SIFTing through Emotions

Have you been left confused by different emotional experiences? Have you ever used the phrase, “I overreacted?”

If you've ever found yourself in a situation where a whirlwind of emotions left you feeling perplexed, rest assured, you're not alone in this. Amid our daily responsibilities, it's easy to overlook our emotional journey. This can often leave us feeling swamped and bewildered as we haven't taken the time to ponder the emotional needs that may have surfaced during our day.

These needs can arise from being triggered by something in our past, grieving a loss, stress from work and home, or feeling tired due to a lack of sleep. But by pausing and reflecting, we can begin to understand and address these needs.

Here is one method Dan Siegel, MD, developed to help us better understand our emotions. He calls it SIFT.

S- sensations

I- images

F- feelings

T- thoughts

SIFT is a tool to help us slow down and notice our experiences. We can notice how our body feels (stomach pain, hot, cold); we notice the images associated with our experience (someone pointing a finger at me, a dark room, etc.); we become aware of our feelings (sad, angry); and finally, we attune to our inner thoughts (“this is unfair,” “I am so stupid”).

If we take the time to SIFT through our experiences daily, we are more likely to understand our needs in the moment and make changes throughout our day and week to begin addressing them. These needs could include more safety, self-care, community, therapy, exercise, etc. This simple practice can pave the way for positive changes in our emotional well-being.

Take some time today to SIFT!