Emotional Literacy

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Added: Tue. Jul 27, 2010 12:03pm
Posted in: Fitness

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When it comes to fitness (and perhaps all areas of life), self-management has to be the ultimate challenge. We can't delegate responsibility for the choices we make to anyone else. And this responsibility includes what we eat and how much we exercise.  (Some of us would like to blame dead relatives--our genetic history--but even this approach doesn't work.)

Mostly what I've learned about myself has been learned through trial and error (with much emphasis on the "error" side). My latest insight is that at any given point in time every person's life contains some bright spots (where things are going well) and some dark spots (where things aren't going so well). And that having both aspects present is part of the human condition.

I find this concept reassuring and hope you will as well. If, for example, you get discouraged when a dark cloud appears (maybe you overeat or skip your exercise routine), please remember that you are only human.  And by focusing on the bright spots (that you can recommit today and that are part of a group that is supporting you in making changes), you will quickly recover your perspective and equilibrium.

To keep ourselves happy and upbeat, we need to be clear about what makes us happy and what makes us unhappy. I listed the conditions in my life that make me happiest, such as exercising 60 minutes each day, getting a good night's rest and keeping my word.  Then I listed the conditions that make me unhappy, such as trying to do too much, being around toxic people who poison my outlook or doubting myself.

When I finished, I had about 8 items on each list. More importantly, I had a blueprint for charting my own well-being. If you are game, give this exercise a try. Writing these items down where you can review them from time-to-time can be very useful in maintaining a positive outlook.

I am convinced that emotional literacy--that is,understanding our emotions and the role they play in what we eat and how regularly we exercise--is an essential skill. What have you learned about yourself? And what are you learning about yourself?  And what advice do you have to give others who are struggling to become more emotionally literate so that they can reach their fitness goals?