Emotional Wellness: The 10 Factors Here, NowInside-Out WorldView Personal AccountabilityAccepting What IsInternal BalanceRespect for New ThinkingAppreciation of Difference Respect for The UnknownConnection to Something Greater than OurselvesA Sense of Meaning and Purpose in LifeEmotional Wellness: The 10 Factors Here, Now Spending more of our time in the present moment. Not the past. Not the future. The present – right now. Inside-Out WorldView Understanding that our experience emanates from within us, and not from the circumstances or events in our lives. In other words, our reality is not determined by the world around us, but by our interpretation of this world. Personal Accountability Having an inside-out worldview allows us to take responsibility for our experience and challenges us to see how our thoughts and perceptions are driving our reactions to any situation. If we are willing to step back and notice how our “thought world” is operating, we will begin to notice how we get caught up in “thought habits” (e.g., anger, anxiety, insecurity) that cause pain to ourselves and lead us to act out toward others. Accepting What Is Taking an objective look at “what is” actually occurring in the external world (outside of us), and simply recognizing that, for whatever reason, what is just is. 12When we accept things as they are, as opposed to how we think they should be we start getting new ideas as to how we can more effectively deal with and respond to “what is.” Internal Balance Organizing our life in such a way that we have adequate “rest.” With rest, we can operate in a high quality state of mind more often – no matter where we are, no matter what task likes before us. By the way, rest does not always mean sleeping or lying around, doing nothing. Rest has to do with renewal, which can take many forms, including hobbies, connecting with friends and family, service to others, or observing nature. Respect for New Thinking Having an open mind to new possibilities, new ideas, new thoughts, and not being afraid of what a new insight might bring. New thinking may come as we listen deeply to those around us, or it may come from our own creativity. New thinking requires a willingness to allow the possibility of something that has not been considered by us before. Appreciation of Difference Once we become open to new thinking, we naturally become more at ease with things that are outside of our current frame of reference. When we are afraid of human differences, we live in fear of anxiety, because there are differences all around us. Stepping out of our worldview and considering the realities and experiences of others allows our own view to be enhanced and enlarged. When we approach difference in this way, we no longer have to be afraid; instead, we are just curious and open, resting in the idea that what we eventually come to believe will be ours.3Appreciating difference is not about simply agreeing or disagreeing with views that are not ours. It means that we allow ourselves to consider the full range of human experience and remain open to learning about the impact of differences based on race, gender, class, abilities and disabilities, sexual orientation and other differences. Respect for The Unknown Many of us feel that we need to know what to do in any situation. Out of a feeling of insecurity we try to control as many aspects of our environment as possible. Sometimes the mental effort we put into “knowing” can confuse our thinking or force us to operate only from the information we have already obtained. Respecting the unknown means that we acknowledge that in many of life circumstances we can’t possibly know in advance what will happen, but that if we approach life in a high quality state of mind something wise and helpful will likely occur to us. Sometimes a good idea hits us from “out of the blue”, and where is that anyway…we don’t know. Connection to Something Greater than Ourselves It is helpful when we have the opportunity to step out of our own little world (the personal) and connect with something greater than ourselves (the universal). We are able to make this connection in many ways including connecting with friends and family, serving our community, or exploring our understanding of spirituality. A Sense of Meaning and Purpose in Life Being engaged with our world in ways that feel worthwhile and have consequence gives us the sense that our lives matter and that we are important. With a sense of meaning for our lives, we feel compelled to participate fully with the world around us, knowing that in doing so we are contributing something.4We may find this sense of purpose in any number of places, including the work that we do for a living, where we volunteer, through our spiritual lives, or in our relationships. Wherever we find it, once we feel that we are significant, life