Feel Your Feelings: Don't Stuff Them!
.....All feelings eventually pass.Think about it: whenever you are really wound up, you eventually calm down, or when you are really depressed your spirit eventually rises. However; we live in a society that tells us as soon as we experience a feeling that doesn't feel good: OMG!!! Quick, have a drink, smoke a cigarette, run 25 miles, eat a doughnut, go shopping, do something... just don't NOT feel good! "Don't be sad, don't be anxious, don't be bored, don't be too excited, eat this; you'll feel better!!"
But, when your fear your feelings you assume a "victim status".
You become captive to your feelings. You allow your feelings to trigger you to do things that are often self-deprecating. I am suggesting that when you have an uncomfortable feeling: breathe into it consciously and gently. Do not stuff it or run away from it. Be with it. With curiosity and compassion ask yourself "What am I saying to myself that is making me feel uncomfortable (before you have a feeling you ALWAYS have a thought) and how can I see or think about this differently?" Ask what you are meant to learn from this feeling.When you embrace a feeling in this manner, it softens and and begins to dissipate. It is in these moments that you start to reclaim your power. You release your need for distraction and are able better able to really show up for and experience your life.
Know This: Every time you take an action the purpose of which is to avoid a feeling you lose power. Every time you act in a way that honors your Highest Good independent of your feelings you gain Authentic Power. Learn to love your feelings, especially the painful ones. They will lead you home to your Authentic Self.
Affirmations:
I am willing to feel all my feelings!
Feelings are just energy in my body and all feelings eventually pass.
I like "riding the wave" of my intense feelings
In my willingness to feel all my feelings I have reclaimed my Authentic Power!
WOW I am really AWESOME!!
Live in Love,
Louisa
louisa@liveyourhighestgood.com
Louisa Latela, LCSW, LCADC
Louisa Latela is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose life's passion and purpose is to support people in living their Highest Good. Her work is grounded in her belief that Love is the true essence of each and every person, and that when you learn to love and accept yourself unconditionally your life becomes magical!!
Over the years she has guided thousands to re-connect with, listen to, and act on the promptings of their inner wisdom. She teaches people to Own their Authentic Power and be the creator of their life experience versus the victim of its circumstances. She offers both in person and telephonic individual and group counseling for persons who want to learn how to be happy independent of their life circumstances, as well as for people who struggle with issues related to life transitions, anxiety, depression, addiction, and low self esteem. She is a firm believer that life is meant to be joy filled and fun! While she counsels people with a variety of issues she has nearly 2 decades of working with people struggling with food/body/weight issues and has been facilitating a support group specifically for people who are recovering from weight loss surgery for several years.
Visit her website to get your free e-book "When Life Sucks Use a Straw: Tips for De-stressing During Life's Most Difficult Moments!"
Alex Brecher 10,484
Posted
Louise,
Thanks so much for this article! When I was reading it, I realized how true it is that we are conditioned to get rid of bad feelings – whenever we feel something negative, we learn to distract ourselves or use some sort of other method to ignore the problem.
You are so right about becoming empowered by facing our feelings. Once we learn to FEEL and accept the feelings, we can go through life without fear. We also get the chance to deal with whatever it is that triggered the feelings – and hopefully in a better way than eating, drinking, self-medicating, or smoking!
Thanks for the article.
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