Emotional health is important for your overall health and well-being. Emotionally healthy individuals can control their thoughts, their feelings, and their actions. 

They have great coping skills, have great relationships and can easily bounce back from setbacks. 

Being emotionally healthy doesn't mean that you are always happy but it means being aware of your emotions and knowing how to cope with feelings of stress, anger, and sadness. 

An emotionally healthy individual knows when a situation is too much to handle and seeks help. 

Research shows that emotional health is a skill, here are 6 ways you can improve your emotional state and be happier.

1.  MOVE. 

Your mind and body are closely linked. While your brain control your body’s movement, the way you move can also affect the way you think and the way you feel.

Physical activity is  one of the key components to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Regular movement  in any form dancing, walking, running, pickle ball, or yoga can also have significant impact on your emotional and mental health and overall wellbeing.

Movement is without a ddoubt one of the most effective ways to change your emotional state because its a great antidote to reducing depressive symptoms. 

Here are some other ways you can alter your emotions. 

● Adjust your posture.

● Do jumping jacks.

● Dance.

● Stand up quickly.

● Sit upright in your chair.

● Pay attention to the way your body feels.

● Give yourself a hug.

● Smile.

2. LAUGH

Laughter is the best medicine. It brings people together and triggers healthy physical, mental and emotional changes in the body. 

Laughter is good for the immune system and strengthens it by boosting your mood, relieving pain, and acts as a great stress relief. 

It's fast acting and can quickly bring your mind and body back into balance. Humor connects you to others, lightens burdens, gives hope, and keeps you focused, and alert and also helps release anger.

Laughing feels really good! Make yourself laugh and you’ll feel differently, and the change is instantaneous.

● Think about something funny.

● Watch your favorite comedian.

● Talk with your funniest friend.

● Read a joke.

It’s amazing how much differently you can feel if you just move to a new location.

● Spend an hour at the coffee shop.

● Go to the library.

● Walk around the park.

● Sit out on your back patio

Anything that impacts your body significantly can impact your emotional state, too. 

Hot and cold environments are all-encompassing experiences for your body. 

Your brain and body will take notice, your blood vessels expand or contract and you may sweat more or less. 

In any case, there’s a lot going on when you expose yourself to significant temperatures.

• Sit outside on a hot or cold day.
• Take a hot shower or bath. 
• Sit in a hot tub or sauna.
• Try a cold shower or ice bath.

Singing is a novel way to change how you feel. 

Singing releases the endorphins, serotonin and dopamine which is also known as the 'happy' chemicals. These chemicals boost your mood and make you feel good. If you’re not used to singing, it can feel awkward but if you sing regularly, you do so because it’s enjoyable.

Music can have the same affect as singing. Happy, upbeat music encourages our brains to produce dopamine and serotonin, which stirs up feelings of joy, while calmer music does the opposite to relax the mind and the body.

Fear is often one the biggest barriers to trying something new, but you can get around your fear by starting small, planning activities and making fun a priority. 

It takes courage to try something new, but until you do so, you may never discover true passion or purpose.

There is a sense of triump and delight when you try something new. It helps with appreciating life, other people's experiences, knowing yourself more, your likes and dislikes, make for great memories and most importantly, its healthy.