A wonderful friend and I were recently talking about how to handle the emotional weight of the world, which we take on and are easily overwhelmed by.
Whether you’re dealing with the death of a loved one, your own health issues, relationship problems, anxiety, or the current political climate, sometimes the feelings are completely overwhelming. The desire to make those feelings just *go away* is so, so strong. We will try anything to feel just a *teensy* bit of control over those feelings. We analyze *why* we feel that way, and try to make a plan to make ourselves feel better. We distract ourselves with mind-numbing activities (like our phones). We start imagining how scenarios might play out, or having arguments with people in the shower. We all do it - it’s the human condition.
The thing is, though, trying not to feel them makes them worse. You’re bottling them up inside, where they have control over you and can pop out at unexpected times or wreak havoc on your body (that’s some of the stress those doctors are telling you to avoid). .
The best thing to do is the scariest thing to do: feel them, even when it feels like sadness might swallow you whole. Feel where in your body the emotion lives. Ask it what it needs. Do not, under any circumstances, try to analyze it! Just feel it, allow your tears to fall, and see how it changes.
Whether you’re dealing with the death of a loved one, your own health issues, relationship problems, anxiety, or the current political climate, sometimes the feelings are completely overwhelming. The desire to make those feelings just *go away* is so, so strong. We will try anything to feel just a *teensy* bit of control over those feelings. We analyze *why* we feel that way, and try to make a plan to make ourselves feel better. We distract ourselves with mind-numbing activities (like our phones). We start imagining how scenarios might play out, or having arguments with people in the shower. We all do it - it’s the human condition.
The thing is, though, trying not to feel them makes them worse. You’re bottling them up inside, where they have control over you and can pop out at unexpected times or wreak havoc on your body (that’s some of the stress those doctors are telling you to avoid). .
The best thing to do is the scariest thing to do: feel them, even when it feels like sadness might swallow you whole. Feel where in your body the emotion lives. Ask it what it needs. Do not, under any circumstances, try to analyze it! Just feel it, allow your tears to fall, and see how it changes.