The importance of expressing emotions, in 7 keys
There is a lot of talk in the world of psychology about Emotional Intelligence and how this concept is applied to different areas of behavioral science: clinical, organizations, sports, education ...
Studies suggest that emotional intelligence increases our emotional health and helps us to perform better in different aspects of our lives. For example, work or studies.
Learning to manage emotions
Emotional intelligence, a term that made Daniel Goleman popular, is made up of different elements, specifically five, which are the following:
- Self-awareness
- Self-regulation
- Self motivation
- Empathy
- Social skills
Self-awareness refers to emotional self-knowledge, which is key to being able to carry out the other elements that make up this concept. Emotional self-regulation means that people have the ability to control our emotions, which is key to relating to others.
Emotionally intelligent people motivate themselves. They are also empathic, so they understand the emotions of others, something that helps them regulate their own behavior. This is key to master the social skills, so useful to live with other individuals .
Express our emotions, good for us and our relationships
Emotional expression is also an important part of emotional intelligence , which encompasses different aspects of those previously discussed. For example, being aware of our emotions is necessary for emotional expression to be efficient.
Now, we must learn to express our emotions taking into account other people, and empathy is key to this. Luckily, emotional intelligence can be learned. Being emotionally intelligent brings many advantages when it comes to coping with the different situations of everyday life.
But, What are the benefits of emotional expression? In the following lines we explain it to you.
1. It frees you
People who express their emotions feel more free since keeping negative emotions inside is a burden too heavy that prevents you from living fully. Living with anger or revenge may cause a person to become ill not only psychologically, but mentally as well.
In psychology, the process of liberation of negative emotions is known as catharsis. This Greek word refers to purification, and became popular in the field of psychotherapy mainly with the rise of Freudian Psychoanalysis.
- If you want to know more about this concept, you can read our article: "Catharsis: the emotional liberation process"
2. Greater emotional well-being
The catharsis, therefore, results in an emotional release and a feeling of tranquility, as if the person leaves behind a heavy burden that does not allow him to live fully.
The results of this action favor emotional well-being and that is why this concept has been applied in the world of psychological therapy. But emotional expression is something that must be learned and be part of the way of relating that an individual has in their day to day .
3. You respect yourself
Many times we do not express ourselves because we are too aware of what others think of ourselves, this means that we do not respect or connect with our own essence. Respecting yourself includes expressing the emotions we feel . Of course, always in an assertive way since we must also respect the other person.
You should not be afraid of the reaction of others when you express your emotions, but neither is it a question of expressing these emotions impulsively. Emotional expression is part of emotional intelligence, and it can be learned.
- Maybe you're interested: "The 6 best courses in Emotional Intelligence and Personal Development"
4. You inspire confidence and credibility
When you express how you feel you can make relationships with other people healthier . As I said, it is necessary that you do it with respect. Other people may not always agree with you on all your opinions, but when the communication is assertive, the benefits for the relationship are many.
When we show ourselves as we are without fear of our emotions, we project a more authentic personality, something that can increase trust and credibility towards you on the part of other individuals.
5. It empowers you in front of life
When you do not care how others think about you, you are in tune with yourself, your desires and your emotions. This is a very powerful tool in front of life and allows you to grow. Knowing yourself is one of the strong points if what we want is to fight for our personal development. Emotional intelligence allows us to better adapt to the environment and empowers us in the face of change.
Related article: "How to control emotions, with 11 effective strategies"
6. Path to inner peace
Happiness is closely related to finding inner peace, and this is possible as long as we are honest with ourselves and express our emotions appropriately. Living the present, paying attention to the positive things in life, learning to be oneself and proper emotional management are key to enjoying greater well-being and finding inner peace.
7. Improve interpersonal relationships
The trust and credibility that a person expresses their emotions appropriately affects positively to interpersonal relationships. Therefore, knowing how to express one's feelings correctly can unite us with another person and can avoid conflicts that can arise by keeping things inside. Communication is key in any type of relationship, and emotions are part of our lives, so we should not repress them.
