According to Beth Jacobs, Ph.D., there are seven essential skills needed to achieve emotional balance:
Distance yourself from your emotions Define what your emotions mean for you Release blocked and conflicted feelings Retain focus while experiencing overwhelming emotions. Use structure and organization to clarify feelingRegroup after an emotional setback Maintain your new skills and incorporate them into your life[1]
Over a period of several days, monitor your thoughts and feelings. Pay careful attention to emotions such as anger, fear, joy, grief, and love. Record your observations in a journal so they can be reexamined later. After several days’ self-examination, carefully study your findings. Are your thoughts and feelings the results of rational thinking? Do certain emotions dominate your daily life? Did you find it difficult or easy to pay careful attention to your thoughts and feelings? What did you learn about your emotions?