Welcome back to Consider Yourself Hugged! Click here to listen to Episode 154. OR click YouTube below to watch! (***Disclaimer: We provide these notes as a skeleton for the show - nothing fancy 😄)
Diving into February, a month that often conjures images of romance, I find myself leaning towards a different theme: emotional maturity. This isn't inspired by Valentine's Day but rather by a recent experience and an AI-generated image I shared on my Facebook page.
Â
My desire to delve into emotional maturity was actually sparked by a recent incident that brought to light the importance of understanding and managing our emotions. This incident reminded me of the complexities of our emotional responses and the impact they have on our interactions. Click here to listen.
Â
Emotional maturity, a topic I realized I hadn't explored in depth for some time, is crucial for navigating life's ups and downs. It involves understanding our feelings, how we express them, and how we relate to others.
Â
Reflecting on my own growth since that incident, I recognize the shift in my emotional responses. Where once I might have reacted with frustration or confusion, I now approach such situations with empathy and a deeper understanding of the underlying struggles.
Â
This journey towards emotional maturity is ongoing and deeply personal. It's about developing self-awareness, learning to regulate our emotions, and improving our interactions with others. I hope you’ll join me for a few weeks to explore the crazy world of emotions!
Â
We’ll start with a self-assessment (you can download below).
Â
Then, we'll dive in to 10 hallmarks of emotional maturity. As a preview, here they are:
1. Self-Awareness: It all starts with the man or woman in the mirror. Knowing your emotional ins and outs, what ticks you off, what makes you tick, and how you ripple into the world around you.
Â
2. Self-Regulation: Ever felt like a soda can, shaken and ready to burst? We'll talk about keeping the lid on, not by bottling things up, but by managing reactions in a way that serves us better.
Â
3. Empathy: Walking a mile in someone else's shoes, feeling their joy, their pain, without judgment or agenda. It's about connection, understanding, and sometimes, just being there.
Â
4. Responsibility: Owning up to our part in life's play, not in a blame-game way, but with a mature acceptance of our role in the events and outcomes of our lives.
Â
5. Adaptability: Life's a dance, and the music changes often. We'll explore how to sway with grace, pivot with purpose, and maybe even enjoy the rhythm changes.
Â
6. Resilience: When life knocks us down, do we bounce back or crack? We're talking about cultivating a bounce-back spirit that sees setbacks as setups for comebacks.
Â
7. Effective Communication: Ever lost in translation, even in your native tongue? We're diving into how to express what's really going on inside, in a way that's heard, understood, and respected.
Â
8. Conflict Resolution: Not every disagreement needs to end in a duel. Sometimes, it's about finding common ground, agreeing to disagree, or even turning conflicts into opportunities for growth.
Â
9. Realistic Optimism: Keeping hope alive without living in La La Land. We're balancing dreams with reality, positivity with pragmatism.
Â
10. Healthy Relationships: The people we surround ourselves with can lift us up or weigh us down. We'll look at nurturing bonds that are enriching, energizing, and genuinely reciprocal.
 Â
I’ll share insights, experiences, and strategies for fostering emotional growth, all aimed at helping you navigate life with greater resilience and understanding!
Â
OK let’s go! Together, let's embark on this exploration, ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in our journey towards emotional maturity.
*Disclaimer:
The information in this show is not intended to be therapy or to address your individual situation. It is information based on my experiences, opinions, and research. If you need further help, please reach out to one of the resources here:
Mental Health Resources: National Alliance of Mental Illness
Thanks for joining today! As we’ve always asked in the past, please pass the show link along to your friends and subscribe, download, and review wherever you are listening. If you’re a woman and you haven’t joined our private FB group A Place for Women, please do that now! It’ll be your source of encouragement. And until next time, Consider Yourself Hugged 😘🤗
Tami West, PhD
Stress and Mental Health Expert Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to life’s challenges.
Tami has worked in a variety of industries including healthcare, school nutrition, corporate sales, and 10 years as a public-school teacher. In 2013 she received her PhD in Human Development, studying the connections among stress, emotions, and identity.
Dr. West has spoken in 48 states across the US, as well as the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. In any given year, Tami speaks to groups with audiences consisting of anywhere from 100 to 3,000 people.
Dr. West is the author of several successful publications including three books: The Stress Club, Life Without the Monsters and Thrive. When she's not speaking or writing, you might find her with her traveling with her husband and family, reading historical fiction, or watching Big Bang Theory.
Tami connects with audiences through real experience, cutting edge research, and transparent stories – all sprinkled with humor! She will make you laugh, cry, and shine a refreshingly new light on life's challenges.
Television Interviews
Michelle Kixmiller, MSN, MAE, RN, APN, PMHNP-BC Michelle Kixmiller is a Board Certified
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Licensed Educator. She works with children and adults with mental health needs including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Michelle served as a public school teacher and science department chair for over a decade when a family tragedy pulled her in a different direction. The death of her younger brother after a multiple year battle with depression and alcoholism led her to pursue a career in the mental health field. She went back to school to become a registered nurse graduating and gaining experience as a critical care nurse at a level 1 regional burn center prior to completing a graduate degree to become a mental health nurse practitioner. Her vision is holistic care through teamwork to create a more peaceful school environment for students and staff alike. No one should have to struggle alone. Michelle currently works full time for a non-profit community mental health center at an outpatient clinic and works PRN for an inpatient crisis stabilization unit. When not at work she loves spending time with family, traveling, watching movies (not scary ones), running (slowly), and Crossfit. Contact Michelle at Silver Lining Psychiatric Solutions, 615-378-7713 or mkixmill@gmail.com.
Grace Lichtenstein, MS
I am an award-winning international speaker/trainer, psychotherapist, coach, consultant, and a huge fan of all things nap-related. For over 25 years, I have been working with individuals and corporate teams to improve their health, become more productive, and reduce their stress. Through my training in both Western and Eastern wellness philosophies (including a BA in Psychology, an MS in Counseling Psychology, and certifications in addiction treatment), I truly have a comprehensive view of "what works". In addition, my diverse experience working with thousands of people in all 50 states and in 25 other countries (ranging from native New Yorkers to Native Alaskans and from the FBI to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), has allowed me to pinpoint some of the universal characteristics of successful individuals and teams.
Through my signature online, on-demand coaching program or with one of my live training or speaking sessions, I provide the tools to help almost every individual and team reach their true potential: healthier, more productive, and less stressed.
Contact Gracey at grace@graceandsuccess.com.
Contact Tami at tamiwest@tamiwest.com or follow her at Tami West Seminars.