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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Waterloo chapter.

Don’t let your emotions get in the way.

Don’t let your emotions get in the way.

They said, don’t let your emotions get in the way. 

What is so wrong with letting your emotions get in the way? Why can’t I be emotional? 

My sun sign is Cancer and my moon sign is Pisces- if you’re not familiar with Zodiac signs, just know that it means I’m very emotional. Being emotional is often seen as a sign of weakness. People think that you’re incapable of making logical decisions, but that’s not true. How can you possibly make adequate decisions without emotions? 

Emotions keep us connected not only to ourselves but to those around us. You’re not cool by pretending like you don’t care about someone. You’re not cool by treating someone badly. And you’re definitely not cool by saying “I don’t have emotions”. In my opinion, that’s pretty embarrassing. 

Joy is an emotion. Anger is an emotion. Sadness is an emotion. Fear is an emotion. Disgust is an emotion. Did I just list all the Inside Out characters? Maybe. But regardless, those are emotions that we all feel on a daily basis. Out of those five, it’s common to think that sadness is the emotion that holds us back the most. Who wants to feel sorrow? The truth is you cannot appreciate joy unless you’ve experienced sadness. So why are you trying to conceal that part of you?

It’s because that’s what society told you. Society told you that women are less capable because we’re too emotional. Society told you that men can’t be emotional because that will make them weak. You’re so focused on following society’s rules that you forget pain is different for everyone. 

You have to let your emotions get in the way. You have to face your emotions in order to be the best version of yourself. There’s not a human on this planet that hasn’t experienced some kind of sorrow. Everyone copes in different ways, but ignoring it is not a way of coping. You have to confront it, you have to let yourself feel it in order to get over it. 

Don’t be ashamed of your mental breakdowns. Don’t be ashamed if you have to take a mental health day. Don’t be ashamed if you’re still sad about something years after you said you were over it. It’s okay. These emotions you try to push down and avoid feeling show up in your life in different forms. When you suppress your sadness, anger is what shows up more, not happiness. 

Emotions give us the chance to not only feel our own pain but also understand the pain of those around us. There are so many things wrong with this world that every day feels like a battle, especially during Covid. Whether you agree or not, everyone’s fighting a battle you know nothing about so why can’t you be a little empathetic and compassionate towards people? You’re not losing anything by showing your emotions. So don’t ever let anyone tell you that your emotions are getting in the way, because they’re wrong.   

Thamilini Balakumar is a Global Business and Digital Arts student at the University of Waterloo. She has a passion for creative writing and storytelling. In addition to writing, she tells stories through her photography and videography.
Hi there! My name is Caitlyn Gellatly and I am the Campus Correspondent and President for the Waterloo Chapter of Her Campus! I am a Digital Arts Communication and International Studies student in my 4th year. I love to read, write, cook and spend time with friends, family, and sorority sisters!