Managing Your Emotions During Cuffing Season

With Cuffing Season quickly approaching, it can be easy for us to find ourselves in a state of emotional unbalance. As the weather gets colder and everyone wants to retreat inside, both males and females experience the desire to be “cuffed”. Simply put, cuffed means, taken or entertaining a significant other. Here are 4 tips to help you control your emotions so you don’t end up with any ol body just because it’s cold outside.

• Be Mindful Of Your Consumption

The Word of God encourages us, as Christians, to guard our gates. Luke 11:34-36 talks about our eyes being the lamp of our body; what we take in gets in our heart and ultimately determines our actions and desires. Often times, what we watch on television, listen to on the radio and the conversations we engage in, fuel the way we feel, long after the action accrued. It is not a coincidence that you what to be boo’d up on Saturday night after you have binged watched every Netflix episode of Being Mary Jane on Friday night to unwinds after a long week.

• Think About What You Are Thinking About

We have become so programmed to “live free” and allow things to “just happen” that we are less intentional about living lives with purpose and this includes being purposeful in our thinking. The only way to do that is to think about what you are thinking about. When we let our mind wonder, without having any control of where our thoughts are going, we place ourselves in the position of being subjected to any emotion because we have freely entertained the associated thoughts. The Bible encourages us in Philippians 4:8, to focus our thoughts on things that are true, pure, of noble character, etc. The only way to accomplish that is by being mindful of your thoughts.

• Identify What Time It Is

Women, it is important that you know your body and the cycles that you are going through. For every woman it’s different, but at a certain stage of your body’s cycle, you are more susceptible to the feelings of relational stimulation.

Men, you all have a cycle too, it’s just not quite like ours. But we all experience times of vulnerability, where we want to be relational with another human being. During this time, we are to identify it as that, knowing that the feeling will soon pass.

• Direct Your Attention To Christ

I know, it may sound WACK, the last thing you want to think about when you want to be cuffing is Jesus. “I JUST WANT A BAE!” But seriously, when you direction your attention and energy to Christ, everything you thought you needed and wanted, seems to not be as important. Isaiah 26: 3 reminds us of the promise that God will give us true peace when we focus our attention and thoughts on Him. When we take the energy and attention we have for the desire of another human and focuses it on the Creator of all humans, our outlook begins to change. When you truly focus on God, He will give you a peace and a spirit of contentment that extends past far beyond your lack. Plus, cuffing leads to…. and you ain’t supposed to be doing that anTway! Don’t pop me, Ms. Sherleen, I’m just the messenger.

These emotions and feelings that we have are perfectly normal. God created us to be relational people, Genesis 2:18 confirms that. But that doesn’t mean we are to enter into a relationship and entertain someone every time we have those feelings. I would encourage you to be mindful of these 4 tips the next time you find yourself scrolling through your phone looking for someone to text, as the tune “I just wanna be loved, I just wanna be loved” plays repeatedly in your mind.

So let me hear it, what do you do during those times of temporary mental weakness to keep yourself emotionally balanced? Drop your response in the comments below.