A growing body of research over the past few decades has demonstrated a clear link between emotions and physical health. Emotions like doubt, shame, anger, resentment, and fear, when not properly worked through, can lead to serious physical illnesses, such as chronic digestive issues and debilitating migraines. This week on the Emotions Mentor podcast, I spoke with energy and emotions expert Sharon Ho about what this means and what we can do with this new knowledge to improve our health.
Sharon has experienced many success stories in her work with people who experience chronic pain that cannot be explained or cured by traditional means. Her success has come from helping individuals identify what specific negative emotions are harming them and then helping them work through those emotions. She is helping them increase their emotional intelligence.
But even if you aren’t physically ill, improving your emotional intelligence can work wonders in other areas of your life, helping you to feel confident, successful, and at peace.
To get started with this process yourself, consider these steps.
1. Become self-aware.
Over a period of weeks, observe how you feel at set points during the day. For example, at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m., stop and write down the emotions you are feeling at the moment, physical symptoms you might be experiencing, the work or activity you have been doing for the past few hours, and any interactions with others that occurred in that same time.
After a while, you will begin to see patterns—times of day when you feel better than other times and interactions with some people that bring joy or with others that bring sadness or confusion.
2. Learn to pause.
Once you’re aware of how you feel and why you feel it, learn to pause and think before you take action during stressful times.
3. Don’t take offense.
Instead of becoming hurt or angry after criticism, start to ask yourself, “What can I learn from this situation?” Follow up on your answers.
4. Practice.
Do steps 2 and 3 over and over again.
5. Incorporate holistic approaches.
Add energy work, regular meditation, yoga, essential oils, or a combination of any of these. I like to refer to these as pattern interrupters. Pattern interrupters don’t fix problems on their own, but they help you shift mood, feelings, and mindset so you can heal resentment, forgive others, or let go of anger.
In my work as an emotions mentor, I use a tool called the Emotions and Essential Oils Wheel. The Wheel helps you identify emotions that may be affecting your physical or mental health (or both) and then specifies oils and affirmations you can use to reach a specific goal related to those emotions.
For example, one of the emotions many people identify as a source of ill health is guilt. The wheel points to physical areas in the body that might be affected by carrying too much guilt. These include the heart, the gut, the bowels, and the immune system.
The wheel then suggests a number of essential oils that have been shown to help in these areas and an affirmation you can put into daily (or more!) use to help facilitate change. You can try just one of the oils pointed to in the wheel, experiment with a blend of the suggested oils, or alternate between a few of your favorites.
Here are 2 ways I’ve used the wheel to create oil blends on my journey to wellness:
For when you feel burdened. If you carry stress in your shoulders, neck, or along your spine, it’s likely that you are often in pain, both physically and emotionally. To help with pain, layer these oils (by smoothing a few drops of each) over the affected body part: lemongrass, wintergreen, cypress, and copaiba.
Use a sweeping motion to apply the oils, pause, and then repeat this affirmation: “I trust the process in life, and I am supported.” Reapply oils every few hours to help with pain.
For when you feel overwhelmed with guilt. As mentioned above, holding on to guilt can wreak havoc on your gut or bowels. To soothe both guilty nerves and an upset stomach, try making a blend of 4 drops ginger, 4 drops fennel, and 3 drops peppermint oil mixed with a little bit of fractionated coconut oil.
Massage the rub over your abdomen in the morning and at night before bed. You can also diffuse the blend while meditating, doing yoga, or taking a hot bath.
Best Wishes,
Rebecca Hintze