Tuesday, March 17, 2009

DAILY OM......Permission To Feel

 

Pushing Away Emotions

 

Throughout our lives, we may experience emotions that disturb or distress us. Often, our first reaction is to push our feelings away. We may say, “I don’t want to think about that right now, I’ll think about it later” and we bury our emotions, deny the validity of our feelings, or distract ourselves with other concerns. But the diverse emotions you experience are neither good nor bad—they are simply a part being human.

Choosing not to experience pain, anger, or other intense feelings could cause those feelings to become buried deep into your physical body. There, they may linger unresolved and unable to emerge, even as they affect the way you experience the world.

Allowing yourself to experience all of your emotions rather than push the more painful ones away can help you come to terms with your feelings so you can experience them and then move on.

It is possible to bring forth the old feelings you have pushed aside and experience them in a safe and enriching way. It may sound silly to set aside time to feel your old wounds that you haven’t dealt with, but this can be a very beneficial healing experience.

Find a safe place and pick a time when you can be alone. Make sure that you feel secure and comfortable in your surroundings. Bring to mind the circumstances that originally triggered the emotions you’ve been pushing away. You may need to revisit these circumstances by reading relevant entries in your journal or using visualization to relive your past.

Once you have triggered your long-denied emotions, let yourself feel your feelings, and try not to judge your reactions. Cry or sound your emotions if you need to, and don’t block the flow of your feelings.

Allow any thoughts that are connected to your emotions to surface. As you release the feelings you have pushed inside of you, you will find yourself healing from ! the experience associated with these emotions.

When you deal with your feelings directly, they can move through you rather than staying stopped up in your body as emotional blocks that can sometimes turn into disease. Acknowledging your emotions, instead of pushing them away, allows you to stay emotionally healthy and in touch with your feelings.

What do you think?

14 comments:

  1. I think I am too guilty of this. And while I ahve the outlet of writing, it still doesn't soothe like just saying what's on your mind

    ReplyDelete
  2. Whoever wrote this OM must have been inside my head. This is an ongoing issue for me, but I committed to working it out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Me, too, Velle. I am glad someone sees things like I do. When I read this OM, in the midst of my anguish, I couldn't help but post, and hope soemone would say something I could use.

    Just knowing you share those feelings, and you my big sister, and all..makes me calmer already!

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  4. When I started living for myself and learning to love myself one of the goals was to be completely honest with myself and that included accknowledging feelings that I used to bury. It's more peaceful in the long run to just deal.. Thanks for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Almost like I need permission to get mad...lol

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tiffany, the 'long run' is what I am looking for. trying to get to the place where my emotions don't drag me down, or rag me out...

    Thanks for sharing how you cope....

    smiles

    ReplyDelete
  7. understandable... honestly it won't be easy (you probably already know that) but it's worth it

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've always thought that we don't "bring ourselves" old issues we're not really ready to deal with, and I was so glad when my therapist said so the other day. But the truth is, we wouldn't have all the baggage and old issues we do if we let ourselves deal with them in the first place and feel our feelings. I actually had to give myself permission, under self-hypnosis, to experience my feelings about something, no matter what they turned out to be, just the other day.

    It's a lot easier to know wise things than to practice them, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  9. LOL Yes! Ouch. laughing. I think you summed it up...

    Hopefully, today is my day to learn something new...

    Thanks for your thoughts

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great post, Joyce... understanding the human psyche, we tend to run from what isn't "pleasant," or even what is deemed uncomfortable. So yes, it is quite natural for us to repress and suppress a lot of emotions that doesn't cause joy, laughter and love.

    However, like you said in the blog... until these feelings are faced, embraced and dealt with, they will only manifest themselves in other ways and behaviors.

    ReplyDelete
  11. K, that's just what's gotta be done. I think my repressed feelings are manifesting themselves in other parts of my life. I couldn't see it til now. SO I guess it's true...when the student is ready...the teacher will teach!

    Thanks, for being a good sounding board to me....hugs

    ReplyDelete
  12. Absolutely true. Many times, while you are holding on to anger, the individual you are angry with has moved on and care less about how you are feeling. Letting go is the very best option.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So true, Princess! I am still growing...sigh

    ReplyDelete