| How can you manage your emotions during your | | | | 5.) Journal. Journal thoughts, emotions, dreams and |
| career change or job search? To answer this practical | | | | dialogues. Write letters you won't send. Mine your |
| and wise question, let's first define what emotions are. | | | | innards to find the truth within. |
| Emotions, also commonly referred to as feelings, are | | | | 6.) Exercise. Physical activity is a great stress reducer |
| energy released in your body in response to perceived | | | | and safe way to channel your emotions into action. |
| events, that is, to data received via your five senses. | | | | Whether it's a walk or a swim, a bike ride or run, or |
| To build your skill in managing your emotions during | | | | aerobics or muscle building, it will help you |
| your current or next career transition: | | | | constructively channel your stress into a healthy mind |
| 1.) Practice Naming Your Emotions. There's great | | | | and body. Start slow; be consistent! |
| power in simply naming your emotions as you | | | | 7.) Talk to a Safe Someone. Call a friend or family |
| experience them. Check in with yourself several times | | | | member; find a counselor; try a coach or spiritual |
| a day and name your emotions in a journal or log. | | | | director; meet with a priest, pastor or rabbi ... but call |
| Learn to identify the nuances of difference between | | | | someone! You don't have to bear your burdens alone |
| emotions that are similar. Choose carefully how you | | | | unless you choose to ... and why would you choose |
| name what you're feeling: word choice creates reality! | | | | to? |
| 2.) Allow Yourself to Feel What You Feel. Resisting | | | | 8.) Use Art to Express Yourself. Paint your panic. |
| emotions keeps you stuck in them. Why not do | | | | Draw your dreams. Write poetry to express the |
| something radical like feeling them? Let the emotion | | | | inexpressible within you. Both verbal and nonverbal art |
| wash over you and it will pass through you infinitely | | | | forms can help you release what should not be |
| more gently. Feeling your feelings is always easier than | | | | trapped within you. |
| resisting them, because emotions grow in proportion to | | | | 9.) Use Music to Match Your Mood. You can use |
| our resistance to them. | | | | music to match your mood and thereby express it, or |
| 3.) Express What You Feel. Unexpressed emotions | | | | you can use music to alter your mood when it's critical |
| are like poison trapped in the body. You don't really | | | | to do so. So, if you're down and need to pump it up, try |
| want to do that to yourself, do you? Let them out! The | | | | some rousing rock or Latin music. If you're hyper and |
| key here is safety and appropriateness. Find ways to | | | | need to calm down and center, try baroque, New Age |
| express your emotions that are safe and mature for | | | | or soft jazz selections. Music can be a particularly |
| you and those around you. | | | | powerful way to help yourself relax into sleep or get |
| 4.) Act on Your Emotions. Again, safety and | | | | revved up for your day. |
| appropriateness are key. Emotions are messengers | | | | 10.) Pray or Meditate Through Your Feelings. Both |
| from your internal reality prompting you to take some | | | | prayer and meditation are powerful ways to feel and |
| action. Discover what each emotion wants you to do, | | | | express your emotions. Practice one or the other or |
| then do it, safely. Don't delay, or your emotions will act | | | | both daily. |
| on you. | | | | |