12 Creative Ways to Process Your Emotions In-Depth (NOT journalling)!

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As human beings, we experience a wide range of emotions on a daily basis and some of which can be overwhelming and difficult to process. Are you someone that will avoid feeling these “bad emotions” at all costs? Or would you rather face the emotions and understand yourself a bit more? When you use your creativity, it’s like possessing a magic wand with the ability to change something within yourself. Adopting a creative mindset allows you to see the world as little moments of opportunity to be creative or funny, making your whole world colourful. 

Identifying your emotions precisely can be difficult without any instructions. Let’s stop carrying the burden of the scary past traumas or stressors and unleash your emotions in the following creative ways!

1.  Learn about the wheel of emotions and pick 3 that represent how you feel. 

I remembered when I was asked this question by a psychologist, I said to her: I was at a lost of words and I said I felt cold. (Later on finding out that cold is a physical sensation, not a feeling)

Above is Pluchik’s Wheel of Emotions I found on mindbodygreen.com, you can find many other versions online.

Try it for yourself and you will be surprised at how hard it is to describe exactly how you feel. It’s important to be able to accurately pinpoint your feeling so you can understand your preference. It also gives us an extra source of information to make decisions in addition to logical calculations of monetary gains. 

2. Try out the creative processing framework by Donovan Moore 

Here are the stages of processing emotions creatively:

• Step 1. Pause
  Give yourself time to pause when you are feeling overwhelmed or tense or sad. Take 5 deep breaths and notice if there’s any

• Step 2. Pick a medium 

From tearing paper, singalong to your favourite song to making soft clay, you don’t have to be an artist to express your emotions, recording yourself a voice memo can be a good start?

• Step 3. Transform

For example, while you are grieving the loss of your pet, write a happy song about it dashing through your yard. It doesn’t have to be a finished product. 

[insert happy pet photo]

• Step 4. Trust the process
  

3. Name your anxiety

Is anxiety affecting your sleep? Or does it stop you from stepping out of your comfort zone and opening your heart?

Each of us has a unique relationship with anxiety, try to give your anxiety a funny name, say Bob the Piggy. Next time, when your anxiety arises, consider it a cautious friend of yours that is trying to stop you from harm. Talk calmy to your bold, “thank you for your concern, I’ll be extra careful, and I am confident that I can take care of myself and try this new thing”.

You can try this method to raise your awareness to identify negative emotions that have been holding you back to live life fully. 

4. Take out a photo of yourself from your childhood, connect with your “inner child”. 

Ask yourself:

• How do you feel looking at yourself as a kid? 
• Do you feel distanced or familiar? Is it full of love or spiteful (yes that is actually pretty common)? 

After speaking with clinical psychologist Beatrice Ng-Kessler also the Founder of Mindfully, she emphasised the importance of having a connection with your younger self, as an essential step to build self-compassion.

As a kid, we might have experienced disappointment, lack of emotional and physical care, or even abuse and emotional trauma. Although we have grown up in age, our hearts may be stuck in the past time, and space and constantly trapped by the mistreatment. Unable to correct and repair the way that should be properly cared for and kind, hence hurting our future relationship.

5. Draw your face as the “mask” that you are wearing for the day. 

Consider these as a start:

• Do you have to put up a very bright and optimistic face at work or in front of your other half every day even when you are having a bad day? 
• How do you truly feel? Do you feel bothered and tired? 
• First, draw your facial lines and expressions, or write down words next to your face to convey the persona you present to others. 
• Then, draw the authentic version of yourself, using those same visual aids to describe how it looks and feels to you 

Once both drawings are complete, take time to reflect on them. 

• Ask yourself why you feel the need to wear a mask, and who you are wearing it for?
• Are you trying to hide certain aspects of yourself? Why?
• What consequences will there be if you show your true self?

By delving deeper into your inner world, you may uncover any hidden insecurities or toxic relationships that have been silently impeding your progress, allowing you to break free from their suffocating grip and soar toward your true potential.

As Gandhi once said,

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.“

Gandhi

Untangle your web of emotions and behaviours that shape your daily life with this activity now!

6. Give somatic release a try

Finding yoga or stretching too difficult? I personally find somatic release super useful and gentle. It’s a set of exercises that aimed to regulate your nervous system and release pain stored in your body caused by stress or even trauma. Try these 3 interesting nerves reset moves by Dr Alan Mandell, DC as a start:

7.  Write a letter to the person you are angry with, instead of writing WHY you are angry at them, change it to precisely what you want to forgive them about.

For example, to an ex that has cheated on you, you might want to write, I forgive his immaturity for understanding what he wants and lack of courage (or backbone😂 if you are really angry haha) to express his desire and live his true self! Imagine a life not being to be above board about what you truly want! How sad is it! 

By writing the details out, you will understand what bothers or no long bothers you, hence adjusting your course of action. You no longer have to avoid this bad memory that came back from time to time, so don’t feel silly having to spend extra time on the person you “hate”.

8. Re-watch your favourite childhood cartoon or re-read your favourite book as a kid and ask yourself these questions

• What do you like about this cartoon or book?
• What’s your favorite childhood memory?
• What is the most difficult thing about your childhood?
• What is a childhood memory that you felt sorry or shameful about? Why?
• If you tell your younger self 3 sentences, what will it be?

9. Build a quote wall! 

Pick 30 quotes that really speak to you and motivates you, print them out, and splash them on your wall! Viola! 

Of course, try to understand why these quotes speak to you for a deeper insight on how you feel!

10. Write out your life story using the HERO’s journey method 

Every imagined yourself as the main character of a movie? Follow these SIMPLIFIED steps to write your own movie:

• The main character decides to leave his ordinary life and take on a challenge (could be the time when you leave home for college.. finding a new job, starting over after breakup..)
• Refusal to take on his or her call
• Breaking through
• Going through tests & difficulties
• Wanting to give up
• More ordeal
• Final reward

After that, reflect on:

• What are the key strengths that help you get through your journey?
• What does this proud moment in your life teach you?
• Do you believe in yourself to overcome future challenges having gained this experience in life?

Alternatives: You can also achieve the same result by making a photo collage in a PowerPoint of your life! (I’ve done it and had so much fun!)

11. Make a list of the people that has the strongest impact on you (can be good or bad):

Write down how you meet them, why you hate/ love them, what are their strengths and weaknesses.

This fun exercise will help you find out more about your values, what’s your bottom line and perhaps cut out toxic ties! 

Alternatives: draw your family chart, you may discover why some relatives acted the way they did, maybe they have came out from an abusive family themselves and how did their actions affect you.

12. Create a playlist on Spotify. 

Not everyone is good at verbal expression, but you can definitely find the right song that expresses how you feel!

Emotions have the power to alter the state of your emotions. Listen to a happy playlist when you are lacking motivation. Cry your heart out to your favorite breakup songs.  Explore the magic of music now! 

FAQ

1. How to process thoughts and emotions?

First, understand the differences between the two: thoughts are the offspring of the mind, born from the act of thinking or arising unexpectedly in the labyrinth of our consciousness. On the other hand, feelings are usually reactions (whether physical or emotional) to external stimuli. One example of physical feelings is the gentle caress of a cool breeze. Response to mental stimuli/ triggers can be both physical or mental: like wringing pain in the heart from a painful memory (source: University of Minnesota).

Thoughts and emotions can be processed by being aware of them and observing them. This awareness will help you re-align yourself with your values and take corrective action. 

2. How to process emotions quickly?

Pause for 5 breaths and be aware of the emotions, write it down, and make sure to come back to it when you have time to disentangle how you feel.

3. What is Emotional Processing Disorder?

According to study.com, emotional processing disorder is that state where one finds themselves unable to effectively sort through and make sense of their innermost emotions.