Happy Thursday! Yesterday we taught a session on Emotional Intelligence, and a big part of that is having Self Awareness. We used this graphic to help people dive into the root of their reactions and emotions. We usually only identify the core emotions in the middle of the circle, anger for instance. But anger can come in the form of frustration which can come from resentment. Or we might notice we are sad, but really it's coming from hurt that stems from feeling isolated. When we know the more specific emotion we are experiencing, it can help us respond more effectively.

So often we tell ourselves we're struggling because we lack willpower, motivation, or discipline. But if we pause and look deeper, the real issue may be stress, loneliness, overwhelm, disappointment, insecurity, boredom, or feeling out of control.

Many of us don't eat because we're physically hungry. We eat because we're tired. We snack because we're stressed. We give up because we're discouraged. We reach for comfort because we're hurt.

The more specific we can get about what we're actually feeling, the better equipped we are to address the real problem instead of trying to "fix" it with food.

The next time you find yourself standing in front of the pantry, reaching for a snack, or wanting to quit on your goals, take a moment and ask yourself:

"What am I really feeling right now?"

You might discover that what you need isn't food at all. You might need rest, connection, encouragement, a walk, a conversation, or simply some grace for yourself.

Self-awareness is a powerful tool because you can't change patterns you don't recognize. The better you understand your emotions, the better you can support your health goals and create lasting change.

Looking at this wheel, what emotion have you been feeling most often lately?