Well hello to you my reader chums! It's part of human nature to not speak about our emotions. As a culture of saying 'I'm fine' and moving on from that, it's become a norm to not say how we're really feeling and speak out.

Since working on my mental health and self-love journey, I've really tried to be more open with my emotions and learn to accept them. I will say, it isn't an easy task to accept my emotions and feel what I'm really feeling. It's easier to suppress and distract, however, that isn't healthy.

If you're learning to deal more with your emotions, here is my guide on how to accept your emotions.

Feel what you're really feeling

Have you ever thought anxious and sad about something? And then thought you needed to cheer up or feel better as you don't want to come across as bringing the mood down or negative in any way. In these moments, you need to feel all that you're feeling. If you suppress the emotion, it's likely to come out bigger and make you feel worse in the long run. When your mood is low, practice some self-care to fit that mood. This can mean doing low-energy activities, resting, sleeping or finding a way to release your emotions.

Speak about all the types of emotions

We all have a range of emotions and these can vary depending on how your day has panned out, situations and even your menstrual cycle, if that's something you deal with. As emotions can range, it's important that you feel safe and secure to speak about them and find someone to talk to in all instances. Alternatively, if there's nobody around who you feel comfortable speaking with, try and journal your feelings out and allow yourself to put everything on paper.

Understanding emotions are normal

Nobody is okay all of the time, they do have sad days or angry days, and days when they don't feel like themselves. It's normal to experience a range of emotions. When you understand this concept, it can help you come to terms with your emotions and how you're not singled out. In a world where mental health is now spoken about more, it's the perfect time to be able to express your emotions and listen to others when they're discussing theirs. 

Practice self-care

Self-care is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It doesn't just mean facemasks and bubble baths, it also means learning to say no, setting boundaries and listening to your body in order to care for your mind and body in the right way. Self-care can be taking a rest day when you're not feeling great, it can mean having a social detox, it can mean heading out in nature or spending some alone time. Or, it can mean reflecting on what you're grateful for, writing a positive letter to yourself or doing something you enjoy.

Be kind to yourself

I have to admit, I'm the worst critic of myself and to an extent, we're all like that. It's an unfortunate thing we all do, and why one of the best pieces of advice I always give is 'to speak to yourself like your best friend'. We would never talk to our best friend the way we do for ourselves - and this is why it's important to be kind to yourself. Say daily affirmations, talk yourself up on a bad day, encourage yourself like a cheerleader and treat yourself every now and then. You deserve to be treated well.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What else would you add?

Thank you for reading <3