EMOTIONAL HEALTH - Emotional Health Definition

Emotional Health, Emotional Wellness and Emotional Intelligence Defined by Licensed Psychologist

Emotional Health Definition:

Emotional health is defined by the degree to which you feel emotionally secure and relaxed in everyday life. An emotionally healthy person has a relaxed body, an open mind and an open heart.

The more emotional health you have, the more self esteem you have. This means you do not frequently react with knee jerk responses, anxiety or panic to the events that occur in your life.

Instead, you are usually calm and patient with yourself and others. You are an emotionally safe person to be around because you feel emotionally secure.

Emotionally safe people do not judge or criticize others. This is because they have learned not to judge and criticize themselves.

Emotionally healthy people feel safe and secure with their own emotions and feelings.  They feel their feelings and emotions instead of avoiding them or trying to control them. 

To be emotionally healthy you must express your emotions in healthy, assertive ways. If you inhibit your emotions and feelings you cannot achieve emotional health.

Emotional Wellness Definition:

Emotional health is on a continuum and fluctuates moment by moment.  Emotional wellness is at the peak of this continuum.

Emotionally wellness is when you has such a high degree of emotional health that you radiate joy often and feel high on life.

Emotional wellness refers to a state where you can have so much healthy, flowing vital energy in your body that you have vibrant moments, peak experiences and peak performances.

Emotional wellness is the state you enjoy as you move closer and closer to being self-actualized.

Emotional Intelligence Definition:

Unfortunately, Emotional Intelligence frequently becomes a catch all for many behaviors and feelings that have nothing to do with emotional health and wellness.

For example, a popular one day Emotional Intelligence seminar offered by Fred Prior says you will "Learn to keep your emotions in check, and help coworkers do the same." 

This definition of Emotional Intelligence is the opposite of emotional health. Emotionally healthy people would never keep their emotions in check or inhibit someone else's emotions!

Therefore, there is a great deal of misinformation about Emotional Intelligence online, in the seminars, workshops and courses that are available to you. So be careful who you choose to learn from and where you spend your time and money.

Emotions are not knee jerk reactions!

Unfortunately, even some psychologists and researchers confuse emotions with irrational thoughts and conditioned responses.   Knee jerk responses to situations are conditioned responses based on irrational thinking and past negative life experiences.

Emotional Intelligence is an academic, intellectual way of looking at emotional health. Two male researchers in 1990, Peter Salve and John D. Mayer gave the name Emotional Intelligence to the qualities they noticed in people during an experiment.

They found that some people had healthy relationship skills and they labeled these people as having EI.  Healthy relationship skills are the same qualities that anyone has when they are open, relaxed and receptive.

Therefore, anyone can be emotionally healthy and have a high degree of Emotionally Intelligence when they are open, trusting and relaxed.

When you are anxious, closed and defensive you lose your Emotional Intelligence quickly. Anxiety keeps you from being smart and effective with others.

Therefore, the more you relax and overcome your anxiety, the more effective you will be in relationships at work or home. This means the more you relax and open your heart, the more emotional health and wellness you possess.

Most People are Not Emotionally Healthy.

Most people are not comfortable with their feelings and emotions.  Most people judge, humiliate, make fun of and criticize their emotions and feelings.

However, if you want to have better relationships, you must become emotionally healthy. This means you must open you heart and feel your emotions.

If you want to improve your physical and mental health you must first achieve emotional health. A lack of emotional health is often the cause of physical disease and mental illness.

How to Improve Your Emotional Health?

The way to improve your emotional health is to learn to feel your authentic emotions and feelings and express them in assertive ways.

Resources to Help You Achieve Emotional Health.

1. "Opening the Heart" audio and Ebook, This emotional health guide teaches you the difference between your irrational thoughts and authentic feelings and emotions. The guide shows you how to accept and express your emotions and feelings in healthy ways. 

2. Take an Assertiveness Training Home Study Course: "Stop the World From Pushing You Around: Six Weeks to Solid Self-Confidence." 

3. Set up an emotional health phone consultation with Dr. Doris Jeanette. Get right to the heart of what your emotional self needs in order to become emotionally secure. Then you can access your emotional strengths and use them in your relationships.