In 1st Person

Emotional Insight: Generally I have been out of touch with my emotions, and have failed to identify my feelings. I feel them physiologically but haven't verbalized them or conceptualize them well. I have had problems pinpointing the underlying reasons for my actions, which lead to miscommunication. I have always lacked the ability to make myself feel better when I become angry or sad. I'm told this breeds low self esteem, but, ironically, I think it's fair to say that I don't suffer from low self-esteem. Being out of touch, like this, can also be cause for a lack of self-control.

Social Insight and Empathy: I have difficulty identifying other people's emotions and I don't respond well enough. Sincere but inadequate, thus misunderstanding the underlying motives behind people's actions has hindered my social interactions. I respond to the face value of behavior well but misread and react to the wrong interpretations. This draws on a lack of appreciating other perspectives and sows a narrow-minded mentality. Which lacks empathy and disrupts the making of meaningful human connections. When I think that some reactions come from nowhere, and they actually don't an adverse reaction is triggered right on the spot.

The Pathway to Progress

• Question your beliefs; ignoring your emotions wont make them go away.
• Remember: Emotion is just a whirlwind of activity passing through your body and mind, that you help create. How you react is important to its outcome.
• Get to know yourself better. Make a list of your strengths and limitations. The more in touch you are with who you are, the better you'll be able to handle your emotions.
• Take small steps; start expressing emotions that are least intimidating and you will find that it is not as bad as you think. Begin with genuine compliments and take it further to expessions of appreciation. When you need to communicate a negative feeling, write it.
• Choose your battles wisely; you obviously can't express everything you feel or throw all your strongest emotions at someone at the same time. It is healthier to pace yourself and express yourself evenly.
  
• Distinguish between what you think and what you feel.
  
• Build meaningful relationships that teach you about human nature
• If you're not sure how someone is feeling ask for clarification: "Could you explain your perspective to me?" might do the trick.
• In every situation, there are several perspectives. Try to identify at least 2 or 3 different ways to look at someone's situation.
  
• Put empathy into action: Get involved helping people in some way. The closer you get to a situation the more you'll realize the difficulties others facing.