Regulating Emotions

Have you ever felt Emotional Dysregulation?  It is the inability to manage intense emotions such as fear, sadness, or anger.  

Sometimes when I feel “off my game”,  my heart tells me that I need to figure out a way to change my focus. Being creative is a positive healthy outlet.

There are many, many, many ways of being creative, but one of the most important tools that I have in my creative toolbox is my visual journal!

Visual journaling is a creative way to regulate emotions.  One way to start a page is to grab a marker and just start to write.  Write whatever is on your mind until the page is full.

By the time the bottom of the page is reached, a vast difference not only in handwriting and words can be seen, but also in how one feels.

Many times by the end of the page, I end up writing, “I don’t know what to write”, because the intense emotions are all out, and I truly do not have any more thoughts to get out of my heart and mind!

It is not important in these situations to be able to reread the journaling because the purpose is to regulate emotions and not share them with others.  That is where the creative, fun begins.  The journaling becomes part of the layers in the background, and the creative fun becomes the focus in the foreground.  Mark making, drawing, colouring, painting, and/or collaging are all possible layers that may be added over the top of the journaling and in the process, emotions continue to be regulated.

One’s mind settles down, muscles loosen, breathing changes, the intensity of emotions change, one’s heart feels lighter, and new energy develops just by taking time to refocus, rebalance and create.

Emotional regulation helps us all to live a happy, healthy, creative life!

With all of the excitement of the Christmas season, it is easy for to get emotionally dysregulated.  Find a healthy, creative way that works for you to regulate your emotions and leaves you feeling happy and balanced!