Taking Time to Understand Ourselves
In order to tackle emotional challenges in our lives, we first need to understand ourselves. What are you feeling? Why are you feeling that way? How has a certain event or situation impacted you, and how have your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors changed?
Emotions can be overwhelming. They are important indicators of our personal health, but they can also cloud our minds and make our thoughts hard to perceive. Taking a step back and identifying what we are feeling and how it is causing us to respond helps us enhance our self-awareness.
Below you will find a set of questions geared toward specific challenges in life. Consider these questions the start of a journey in personal exploration. Take your time understanding and answering each question.
If you find yourself saying, “Yes,” to one or more of these questions, we recommend you set up an initial meeting with an experienced counselor who can help guide you through life’s challenges.
Do you find yourself thinking, “Life is Meaningless! There is nothing new under the sun!”?
Do you find yourself questioning life’s meaning and purpose?
Do you envision doing something you feel passionate about, but believe you are “not good enough” to even try?
Do you minimize your accomplishments, abilities, and goals?
Are you engaging in over-stimulating activities, but still find yourself left with overwhelming feelings of despair?
Are you having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much?
Are you feeling tired or like you have little energy to spend?
Do you find yourself crying, but you aren’t sure why?
Are you reluctant to enjoy yourself now that your loved one has died?
Are you keeping away from friends and family?
Do you find that most people seem uncomfortable and do not know what to say to you now that your loved one has died?
Do you think about your loved one most of the time?
Do you feel you will never be able to love again?
Do you feel life has less meaning now that your loved one has died?
Are you distressed and overwhelmed most of the time?
Do you think about a traumatic event frequently and find it hard to shift your focus to other things?
Do you have difficulty focusing or concentrating since the traumatic event?
Are you often “stressed out” to the point that you are compromising your health, spending less time with family and friends, or are no longer doing the things you enjoy?