900-001
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/writing-about-emotions-may-ease-stress-and-trauma
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/189437
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