Mindfulness | Vine Therapy

Emotions and Stress

Although considered by some to be ‘intangible’, and therefore not significant, stress and our emotions play a tremendous role in our overall well-being and, ultimately, in our physical health and longevity. Emotional health is demonstrated by people who can meet the typical stressors of life with an open mind, an optimistic outlook, and resilience. Instead of dreading unexpected events or challenges, they can let it engage their curiosity and lead them to find a new approach without feeling defeated. Some may look at these people and say that they are just lucky and that nothing bad seems to happen to them, although life experiences happen to all of us, and no one is immune to illness, hardships like job loss, or tragedies like losing a…

Name that Emotion

Name that Emotion Why does it seem difficult to put a name to the feelings that well up in response to everything we encounter in the course of a day? We tend to get into patterns of automatic response – you might very well recognize that when greeting someone. “How are you?” “Fine.” What emotion does ‘fine’ convey? Satisfaction, boredom, resignation? Happiness? Fine-ness? When we are asked how we are feeling, the answer often starts with a story. It may concern how the day has begun, how traffic was that morning, or what we haven’t yet been able to cross off the perpetual to-do list. Or it may be about what we have yet to face in the course of a day, be it a...