How are you feeling?
Emotional Awareness is Emotional Health
Again...
How are you feeling?
Understand that I am not asking how you are currently "expressing" how you are feeling. I am asking how are you actually feeling.
Do you even know what you are actually feeling right now?
For years, I didn't know what I was actually feeling. I only knew how to express my emotions as anger. I was far from being emotionally healthy simply because I was not aware of what my true emotions were.
Being aware of your emotions is a huge part of emotional health. Another major part of emotional health is knowing how to properly deal with and express your emotions once you have identified them.
In my case, i was expressing nearly every emotion as anger. When I was disappointed, I expressed anger. When I was hurt, i expressed anger. When I experienced injustice (something not right or unfair), I expressed anger. When I was stressed, anger. if you asked me how I was feeling back then, I would just say, "I'm angry." That's all I knew.
I wasn't even aware of my true emotional state. I didn't know that I was actually sad many times due to grieving loss - not death - loss. Also, I did not develop my ability to correctly identify what I was feeling and how to properly deal with it until I was an adult.
Now, I am aware of my emotions and I have the skill to properly deal and cope with them. No, I am not happy all the time. That's not what emotional health is about. i still feel stress, sad and anger, but I know how to manage these negative feelings. I even know when these negative feelings are too much for me to handle on my own. That's when I get professional help.
Why Your Emotional Health Matters As a Music Producer
As a music producer (music holder), you may think that emotions are the basis of your music. Many people think that music helps us feel and identify what we are feeling. Music can reflect the expression of what we actually feel, without revealing what we actually feel.
As a music producer, you have the ability to make music that transports people emotionally. But have you ever thought about how the music can transport you emotionally?
Improving your emotional health can allow you to better handle stress and be more productive. You can transport other people, through your music, to better emotional health as well.
Journey To Improve Your Emotional Health
I share my story with you as a fellow journeyman, not an expert. Like you, I am navigating the music and life journey. I want to help you navigate your journey and improve your emotional health along the way as you keep taking steps.
Be aware of your emotions and reactions.
Notice what in your life makes you sad, frustrated, or angry. Try to address or change those things.
Express your feelings in appropriate ways.
Let people close to you know when something is bothering you. Keeping feelings of sadness or anger inside adds to stress. It can cause problems in your relationships and at work or school.
Think before you act.
Give yourself time to think and be calm before you say or do something you might regret.
Manage stress. Learn relaxation methods to cope with stress.
These could include deep breathing, meditation, and exercise.
Strive for balance.
Find a healthy balance between work and play, and between activity and rest. Make time for things you enjoy. Focus on positive things in your life.
Take care of your physical health.
Exercise regularly, eat healthy meals, and get enough sleep. Don't abuse drugs or alcohol. Keep your physical health from affecting your emotional health.
Connect with others.
Make a lunch date, join a group, and say hi to strangers. We need positive connections with other people.
Find purpose and meaning.
Figure out what's important to you in life, and focus on that. This could be your work, your family, volunteering, caregiving, or something else. Spend your time doing what feels meaningful to you.
Stay positive.
Focus on the good things in your life. Forgive yourself for making mistakes and forgive others. Spend time with healthy, positive people.
Resources
National Institutes of Health: Emotional Wellness Toolkit
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