Inside-Out 2: Heart Emotions

I like to blog it blog it. I like to blog it blog it. I like to... BLOG IT!

I asked my roommates how I should start off this blog post. And that is what they said I should write.

So in one of my classes on the family, we learned about gratitude. It was amazing. This wasn't your usual Sunday School lesson on gratitude. Remember, I'm studying to be a therapist, so our lesson was tailored to how we can help clients feel better.

Well you know how the brain releases all sorts of hormones that make you feel a range of different feelings? Did you know that the heart releases hormones too?! That's what I learned. And it's so cool. And these hormones fulfill a very specific purpose of lowering your blood pressure, which helps you feel emotions like love, appreciation, care, happiness, compassion, non-judgment, courage, patience, sincerity, and forgiveness. These are your heart emotions, meaning that their origin is your heart. People who have artificial hearts can still feel these things, because parts of these emotions do come from your brain, but a good portion of these emotions originate from your heart. When we say "I love you with all my heart" it's true! And that's why we use the heart and not the brain as the symbol of love.

These hormones are also incredibly healthy for your body. Even minuscule portions of these hormones in your blood can be so beneficial in reducing your likely of getting kidney failure and other things.

But now as a therapist (or even just a friend), how do you help someone actually feel these emotions? I mean how do help someone be patient? Or have courage? Or be sincere? As class, after several painful minutes of not being able to come up with something (besides gratitude), we suggested service could help you feel some of these emotions. We agreed that that was probably the closest we could get. But other than that, the only thing that a person can really just decide to have is gratitude.

Start listing things you are grateful. But don't just list them off. Really think about it. Think about things you really are grateful for. Take a walk and find three physical things of nature that you are grateful for. The more gratitude you feel, the more your heart will start releasing heart emotions, your anxiety levels will go down and your health and happiness will go up.

November is the month of gratitude. Lets make it a grateful month! 

And remember to send your suggestions to Disney for Inside-Out 2! (I give credit to Amber Norrell for coming up with that idea)