photo credit: Eric M Martin
Every so often during the day it’s good to check in with yourself to ask:
How Do I Feel?
This takes very little time and allows you to take your emotional temperature periodically. After you ask yourself this question, quickly label what you feel. Frustration, boredom, contentment, peace, etc. Don’t spend too much time with the labeling, just go with whatever comes to mind.
Afterward, spend a minute or two just feeling. Don’t think about it too much because if you do you will tend to spin a story around it. You want to just practice feeling.
If it feels right, let the emotion subside. Notice what “made” you feel that way. Does that person or circumstance always make you feel that way?
Spend another minute or so seeing if there is anything else you can learn about yourself from these moments. Then, continue going on with your day. You are finished.
Nice advice … even though i think of myself as of passionate person … i tend to overlook a lot my own emotions throughout a day. And usually when people asks me how am i doing or how do i feel … i don’t know … i just haven’t decided that … so i always answer something generic.
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This is a neat exercise to practice seeing your internal states… and not turn your rational mind onto them.
If you can do this often enough then you can develop that sense of awareness that even let’s you seem them arise in the moment. That is a useful gift.
Hi Jon – I have had the same experience with not knowing how/what I feel. This exercise keeps me aware of that, and allows me to be more mindful throughout the day.
Hi Jarrod – This is definitely about awareness. Often times we don’t want to totally experience how we feel, but if you do I think you end up with a richer experience of life.