“Girls Just Want To Have Fun: Mastering Emotional Well-Being”
I recently just got back from the most amazing trip with 12 women in the Dominican Republic! Where we laughed, cried, danced, and danced again.
As I reflect on the time spent with these beautiful souls, I’m so grateful to be surrounded by the most inspiring women cheering each other on.
I’m in awe of what can happen when the power of women comes together. When we unite, we bring our unique perspectives, experiences, and strengths to the table.
This can create a supportive environment where women can uplift and empower each other, leading to personal growth and collective progress.
I was amazed at how our group had so many of us who were alike but also so different. How when one woman would share a challenge with another that challenge would be easy for her and how we could use our strengths to champion each other.
We often undervalue what is easy for us, well because it’s easy for us but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for everyone else. I often don’t speak up because I think it’s easy and everyone knows what I know forgetting I have a superpower in that area.
When women support each other, amazing things can happen. They can break down barriers, challenge societal norms like me and my good friend Ann were doing, and create meaningful change. The bond that women share is special when we unite vs tear down.
During my trip, I also had the opportunity to take long walks on the beach alone and spend extra time meditating. It was a much-needed break from the daily responsibilities of life and allowed me to focus solely on myself.
The feeling of not being responsible for anyone but myself was liberating and allowed me to let go of any stress and worries.
As I walked along the shoreline, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the time and space to just be. I took in the beauty of my surroundings and let my thoughts wander freely.
The sound of the waves crashing against the shore and the warm sun on my skin was the perfect combination of relaxation and fun with the girls.
The experience taught me the importance of taking time for ourselves and focusing on our emotional well-being.
Especially being a new mom, running a business, being a wife, keeping up with family and friends, and constantly wanting to grow and learn.
We often get so caught up in our responsibilities and the needs of others that we forget to take care of ourselves.
It’s essential to step back, recharge, and focus on our own mental and emotional health. Which is this week’s awareness.
This week’s awareness is not a brand-new concept to me. It’s actually one of the first things I learned through Tony Robbins.
Tony is a big advocate for emotional mastery and personal responsibility. He believes that emotions are a result of the thoughts you have and the beliefs you hold.
He teaches that you can change your emotions by changing the way you think and by shifting your focus to positive and empowering thoughts.
He says that when you give others the power to control your emotions, you are surrendering your power and giving away control of your life.
Instead, he encourages people to take control of their thoughts and emotions and choose how they want to feel, regardless of external circumstances.
This is one of the first steps to getting out of a victim mindset. You have to take full ownership as we talked about last week and this includes our emotions.
You may say but I can’t help the way I feel when XYZ happens and I would strongly disagree. We choose to live in the emotion.
You can’t always control what happens to you however you can control how you react to the situation.
I’m also not saying this is easy by any means! I mean is anything easy about personal growth and becoming the creators of our lives?
If it was everyone would be doing it and you’re not like everyone else or you wouldn’t be reading this.
As leaders, we have to understand that we cannot control other people and how they react to the challenges in their life.
It’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s the truth. We can offer support, love, and guidance, but ultimately, we cannot control their emotions or reactions.
This realization has freed me from the burden of feeling responsible for others’ happiness and allowed me to focus on my own emotional well-being.
It’s also crucial that we don’t confuse sympathy with empathy. Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone, while empathy is understanding and sharing their emotions.
We can have empathy for others without taking on their emotions as our own. Empathy is a vulnerable emotion and we often want to fix things for people but most people just want connection.
I’m a huge fan of Brene Brown and I love this video explaining the difference between empathy and sympathy. This distinction is critical in maintaining our own emotional stability, avoiding burnout, and loving people where they are.
Remember, we can offer love and support, but we cannot control other people’s emotions. Let’s embrace this truth and focus on our own emotional well-being.
So, let’s dance, laugh, cry, and dance again, with the knowledge that we are not responsible for others’ emotions. Let’s live authentically, with gratitude and joy.
Until next week let’s master our emotions!