10 Ways To Create Emotional Strength That Lasts A Lifetime
Access inner strength you never knew you had.
Zolotarevs / Shutterstock Most of us go through a rough time at some time in life. Maybe you feel overwhelmed, sad, dead inside, helpless, exhausted and rudderless. How do you build emotional strength and resilience at home and work?
All of the above is a sign that your life is out of balance. You do not need to despair because you can rise above the pain and inertia in your life with internal work.
First, there is no quick fix. Like learning to swim, you have to practice, practice and practice! Building and reinforcing your emotional strength is lifelong work.
Here are 10 ways to create emotional strength that lasts a lifetime
1. Access where you are in life
How do you build emotional strength at home and work?
What is going on in your life right now? Do you feel like something is missing in your life? Are you in a job that you don’t like? Are you in a relationship that feels like it is going nowhere? Maybe you are trying to move on after a divorce. Perhaps the last of your kids have left home to start their own lives.
At this moment in life, what is inspiring you? What is holding you back? What are your dreams for the future?
2. Set boundaries
To be a resilient human being, you need to have healthy boundaries.
What are your priorities in life? How do you want to use your time best? Who are the people that inspire and encourage you and with whom you want to work with?
Be honest with yourself and others about how much time you have to offer others. What activities and work are your priority? It is OK to say no; sometimes, this is crucial for mental and physical health.
3. Practice mindfulness or some other form of meditation
Find a form of meditation that works for you to quiet your mind. There are many types of meditation. Keep experimenting until you find a practice that works for you.
My favorites Mediation Resource is an App called Insight Timer. Many apps, websites, and books can assist you in starting your meditation practice.
Start your practice gradually with a few minutes each day and slowly extend your practice to twenty to 30 minutes daily. How does this help you to build emotional strength?
4. Find some exercise or practice to help you connect with your body
Your body is full of wisdom. The more you pay attention to the sensations of your body, the better you will be able to make decisions about how you live your life.
Find some form of movement to help you stay connected to your body, including yoga, tai chi, running, walking, gardening, singing, dancing or anything else that enables you to be more aware of what is happening in your body.
5. Hang out with people who love you just the way you are
Who are the people in your life who encourage you and inspire you? Who are the people you walk away from feeling loved, appreciated and respected? These are the people you want to hang out with. These are the people who will help you to build emotional strength.
6. Take time for yourself
To be emotionally strong, you need to have time for yourself. Find a friend or family member to open your heart to. Share with them your greatest fears and hopes. Let them know how you are doing each day.
What activities can you do alone that can help you recharge your batteries? What helps you to feel good? What enables you to stay open to your inner wisdom? What helps you to relax?
7. Practice being vulnerable with a person you trust
To build emotional strength, you need to practice vulnerability. To do this, you must first be able to acknowledge the truth of what is going on within you.
Once you can admit how we feel, you can share it with others. Often you can release much of what is holding you back by simply expressing it to another person.
8. Befriend your inner critic
You have an inner critic, and it will never go away. However, this part of your ego has good intentions. It wants to keep you safe by keeping you stuck in the status quo.
You can tell your inner critic is speaking within you when you have internal conversations that are harsh, loud, demeaning and judgmental.
You will notice this voice gets louder every time you try something new.
You can learn to quiet this part of you by inviting it to help you enhance your emotional strength. Learning to use this powerful energy within you is vital to helping you find your purpose and the flow you yearn for.
9. Discover the power of the Enneagram
The Enneagram is a great tool to help you enhance your emotional strength. It is a map for personal growth that allows you to find greater peace and connection with life.
Even more, the Enneagram can help you have greater access to the wisdom that comes from your three centers of intelligence: your body, heart and mind. Grounding in your three intelligence centers will help you build emotional strength.
10. Reach out for help
Whenever you feel stuck in enhancing your emotional strength, you can seek help from a professional coach, counselor or other healing modality.
Remember to admit you have issues is a sign of strength and courage. You will be invited to look deeply into yourself. While this is hard, it is worth the work. You will gain a new understanding of yourself, making it easier to forgive yourself and discover the steps you need to take to find greater joy in your life.
As you learn to connect to your three centers of intelligence — body, heart and head — you will find greater ease and flow in your life.
Remember, this is lifelong work. The more you can make inner work an essential part of every day, the greater the flow.
If you do this daily work, you will harvest greater emotional strength daily.
You will discover more and more ways to build emotional resilience at home and work.
Roland Legge is an author, certified spiritual life coach and teacher of the Enneagram. He helps people connect to their inner selves and find alignment with their highest purpose and values.