Feel Real Emotions!

It‘s brave to vulnerably befriend all of our emotions, to fully encourage and experience them without either filtering them out or overly dwelling upon them! To feel is real. 

When I’ve allowed each and every one of my true emotions, even those that are unpleasant or seem dangerous, I ultimately end up having more joy. 

Why? Because our emotions are like our friends. Feelings are a part of us! When we hold space for them as they are, they are allowed to have a voice, to be what and where they are for a few minutes. Then, they sort of sigh and feel better, shifting into a new place. A new feeling emerges. If we disallow our emotions, they get stuffed or avoided, and come back later (sometimes rearing their angry heads!)

Our feelings shift all day long. If we permit and even invite the hardest ones like pain, helplessness and despair, they are honored. We don’t need to live from our emotions; in fact, when we respect them we operate not just from our feelings but from our whole beings, validating our experiences in the rest of our parts. All of our Selves are acknowledged in whole-being awareness: our hearts, minds, bodies, intuition, essences (or souls), and the energy surrounding us.

Emotions don’t always make sense. At times, our brains connect the dots from what’s happening in the present moment to something that was stored in our minds as “similar” from years past and we respond with bigger emotions than the fresh situation deserves. Sometimes we’re triggered by memories or issues we haven’t completely worked through. But it’s not our feelings that we need to beware of. It’s what we could do with them if they are not attended to and disallowed. 

If feelings are shut down, they take on a life of their own, becoming bigger, calling out for attention like screaming children. We can do odd and unhealthy things when our wayward, disregarded feelings take the reins. 

To respond with bravery and non-reactivity, we want to separate from our reactive thoughts and allow the oftentimes irrationality of our feelings. They can be beautifully raw, like abstract art. If we are able to view them as if we’re in a gallery, observing and not judging, they are allowed to move through us more quickly.