If you have your list of emotions handy, (see previous blogs) set it in front of you and scan through it again. What is your diagnosis? Fear? Anger? Despair? Only you can really know, and if you find yourself not quite certain which of these emotions is most prevalent, don’t worry. It will become clearer and clearer. For this next emotional discovery, you might want to keep a notebook and pen handy throughout the day. We’re going to take your diagnosis one step further.
Today, I’m going to share with you another tool, called the Emotion Log, which is helpful for beginning the move from powerlessness to emotional strength. (And I’m not saying you’re not already strong – any woman with vulvodynia knows what it takes to live day in and day out with constant pain. This is just a completely different kind of strength. You’ll see. It’s fantastic.) Grab your notebook and draw a line down the middle of a clean page. On the top left column write Symptom and on the top right column write Emotion.
As you go through the day, every time you feel a symptom, jot it down in your symptom column. If your symptoms are always present, then notice when they catch your attention or when you feel a flare or increase in symptoms. You will find yourself thinking about something and in the middle of that moment, your symptoms will intrude into your consciousness. That is the moment to write down what it is you’re feeling physically. As soon as you’ve written the physical symptom (or symptoms), take a pause and see if you can recognize an emotion. Even if you’re not completely certain, write down what you think you’re feeling at that moment.
This is simply the process of becoming aware. You have a constant stream of emotions regarding your physical state, and if you are completely unaware of their existence, you have handed them the reigns. They are pulling you in different directions, directing your decisions, and pretty much running your life. Emotions are not enemies, but they are also not reliable life managers. They change frequently, increase or decrease in intensity, and generally take you for a roller-coaster ride. As you become aware of your feelings throughout the day and log them in your Emotion Log, you are moving toward a saner, freer life.
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
If you have your list of emotions handy, (see previous blogs) set it in front of you and scan through it again. What is your diagnosis? Fear? Anger? Despair? Only you can really know, and if you find yourself not quite certain which of these emotions is most prevalent, don’t worry. It will become clearer and clearer. For this next emotional discovery, you might want to keep a notebook and pen handy throughout the day. We’re going to take your diagnosis one step further.
Today, I’m going to share with you another tool, called the Emotion Log, which is helpful for beginning the move from powerlessness to emotional strength. (And I’m not saying you’re not already strong – any woman with vulvodynia knows what it takes to live day in and day out with constant pain. This is just a completely different kind of strength. You’ll see. It’s fantastic.) Grab your notebook and draw a line down the middle of a clean page. On the top left column write Symptom and on the top right column write Emotion.
As you go through the day, every time you feel a symptom, jot it down in your symptom column. If your symptoms are always present, then notice when they catch your attention or when you feel a flare or increase in symptoms. You will find yourself thinking about something and in the middle of that moment, your symptoms will intrude into your consciousness. That is the moment to write down what it is you’re feeling physically. As soon as you’ve written the physical symptom (or symptoms), take a pause and see if you can recognize an emotion. Even if you’re not completely certain, write down what you think you’re feeling at that moment.
This is simply the process of becoming aware. You have a constant stream of emotions regarding your physical state, and if you are completely unaware of their existence, you have handed them the reigns. They are pulling you in different directions, directing your decisions, and pretty much running your life. Emotions are not enemies, but they are also not reliable life managers. They change frequently, increase or decrease in intensity, and generally take you for a roller-coaster ride. As you become aware of your feelings throughout the day and log them in your Emotion Log, you are moving toward a saner, freer life.
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)