Pain and joy can coexist at the same time. Do you embrace fear or let it go? It can be both. It can be a process of embracing the fear in order to sit with the emotion, understand it, instead of suppressing it, allow it to come up, and then let it go. Emotions are an interesting part of being human. You can feel a range of emotions in a short amount of time. You can feel happy and sad at the same time or within moments of each other, you can feel angry, yet relieved, disappointed, yet grateful. Emotions aren’t necessarily black and white – just because you feel one doesn’t mean you will have the absence of the other. In fact, when you look at a color wheel of emotions, there are ranges of colors and variations of each color.
The power of processing emotions can be healing.
There are a number of emotions that we seek to avoid. We will do anything in our power to not feel sad because in turn that doesn’t feel good. However, by practicing such an avoidant behavior you end up causing yourself more grief in the long run. Here’s why – if say, for example, you are dealing with a problem that causes you emotional turmoil and so you either avoid it and find something to distract you or you bury it deep within so much to the point you don’t feel it anymore. You become numb to the emotion and find a pattern of suppressing it. Either of these doesn’t deal with the issue and at some point, the issue will rise to the surface. There is somewhere in your body you are hiding it, somewhere in your mind you are resisting, and the discomfort is still there.
By accessing the part of your brain that allows you to recognize, observe, and sit with the feeling you create a sense of space for the feeling to live. Emotions come and go. If you sit with an uncomfortable emotion long enough it will eventually pass. If instead, you try to hide it, it will eventually surface making you deal with it again and again.
Think of it this way:
Imagine taking a balloon filled with air and pressing it into a pool, you can exert great force to keep it down, but as soon as you let go it comes to the surface.
Emotions need to be lived through the body and mind. Breath is a wonderful tool to help you release it.
There are various ways for you to release your emotions such as through meditation, yin-yoga, breath-work practice, journaling, talking, therapy, and exercise. There are many creative ways you can express your emotion even if you don’t quite understand it. You could take up an art medium and allow yourself to freely express whatever comes to the surface. You could take a dance class or play a sport. You could climb a mountain or go for a run. Often exercise will release endorphins and move the stagnant energy in your body out.
Why is it important to understand your emotions?
In order to allow the emotions to come to the surface and release them, you first need to take the inquisitive step to ask yourself these questions – what? Why? How? When? Who?
Ask yourself what am I feeling?
Why do I think I feel this way?
How do I think this emotion came to me?
When did I start feeling this way?
Who in my life is a contributing factor to feeling this way – is it me or someone else? Is it a situation, circumstance, event, or person?
We can go through life without asking the questions – and usually, we will be more curious about the negative emotions because we don’t want them to be there, but it’s also important to notice the happy, grateful, delightful moments. Tune in to what created that feeling.
By understanding the range of emotions that you have and the circumstances that brought you to feel a certain way, you will be able to process them in a deeper and more meaningful way. You will be able to grow through challenges finding a sense of stability and resiliency because you no longer fear the emotions, but instead create a relationship with them.