Sustainable Emotional Health

Emotional toxicity can be described as abusive behavioral patterns including judgment and critical responses from those we love. This stunts the normal development of children and adolescents and has the power to destroy relationships. The negative responses and abusive words can break down feelings of self-esteem and generate feelings of shame and worthlessness. These toxins generate dysfunctional emotional coping mechanisms.

Another component to depleted emotional health or feelings of inadequacy or anxiety can be the lack of external love and support in our lives. It can also be the lack of self-care and not knowing how to nurture self or others.

The IPT process helps us “let go” of emotional toxicity by addressing misinformation and toxic belief systems. And it also includes reconfiguring these beliefs in such a way that they nourish our mind and heart and supplement emotional deficiencies. When these toxic negative belief systems are addressed and appropriate nurturing for self-care are put into place there can be sustainable emotional health.

The first place to start when growing sustainable emotional health is upgrading your language and how you use your words. Here are a few tips about how to use our words to counter emotional toxicity and deficiency. Let’s do better with how we nurture and affirm ourself and others.

1. Increase verbal praise, appreciation and validation to those around you. Focus on building your kids and include your spouse or partner.

2. Use their name when you compliment them for an admirable act or a virtue.

3. Use an example of how their act of kindness or their expression of gratitude touched your heart.

4. Affirm more than just externals. While it’s nice to be complimented for our looks or our contributions, it’s even better to receive affirmation for our effort. If you know that someone is trying to develop a skill, habit or personal quality, point out a moment when you saw them succeed at it. 

For example, you can affirm their commitment to improving their math scores and working hard at it. This gives that person an opportunity to know that they are loved for their efforts not for their final performance or the end result.  

1. Be aware of your own self-talk. Be kind to your self and others. 

2. Focus on the positive that you see in your self and others and you will get more of it!

Research has shown that words can help plants grow. Words have the power to destroy or they can be used to bless, build and grow people. CHOOSE TO SUSTAIN EMOTIONAL HEALTH BY BEING KIND WITH YOUR WORDS!

What you focus on GROWS!

Loves, 

Pam