by Kali Munro, M.Ed., Psychotherapist, 2000 Simple as it may seem To listen to what's deep inside It is the hardest thing To let go from the heart what hidesYou deserve to listen... -Susan Herrick, You Deserve
Intense emotion can be overwhelming for all of us. And if you're just opening up to an emotion, it can feel very raw. No matter how experienced you are with your emotions, we all need help sometimes to know how to deal with them.
Learning to recognize and stay with our feelings is a valuable experience. We can learn that just because we feel something, we don't have to act on it. Or that we can be angry and choose how to respond rather than let the anger control us. The more we know how we feel and ways to feel, release, be with, or let go of our feelings, the better we feel about ourselves.
How do I know what I'm feeling?
If you don't know how you feel or how to get in touch with your feelings try the following:
1. Try to identify how you feel by:
2. If you know how you feel but aren't sure how to get in touch with your emotions more fully, or what to do next, try acknowledging your feelings. The following might help you to do that:
But where do these feelings come from? They just seemed to come out of the blue.
If you want to understand why you feel a certain way you might want to:
1. Identify the source of your feelings:
What do I do with these feelings?
2. Express or release your feelings.
Even if you don't know why you are feeling this way, you can still express yourself in the privacy of your own home.
It's too much for me. I can't take it any more. What do I do?
1. Comfort and reassure yourself:
2. Take a break from your feelings:
Sometimes feelings become overwhelming and you need a break from them. This doesn't mean denying that they are there, only that you need a break and will come back to them later when you are rested. After taking a break, it is important to come back to your feelings. They may have changed, and that's okay.
It's not always easy to stay with your feelings, but it can be rewarding when you do.
If what I am feeling begins to overwhelm, I pray & keep praying until it passes. Then I go back and try to identify it. If I can somewhat put a finger on it, I will be prepared for the next time...Action and reaction...thanks for the post!
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
