"Emotions are constantly regulating what we experience as 'reality.'" -Candace Pert

Recognizing, understanding, and processing emotions is the key to raising your "Emotional IQ"--and becoming whole.                
 Emotions guide us to know ourselves, both the positive and negative within.

They regulate our reality. They form our perceptions and they lead us  to our core beliefs. They educate us when we are willing to be taught. Emotions play the primary role  in forming our attitudes, self- image, and lifestyle choices. They are also the primary influence in our relationships and homes.  Positive emotions are the very essence of being--love, joy, peace, and  happiness. If we are emotionally disconnected, meaning we've lost touch  with our feelings, we limit our ability to achieve lasting joy, happiness, peace, and success.

 Negative emotions (particularly fear, anger, and sadness) have a profound impact on our health and overall well-being. By becoming aware of these emotions, we can learn a great deal about ourselves and begin to heal. But when we suppress or ignore them and refuse to change, we can destroy everything important to us--from our health to our families (and even our finances).  

To effectively resolve our feelings and transform them, we must allow ourselves to be free of judgment. When we judge emotions, it is impossible to be completely honest. If we are not emotionally honest, we cannot heal. Since emotions that are "buried alive never die" (as suggested in the best-selling book, Feelings Buried Alive, Never Die by Karol Truman), resolving present- time conflicts means taking an honest, close look at deeply stored emotions.   

As most psychologists will attest--there are essentially only two emotions, love and fear, and all other feelings exist somewhere on the continuum between them.

 For this week's personal development, use the wheel in doTERRA’s emotional aromatherapy kit to help you identify the emotions you feel on a daily basis and begin to use these powerful essential oil blends to help you balance your emotions.  

This simple process will help you to increase your EQ, and if you have children, I suggest putting the kit out where your family can also see it and use it regularly. By simply getting familiar with the process of identifying our emotions and taking responsibility for balancing them, we feel empowered and more resilient.

Additionally, record the fears you can acknowledge that keep you trapped. Here's a tip from bestselling author Carol Ritberger, Ph.D. She says there are six fundamental fears that we all deal with to some degree. 

They are fear of survival, the unknown, abandonment, betrayal, rejection, and dying.   As you work through your fears, remember this popular acronyms and saying: FEARS are very often “False Evidence Appearing Real”. The key to healing them for good is in revealing where they come from, and knowing they are not always real! You can simply eliminate your fears when you recognize that their origin is often not legitimate.  

I also like another great saying, “The truth shall set you free!” Emotions often cloud our view of what is true. Remember that, get clear, and choose to let go of unhappy emotions and choose to feel more love on a daily basis--and use your essential oils to help you along that path.

Best Wishes, 

Rebecca Hintze