How to stay in emotional balance
The first thing to understand about emotional balance is that to keep it, you have to be constantly moving, but it’s inner movement, not break dancing. If you seek peace of mind, please know that it requires continual practice, but once you learn the basics, the practice becomes a valued part of your lifestyle.
Isn’t it interesting, how you can wake up in the morning and just by opening your phone, your entire world can be thrown off-balance? It doesn’t matter if the news is personal, political or pandemic-related; it’s a little tricky to stay in a good place when the world is throwing all this stuff at us.
The best time to practice rebalancing is when you first feel yourself getting off-kilter. But that’s often a very difficult moment, and so you’ll be better off if you have prepared yourself by engaging in emotional-balancing techniques before one of those big curve balls gets thrown at you.
Visualization and meditation are two great tools to start with, and they can not only help you rebalance but also move your life forward and even add years to it. The best way to begin is to just listen to some meditative music for 30 minutes. You don’t have to think about anything, but allow yourself to relax and see what comes to you.
When I’m up and active, I listen to Ed Sheeran or the Eagles, and when I need to relax, it’s Mozart or Music for Zen Meditation. There is a lot of power in music, and it really is an easy tool to help you get to where you want to be.
The wrong music can also throw you out of balance, so if something that’s playing is grating on your nerves, turn if off or leave the room. No need for you to suffer, and avoiding harsh noise is something we forget that we can do.
Another overlooked rebalancing technique is to journal your thoughts. This accomplishes a lot. First you can release your overwhelming thoughts by putting them on paper. Second, it actually creates more room in your mind for positive thoughts to enter. That alone is a wonderful tool to help you stay on the path, and I know many people who journal daily, just because it helps them keep their balance.
A third tool is to actively engage in doing something either that you love or that you don’t even like but needs to be done. Yes, these are two different paths, but they lead to the same destination. The goal is to focus all of your energy on creating something new and perhaps changing your current state of mind.
It’s not about escaping from your troubles. The idea is to develop a healthy lifestyle and to have some techniques that you can use for yourself when your therapist is out of town. We all go through emotional upsets; the trick is learning to keep them in perspective, get a handle on them and then use what you have taught yourself to chase them away.
Dr. Barton Goldsmith, a psychotherapist in Westlake Village, Calif., is the author of “The Happy Couple:
How to Make Happiness a Habit One Little Loving Thing at a Time.” Follow his daily insights on Twitter at @BartonGoldsmith, or email him at Barton@ bartongoldsmith.com.
LONDON — British television host Piers Morgan on Tuesday quit the “Good Morning Britain” program after making contentious comments about Meghan Markle following her bombshell interview about the royal family.
The U.K.’s media watchdog said earlier Tuesday that it was launching an investigation into the show under its harm and offense rules after receiving more than 41,000 complaints over Morgan’s comments about the Duchess of Sussex.
Morgan’s departure was announced shortly after Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying allegations of racism made by Prince Harry and Meghan during an interview with Oprah Winfrey were “concerning.”
In the interview, which aired in the U.S. on Sunday night and then in the U.K. on Monday evening, Meghan spoke about how she “didn’t want to be alive anymore” as she struggled to fit in with the monarchy.
She also alleged that she faced racist attitudes from Buckingham Palace and British media and that her requests for help with her mental health were rejected.
Morgan, 55, said Monday on “Good Morning Britain” during a discussion about Meghan’s revelations that “I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she says.
“I wouldn’t believe her if she read me a weather report,” he said, adding the duchess had sparked an “onslaught” against the royal family.
That drew criticism from many, including the mental health charity Mind, which said it was disappointed and concerned by Morgan’s comments on not believing Meghan’s experiences about having suicidal thoughts.
“It’s vital that when people reach out for support or share their experiences of ill mental health that they are treated with dignity, respect and empathy,” the charity said.
In Tuesday’s episode, Morgan addressed his own comments the day before, stressing that he believed mental illness and suicide are topics that should be “taken extremely seriously.” But he maintained he had “serious concerns about the veracity of a lot of what (Meghan) said.”
He then stormed off the set of the program as weather presenter Alex Beresford was criticizing his attitude toward Meghan. As Morgan walked away, he said “I’m done.”
ITV, which produces “Good Morning Britain,” said Tuesday: “Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave ‘Good Morning Britain.’ ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.”
Morgan was a former judge on “America’s Got Talent,” and in 2011 he replaced Larry King’s primetime slot on CNN with his own talk show, which was canceled in 2014 after poor ratings.
A former tabloid newspaper editor, he joined “Good Morning Britain” in 2015.