We all have emotional needs.
But what exactly is the definition of an emotional need?
What are emotional needs?
Emotional needs are feelings or conditions we need to feel happy, fulfilled, or at peace.
Without them, we may feel frustrated, hurt, or dissatisfied.
As humans, we seek emotional nourishment as much as food and water.
It is your birthright to be emotionally nourished.
Maslow’s research psychologists have identified nine specific emotional needs common to all people across cultures.
Perhaps you would feel more secure if you equipped your home with burglar alarms and new locks.
It’s time to be lovingly assertive about this.
Attention
Receiving attention from people we care about and giving them attention in return is valuable.
Giving attention to your own self is equally, if not more, valuable.
If this emotional need isn’t being met:Prioritize quality time with your partner and friends.
Set aside time for it in your calendar.
Emotional connection
To be emotionally fulfilled, we need to feel connected to other people.
We need to experience friendship, love, and intimacy.
Connection to community
We are social creatures, and our brain is a social organ.
We need to feel connected to something greater than ourselves.
If this emotional need isn’t being met:Prioritize spending time with others.
Maybe that means arranging a regular coffee get-together in your home.
Or can you mentor someone in your field or do volunteer work for people less fortunate than yourself?
Can you check in on an elderly neighbor?
(Here are a few moreways to form real connectionswith your community.)
A sense of self
It’s not enough to have a group.
We need to have a sense of our value within the group dynamics we’re part of.
Can you be the go-to guy for specific information or specialize in an area of your profession?
Perhaps you’re able to be the captain of a quiz or sports team.
You must have skills and strengths that got you through those periods.
Remind yourself regularly of these.
What more can you achieve?
What new goals can you set?
Quiz: What are my emotional needs?
It’s time to do an emotional needs audit on your life.
Look at the needs above.
On a scale of 1 to 7, how well do you feel you are meeting each one?
If you score 3 or under, that need isn’t being sufficiently met.
This is normal: It’s your brain telling you something is wrong.
It’s just a sign that some of your emotional needs are due for a little nourishing.
Remember, we all have the innate resources to meet our needs.
We just need to take some intelligent action.
Why knowing your emotional needs is important.
Knowing your own emotional needs can help you better tackle life’s problems.
(This is, of course, excluding biochemistry and genetic predisposition.)
These are vital emotional needs, which no amount of “talking it out” will restore.
Meeting these needs is the most effective route back to good mental health.
Understanding our emotional needs empowers us to make ourselves happy and can relieve a sense of helplessness.
We can look at the imbalances in our jobs, relationships, and environments from a unique perspective.
(This requires some self-awareness, of course.
Here’show to increase your emotional intelligence.)
