Your Feelings Are Not the Enemy

Photo by Tom Pumford on Unsplash

Feelings are not demons to be exorcised. They’re muses to be channeled.

When it comes to so-called “negative” feelings, I prefer the aikido method: Redirect the energy instead of resisting it.

That is, find a way to channel the energy of your mood along creative and constructive lines rather than treating it as an unquestionable indication of impending doom.

Each feeling is like a distinct kind of friend. Some friends are great at making us smile and laugh. Others are better at making us think deeply. Negative feelings are like those friends who aren’t the most fun, but who challenge us to seriously confront the things that hold us back. Sometimes they make us uncomfortable, but they usually make us better in the process.

When you resent your feelings, you resist the unique form of wisdom that your feelings can provide.

Instead of forcing yourself to be positive about your negative emotions, free yourself to be philosophical about them. In a spirit of open-minded inquiry & non-judgmental compassion, ask yourself “What are my feelings teaching me?”

You have to let your feelings BE before you  can let your feelings GO. You can’t release what you resent. You can’t process what you push away.

An uncomfortable emotion is not a sin. It’s a sign. It’s your soul’s way of signaling its need to be heard, nurtured, and affirmed.