What Your Feelings May Be Telling You
Emotions are a powerful tool to guide you and tell you something about yourself. Many times women are considered overly emotional. For women of color, this perception can be taken a step further and they may be characterized as angry, too sensitive or overreacting. Those false narratives can be dangerous because they don’t create the space for you to build self- awareness and learn how to take a leadership position in managing your lived experiences. Emotions can provide valuable information about your needs. A need is something that is necessary for you to lead a healthy and authentic life in alignment with your values. While negative emotions tell us that a certain need is not being satisfied, positive emotions, on the other hand, signal that our needs have been met and that an activity ought to be continued. For instance, a person who is able to complete a complex task without help from others may experience pride. The pride signals that one’s need for autonomy and competence are being satisfied. Our worksheet (based in positive psychology) will help you interpret your emotions and determine what needs require a little more TLC. Click the worksheet below to get started.