There are many types of people out there- naturally, we all deal with our struggles in different ways. Some of us are over-eager to share exactly what is happening in our lives with our loved ones, and how it makes us feel. Others may not be as open and would rather figure things out themselves. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you are on, it is important to really feel your feelings.
You might be wondering why this matters, and what it means to truly feel your feelings.
Simply stated, feeling your feelings means you don’t ignore or suppress how you feel. You are upfront with your emotions and with yourself. You take the time and effort to really understand why you feel the way that you do. When people perpetually shove their feelings down for years and years, emotional baggage piles up. You will always hold these heavy feelings with you, and they will affect your daily living until you take the time to deal with them and be at peace with them. Once you do deal with them, you may find out things about yourself that you never even knew. You grow as a person. You grow into you.
How can you do this?
One way you can feel your feelings is by thinking about why you feel the way you do. I’m not advising to constantly obsess over your emotions, but to make an effort to understand why you have those certain emotions. Don’t hide from yourself. Another great thing you can do to understand your emotions is talk to others who go through the same feelings as you. Hearing what other people have to say, or hearing their experience with the same problem can have a positive impact on your emotional health. You see new ways to deal with the trials presented to you, and are more prepared for the future. It may be hard to open up for some people, and it takes a lot of courage to do so. Yet, once you do so, you will see how much better off you are with a support system. At the end of the day, we all experience difficult, unpleasant feelings- it is nothing to be ashamed of- it’s human, and it’s okay to feel the way that you do. Another way to better understand your feelings is to research and read books about the emotional problems you may struggle with. From sadness, to anxiety, and fear, there is an author out there who can share some wisdom with you.
It is no secret that we all go through our own challenges at different points in our lives. Everyone deals with adversity. The real winners of life are the people who learn from these obstacles and become stronger because of them through the acceptance of their feelings. Hardships allow you to feel a wide range of emotions, build character, learn about yourself, and really evaluate who you are.