on monday morning there was a brief snowstorm.
big fluffy flakes were coming down,
transforming the landscape.
and then the sun came out,
melting all of the pretty white snow off the streets.
and, as the day progressed, the sun kept teasing.
bright clear light would shine through.
then a cloudy dark sky would appear,
when the sun played its disappearing game once more.
“back & forth with the sun,” i said to myself.
as i witnessed the sun peeking through,
then hiding behind the clouds,
only to emerge again,
over and over and over . . .
i related it to my ever-changing moods.
a metaphor for my personality.
back & forth with the sun.
light.
darkness.
light.
darkness.
i admit it.
i can be moody.
i experience my emotions fully.
ALL of my emotions.
if i’m happy, i’m dancing.
if i’m angry, well . . . it’s obvious.
sounds a bit volatile, i know.
but i have learned disciplined ways to permit my emotions free reign,
without ignoring or stifling them.
because i’m responsible for managing them as well.
they are no longer uncontrollable.
i make them work for me now.
give me answers to life’s complications.
and i don’t allow others to make me believe that it’s somehow wrong or inappropriate.
i think it’s okay, more than okay, to truly and deeply feel.
back & forth with the sun.
4 reasons why it is HEALTHY to embrace ALL of your emotions:
- ignoring your emotions can lead to physical ailments, such as headaches or stomach upset.
- unraveling and addressing the source of your emotions will enable you to resolve difficulties before they expand.
- thoroughly feeling your emotions will allow you to fully experience the richness of life.
- carefully examining what your emotions are trying to tell you will highlight the hows and whys of your particular responses.
i talk about emotions a lot.
that’s because i think they are vitally important to understand and accept.
vitally important to your well-being.
[so important, in fact, that i’ve created an entire support group around this very topic.]
it isn’t always easy to allow your emotions to come as they may.
it’s messy.
and scary.
and overwhelming.
but it’s also necessary.
in order to capture a glimpse into your essence.
back & forth with the sun.
do you give proper attention to your negative as well as positive emotions?
do you welcome the abundant intensity of your feelings?
or do you fear the possible depths of your reactions?
tell me about your own relationship with emotions.
leave me a comment.
and, just in case you’re wondering – yes, i do talk to myself.
i think it’s a very effective way to start becoming your own best friend.
I really enjoyed this post. “Back and forth with the sun” is a lovely metaphor and it also reminds me of the mantra to get more messy that we speak of in yoga class.
thanks, blissom. “get more messy” is an intriguing mantra, and yes – definitely along the same lines as fully experiencing your emotions.
What beautiful writing. I could feel myself swaying as I read :-).
I am currently focusing on improving my connection with my Body Knowledge and that begins by observing how an emotion feels in the body. Surrendering and allowing my body to fully experience the emotion rather than trying to control it. I have found that surrendering to it helps to release it and to move past the emotion.
thank you for your kind words and your valuable input, janie. yes, you are absolutely right – the physical sensations that accompany each feeling are extremely important as well. i ask my clients to give a tangible description of how each emotion actually feels in their bodies. this not only aids in releasing it, but also helps to identify any overwhelming and vague feelings.
Love the style. It so echoed the feelings of emotions and made the content resonate in the heart!
i appreciate your observations, francesca – thank you for commenting.
Love this post! I’m an emotional person too, but I didn’t always embrace it. I used to think that it was bad that I felt a wide range of emotions all the time. But, I’ve since learned that it’s normal, and that managing my emotions can be as simple as just observing them, honoring them, and then gently releasing them. Definitely keeps me from blowing up later from keeping them all pent up!
i think many people have been told that it is somehow “wrong” to FEEL, tiko. i always encourage my clients to spend time relearning this very important lesson. good for you for observing, honoring, and releasing your emotions. the process can be a very powerful one. thank you for sharing.
I love your writing style for this insightful post on emotions. I am having so much fun with my emotions lately, allowing myself to feel it ALL. One of the amazing benefits I am noticing is that the more I allow myself this freedom, the more I am the “calm” in the center of the storm. My body has been my greatest adviser in this process and I believe it is the way to living in alignment with our heart. Happy to connect with you!
i’m happy to connect with you too, monica. and thanks so much for your nice comment and for your insights. i loved reading how you are having FUN with your emotions, and how that freedom results in a sense of calm. wonderful perspective!
I loved it!! Really great article! Thank you for sharing!
thank you, alanna!
I love your writing! I am learning to embrace all emotions as I deal with anxiety–but it’s not always easy!
Thanks for sharing!
thank you, terri. no, embracing our emotions is definitely not an easy task – in fact, i believe it requires great courage and introspection. congratulations to you for being so bold! i hope your anxiety lessens as you continue to gain insight from the lessons it is teaching.
Lovely poetic writing, April. Of course, embracing my positive emotions is quite joyful. Previously, I was so quick to suppress and move on, that I didn’t even know if I was upset. I had set my pattern at a young age not to be upset. Now, I slow down to check in with myself to see if something is brewing.
thank you, patti. and i loved what you shared. we think we’re doing ourselves a favor when we bypass our upset feelings, but then we miss the lesson. wonderful how you check in with yourself now. patterns can indeed be altered.
Love your writing style…thank you for this post.
thanks, jessica!
I loved your analogy of the sun and your emotions. By allowing myself to fully feel my emotions both mentally and physically, I have been better able to see where some of them are coming from. This has allowed me to gain insight into myself and what makes me tick. I am learning. But buy allowing others to see my emotions I am being authentic, which honors both of us. I have to shine my light even though it may makes others squint!
Thanks for this post, I enjoyed reading it.
~Sue
i appreciate your comments, sue. and i agree that our emotions help us allow a deeper view into ourselves. i loved your observation about “making others squint!” 🙂