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Annual Review Guide
Emotional Literacy
WHAT IS EMOTIONAL LITERACY?
What is emotional literacy? During the past decade the phrase “emotional literacy” has entered our culture’s vocabulary. Daniel Goleman’s best-selling book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, (Bantam, 1995), has brought this critically important issue into the national consciousness. New research has indicated that emotional intelligence is a key factor predicting success or failure in all aspects of human relationships – school, work, family, friendships – and in the well-being and optimism that is the consequence of self-esteem.
So what is emotional literacy? Emotional literacy is the ability to identify, manage, and express one’s emotions in a mature and conscientious manner. With this ability comes the capacity to empathize with the feelings of others. Spiced Life Conversation created an educational e-guide for our outreach program over at The Light of Day Inc. that can help you understand what emotional literacy is and how to develop it and apply to your own life. We decided to share it with our Spiced Life Conversation Clients as a free guide to help jumpstart your emotional healing journey.
When plans derail and you find yourself in circumstances you’d never have chosen, it’s easy to fall into self-pity, fear or blame; feeling like life is working against you. I encourage you to keep faith that life is working for you, even when you cannot see how.
This Annual Review Guide encourages people to think about what coping skills they have been using and if these have been positive or negative in helping them to deal with, manage or process their emotions.
Recognising this will help them to identify ways in which they can more effectively support their mental health and wellbeing, which will help them to become more independent and resilient in the long term.
So What is Included in Annual Review?
The foundation I use was created by National Institutes of Health the principles are below.
BRIGHTEN YOUR OUTLOOK People who are emotionally well, experts say, have fewer negative emotions and are able to bounce back emotional wellness is being able to hold onto positive emotions longer
and appreciate the good times in life.
To develop a more positive mindset:
Remember your good deeds.
Forgive yourself.
Spend more time with your friends.
Explore your beliefs about the meaning and purpose of life.
Develop healthy physical habits.
REDUCE STRESS
Everyone feels stressed from time to time. Stress can give you a rush of energy when it’s needed most. But if stress lasts a long time-a condition known as chronic stress-those “high alert” changes become harmful rather than helpful. Learning healthy ways to cope with stress can also boost your resilience.
To help manage your stress:
Get enough sleep.
Exercise regularly.
Build a social support network.
Set priorities.
Think positive.
Try relaxation methods.
Seek help.
GET QUALITY SLEEP
To fit in everything we want to do on our day, we often sacrifice sleep. But sleep affects both mental and physical health. It’s vital to your well-being. When you’re tired, you can’t function at your best. Sleep helps you think more clearly, have quicker reflexes and focus better. Take steps to make sure you regularly get a good night’s sleep.
To get better quality sleep:
Go to bed and get up each day at the same time.
Sleep in a dark, quiet place.
Exercise daily.
Limit the use of electronics.
Relax before bedtime.
Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and stimulants late in the day.
Consult a health care professional if you have ongoing sleep problems.
BE MINDFUL
The concept of mindfulness is simple. This ancient practice is about being completely aware of what’s happening in the present-of all that’s going on inside and all that’s happening around you. It means not living your life on “autopilot.” Becoming a more mindful person requires commitment and practice. Here are some tips to help you get started.
To be more mindful:
Take some deep breaths in through your nose to a count of 4, hold for 1 second and then exhale through the mouth to a count of 5. Repeat often.
Enjoy a stroll and notice the sights around you.
Practice mindful eating. Be aware of each bite and when you’re full.
Find mind-fullness resources in your local community, including classes, programs, or books.
COPE WITH LOSS
When someone you love dies, your world changes. There is no right or wrong way to mourn. Although the death of a loved one can feel overwhelming, most people can make it through the grieving process with the support of family and friends. Learn healthy ways to help you through difficult times.
To help cope with loss:
Take care of yourself.
Talk to a caring friend.
Try not to make any major changes right away.
Join a grief support group.
Consider professional support.
Talk to your doctor if you’re having trouble with everyday activities.
Be patient. Mourning takes time.
STRENGTHEN SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
Social connections might help protect health and lengthen life. Scientists are finding that our links to others can have powerful effects on our health-both emotionally and physically. Whether with romantic partners, family, friends, neighbors, or others, social connections can influence our biology and well-being.
To build healthy support systems:
Build strong relationships with your kids.
Get active and share good habits with family and friends.
If you’re a family caregiver, ask for help from others.
Join a group focused on a favorite hobby, such as reading, hiking, or painting.
Take a class to learn something new.
Volunteer for things you care about in your community, like a community garden, school, library, or place of worship.
Travel to different places and meet new people.
Traumatic events happen to everyone; it is part of the human experience. Accidents, natural disasters, wars, family conflicts, sexual exploitation, child abuse and neglect, and harmful social conditions are inescapable. However, how a person responds to these circumstances is unique to that individual’s social history, genetic inheritance and protective factors that may be in the person’s life at the time.
Recent research has revealed that psychological emotional trauma can result from such common occurrences as an auto accident, sudden job loss, relationship loss, a humiliating or deeply disappointing circumstance, the discovery of a life- threatening illness or disabling condition, or other similar situations. Traumatizing events can take a serious emotional toll on those involved, even if the event did not cause physical damage. This can have a profound impact on the individual’s identity, resulting in negative effects in mind, body, soul and spirit.
Have you ever experience trauma? if so how do you cope. What is in your emotional wellness toolkit? Share below.
RESOURCES
www.nih.gov/wellnesstoolkits
Help Developing A Plan For Self Care
Do you want help developing a self care plan that works for your own busy schedule? Do you want accountability implementing a self care plan? If you or someone you love is struggling to maintain optimal mental and emotional health, consider reaching out to Spiced Life Conversation Art Wellness Studio and Botanica. We are a Metro Atlanta, Conyers Georgia area. We are a coaching and counseling practice with empathetic, skilled counselors and recovery coaches who can help you set goals, develop a self care routine and move forward to build a more fulfilling life. Our team would be happy to work with you either just for a couple of sessions to develop and implement a Self Care plan or longer term to work toward overall better mental health within our membership site or other programs.
About The Author:
Dr. Nikki LeToya White MSEd-TL, Ph.D. RHN is the founder, director and a full time board certified trauma-informed nutritionist, folk herbalist, and wellness consultant at Spiced Life Conversation Art Wellness Studio and Botanica. She created Spiced Life Conversation, LLC
Art Wellness Studio and Botanica to provide the Metro Atlanta area with a counseling and coaching services where clients are carefully matched with the right program for healing abandonment and childhood emotional neglect trauma that cause codependency, emotional eating, financial stress, and imposter syndrome as it relates to fear of success and being abandon. We help you begin your emotional healing journey with ease. Recently, we have expanded to include online membership site so we now provide support to people living all over the world. All of our recovery coaches provide at least one evidence based treatment to assist in your recovery. Dr. White is a big proponent of self care and helping people live a fulfilling life! She has been in full remission with both codependency and emotional binge eating disorder since 2016. In live a life in recovery from sugar addiction. Loving her low sugar balance lifestyle.