Do you even know how you want to feel?
Hey smart human,
We spend a lot of time thinking about what we want - and what we don’t want.
The career.
The boy or girl.
The food, the things, the experiences.
The LEGO set.
Yet we rarely stop to think about how we want to feel.
Even though, according to neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett, our emotions co-create our experiences.
They can colour our memories and influence not just our current experience but also our outlook and future.
So it’s not a bad idea to
become more aware of what you feel, what emotions you experience on a daily basis;
become more intentional about them.
How do you want to feel around and about the things, people, places, events, ideas that are important to you?
How do you want to feel about, during, your weekend?
Excited? Relaxed? Determined? Thoughtful?
And do you think it likely that you’re going to feel that way?
If not, you want to start being more intentional with your emotions.
I explain how you can do that in my new series on emotional agility - you can find the first part here or on look for ‘Managing the Smart Mind’ on your favourite podcast app.
Go check it out, and this weekend, start registering how you feel - not just when the feelings become so intense that you can’t help but notice.
Start noticing your emotions and get super curious.
Do you notice any patterns, for example around certain people, places, situations?
When are you bored, delighted, determined?
Exhausted, exhilarated, confused?
Observe, feel, take note, and then you can ask:
Is this the way I WANT to feel around these people, places, situations?
If not, what could I change?
Emotional awareness is key to living a richer, fuller life. And it’s often a smarter place to start than your ‘want’ or ‘major life goals’ list.
Have a beautiful weekend,
Else a.k.a. Coach Kramer