Emotions are complex.  Feelings can scare you so much you can shut them down and walk through life feeling numb.  Or may you live your live feeling trapped by anxiety or depression.  Or spend your time chasing the euphoria that comes from happiness, and by trying to create it, miss the moments where it actually exists.  
 
The following three factors are paramount in your emotional self-care:
1. Awareness and acceptance of your emotions;
2. Being able to express emotions in a healthy way; and,
3. Doing activities that cultivate joy/happiness.  
 
Let's talk briefly about these three factors.
Very young babies communicate first through their emotions.  Babies cry, scream, laugh ... way before they can talk.  It is how they let others know that they have desires - for food, comfort and sleep -  that need to be met.
 
From birth individual differences are apparent in how intensely babies feel and express their emotions.  Some are born screaming at the top of their lungs - ever notice that some babies don’t just cry a little bit when they are hungry, need changing or tired, they scream at the top of their lungs.  Whereas others are much more contemplative and seem to take it all in their stride.  .  
 
Over time as a baby learns that people will respond to their cries; as they begin first to use movement as communication, and then speech, their emotional response tends to reduce in intensity.  

However, the ability to express emotions varies.  

Emotional overwhelm (meltdowns) may occur when speech language development is delayed, when children are exhausted from not getting their needs (both real and perceived met) and/or when they are coping with high levels of stress.

And so it is with adults.  Have you ever noticed how much easier is to be calm and rational when you have had a full 9=8 hours restful sleep?
 
And lastly a quick look at doing activities that cultivate happiness.  To help you do this I have put some prompts below.  I invite you to actively journal and write down some of your responses.
 
Prompts
🌼When was the last time you felt happy?
🌼In whose company do you feel comfort?
🌼In what activities do you ‘flow’?
🌼When do you lose a sense of time and space and feel that you just 'are'’?
🌼Do you have something to look forward to?
🌼What excites you?
🌼Have you planned to do activities / made time for things that make you smile?
🌼Do you know when people are happiest?
🌼Have you planned to do activities / made time for things that are important to you?

Research indicates that doing what is most important, pursuing a meaningful life may be the true key to happiness.  It also shows that being present and fully in the moment, regardless of what you are doing is also linked to happiness.. Based on your experience, what do you think?  I'd love to know.

Until next time, take care of yourself

​Kim xx

ps.  If you would like to look at this further, and are curious about mindfulness, I invite you to be a part of my upcoming,  Introduction to Practical Mindfulness Course.  It's online, convenient and starts on the 20th April 2021..   

Do you want your child to be happier?
For many parents I see; this is one of their aims.  Creating a happy book can be a great start.

What is a happy book?
A happy book is generally an A4 display book, where your child can keep things that are special to them.  It can be used as an emotional educational tool.  

Why create a happy book?
Exploring happiness is a great introduction to understanding more difficult emotions such as anger and sadness. Creating a physical space to keep some things that make us feel happy is one way of doing this.  For children it creates something practical they can share with others and talk about how the things in the space make them feel.
 
Materials:

• An A4 display book.
• Photos, or copies of photos of family, pets, best friends, favourite places
• Drawings or descriptions of your child’s favourite things.
• A poem.
• A list of their favourite books
• A story of their favourite holidays.
• A drawing of how they look when they’re happy.
• Coloured pencils/textas/crayons and any other craft material your child likes.

 
Instructions:
Take time with your child to talk about what they want to put into the book.
Discuss how these things make them feel.
Where do they feel happy in their body when they look at the things they are including?
Why do these things make them feel happy?
 
Alternatives:
If you prefer your child could create a happy box and put things that make them happy in there.  You can talk about what is placed in here the same way as you would discuss items in the happy book.
  
This is an ongoing project and can be added to at any time.
​ 
This does not have to be just for children, anyone can make a happy space.  It may be in the form of journaling, scrapbooking, or creating a gratitude wall.
 
Sometimes we need reminding about the good things in our life.  To remember that there are people that love us and care for us; that we have been happy before and therefore we can be happy again.

Please share with someone you think would like to make a happy book .