A majority of self-help books suggest the key to being happy in life is to think happy and positive thoughts. I’ll agree to some extent; if you’re in a funk because it’s raining out and you think the people at work are mad because you got promoted, changing your thoughts to something more positive and feeling gratitude will probably get you going.
But, if a situation has truly hurt you or you feel angry about a real injustice, trading your true feelings for Zen-like composure while pasting a happy smile on your face isn’t going to work. Chances are the people around you won’t buy into your false sense of happiness either.
Our authenticity really takes a hit when we don’t allow ourselves to experience our true emotions. You might be able to bottle up your negative feelings for a while but eventually they’ll come out.
We all feel a full range of emotions including joy, grief, delight, anger, frustration, and peace – that’s what makes us human and makes life interesting! While some of those feelings might be uncomfortable, you can’t hide from them for long nor can you outrun them. Eventually you’ll have to acknowledge and experience what you’re feeling, regardless of where you’re falling on the emotional spectrum.
The key is to feel the emotion and be honest with yourself about what’s going on for you. Good, bad, or otherwise – we need to feel it and to do so without judgment. Experiencing emotion allows it to release itself naturally and lets you continue leading a healthy, full life in which you are truly present and the people around you can sense your full authenticity.
But how do we do that comfortably and safely? In the video below, I will lead you through a mini version of a practice I teach in my Art of Feminine Presence classes. It’s a meditative exercise that will direct your attention to experiencing your feelings in your body and getting out of your head about judgment and resolution.
Acknowledging and letting the feelings happen through this exercise supports you in what you need and helps you to find the best way to move forward in the way you truly want to. It’s a way to access our intuition and “trust our gut”. Our bodies don’t lie and most often the answers to life’s tough decisions are already there, we just have to find a way to cut through the “noise” and get to our truth.
I hope this video will be helpful. Learning this practice will help you to tap into your deep intuition. You’ll be able to make faster decisions and feel clearer about what you want as well as the support you need. You’ll be showing up more authentically when you’re feeling amazing and happy as well as when you’re not 100% and you need a friend to be there for you. Your relationships and connections will be deeper and more rewarding.
Drop me a note and let me know how it goes! Let yourself be real and authentic with all your emotions and celebrate the fact that whether good or bad, it’s all beautiful and part of who you truly are!
Until the next time,
Cassie
vibrantbody says
Sorry for the big delay in responding, Natalie – that’s awesome! So glad you were able to use this with family – they can really push our buttons, and it’s wonderful to be able to stay present and love them and not get triggered – particularly when we don’t get to see them all that often.
Natalie says
Thanks Cassie!
I was feeling some rough emotions after a recent trip home because of family issues. Your exercise helped me zone in on what I’m feeling in my own head and literally I was able to shake it off! I just shook my arms out and that negativity was gone! I feel like I can move on better from those emotions now. That was a really great exercise. Thanks for sharing.