Emotional Wellness is the ability to understand ourselves and share feelings in a productive manner. It is coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships.

Being emotionally well is more than just handling stress. It also involves being attentive to your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, whether positive or negative.

Emotional Wellness implies the ability to be aware of and accept our feelings, rather than deny them, have an optimistic approach to life, and enjoy life despite its occasional disappointments and frustrations.

The Path to Emotional Wellness

The path to emotional wellness may involve:

• Awareness of thoughts and feelings
• Using a positive attitude
• Seeking support and expressing emotions in a suitable manner
• Setting priorities
• Accepting mistakes and learning from them

The path may also involve seeking out support from a mental health professional when needed and gathering information in order to make informed value decisions.

Are you engaged in the process of emotional wellness?

Evaluate your own emotional wellness with this brief quiz.

• Am I able to maintain a balance of work, family, friends, and other obligations?
• Do I have ways to reduce stress in my life?
• Am I able to make decisions with a minimum of stress and worry?
• Am I able to set priorities?

If you answered “No” to any of the questions, it may indicate an area where you need to improve the state of your emotional wellness.

Signs of Emotional Well Being

• the ability to talk with someone about your emotional concerns and share your feelings with others
• saying “no” when you need to without feeling guilty
• feeling content most of the time
• feeling that you have people in your life who care about you (a strong support network)
• being able to relax
• developing resiliency and coping skills
• feeling good about who you are in terms of self-esteem, body image, and other perceptions of self

Ways to Improve Emotional Health

• Make time away from phone/internet/email/social media
• Make time for reflection
• Notice inner experiences (observe thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, feelings)
• Write in a journal
• Reflect upon and support your identity
• Seek out things that bring you joy
• Allow yourself to cry when you feel it coming
• Express outrage and anger in healthy ways (artwork, therapy, talking with friends, activism, getting active, etc.)
• Talk to someone (counselor, psychologist, friend, family) about how you are doing and feeling
• Read for fun
• Do something where you aren’t in charge/an expert
• Say “no” to extra responsibilities
• Give yourself affirmations/praise
• Find things that make you laugh, smile, or just feel good

 Resources:

• Berea has Counseling on campus that will not cost you a dime and it is completely confidential
• Residential assistants: Each of the residence halls has a student Chaplain whose job is to listen to you
• Collegium
• Campus Christian Center