According to research, 67% of adults experienced some kind of emotional trauma in childhood.* Just ponder that for a second… 67%! Such emotional stress left untreated impacts every part of us at every level in a very deep way and, although the human body is a miraculous being, the storing of emotional trauma just sets us up for dis-ease later in life.
Emotions
We didn’t ‘do’ emotions in our family. We were not encouraged to express our feelings at all. Facts and school work, yes. Emotions and feelings, no. Growing up in the UK in the 70’s, this was normal, no one ‘did’ emotions, they were hidden, stuffed and shelved. That was my experience. A very common subconscious reaction as no one really knew what to do with them! It’s no wonder that most people find this whole area of emotional mastery daunting and confusing. The vast majority of us haven’t ever learnt this necessary skill… until now.
So what are we missing out on?
We are missing out on spotting useful signals that alert us to taking action. Without this action, we can find ourselves reacting negatively in an unhealthy and unhelpful way, which can then cause us to worry and stress. We are at the start of an emotional revolution. It is never too late to learn, especially when it’s something that can help you in every area of your life – relationships, friendships, family, work, understanding yourself. Midlife is an opportunity to remodel our lives.
The secret
By learning to master your emotions you will bring a greater awareness to yourself, stability, calm and inner peace. It really is the secret to a happy and healthy life. Yes, it takes a willingness to start and yes, it takes practice, but the rewards are huge in comparison to the effort and energy invested. Remember any skill worth having is worth the dedication and the skill of Emotional Mastery is definitely one of these worthwhile skills for life, especially in midlife with all that life experience behind us.
By Belinda M Clarke, The Midlife Mentor
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