Are you afraid of your emotions? I’m sure that seems like a silly question to ask but allow me to share a few thoughts with you.

Many of you know I’ve been a nurse for many years. In the day-to-day routine of that position, many times you are faced with situations that can be sad, stressful, emotional, etc. but you aren’t able to allow those emotions to color your thinking; you have to collect your thoughts, push those feelings aside, and deal calmly with the situation at hand. When you do that for a long period of time, eventually you become numb and it is hard to express your emotions.

Maybe that’s not your story. Maybe you just don’t like feeling those emotions so you suppress them. Maybe feeling emotions makes you feel “out of control”, so you do anything you can to avoid feeling them. Again, after doing this long-term, it becomes difficult to feel any type of emotion. Many times alcohol and substance abuse is part of the picture in these cases because they allow you to numb yourself to avoid facing those feelings. Maybe you feel showing emotions is a sign of weakness, or you are afraid of what others will think of you if you show emotion.

The interesting thing about emotions is they are like waves, they come and go. They may feel overwhelming in the moment but if you allow yourself to feel them, they will pass through you. The more you are able to practice this, the quicker the emotions pass.

Here are a few tips I find helpful:

-Remind yourself emotions are like waves; they come and go quickly.

-Place your hand on your chest and take slow, deep breaths. Concentrate on feeling the air move in through your nose and out of your mouth.

-Allow yourself the freedom to feel and process the emotion. If there are tears involved, allow them. Tears can be very cleansing.

-When you first begin this process, setting a timer can be helpful. This can help with the thought, “If I start crying, I’ll never stop.”

-Have a special spot that feels safe for you to process your emotions, especially when you first begin this practice.

I hope this has been helpful for you. If any of this resonates with you and you would like help working through this process, I would love to help you! Visit the “contact me” section and book a coaching session.

Love and blessings-Mindy