I've written extensively about how humans like to repress their emotions and the side effects that result. Now, let’s look at how we can experience all of what our emotions have to offer so that we can move through any roadblocks to our personal and transformational growth.
Emotions are energy in motion.
Panache Desai
Here are four steps for how to experience emotional health.
- Become Aware
We have repressed our feelings for so long, it can be intensely uncomfortable when we become aware of our emotions, especially sadness. The word depression has become our "go to" because we do not know how to transform our sadness into an authentic state of happiness; this is a lost opportunity for growth. Instead, we quickly turn to pharmaceutical intervention, which makes us numb. Pharmaceutical companies will continue to prey on us while we play right into their hands of marketing illness. Feeling sad? Take this pill.
A dear friend of mine who experienced some very challenging events in life did decide to turn to medicine, and she said for two years she didn’t cry.
I very much believe that medicine can bridge the gap to health, but YOU need to cross the bridge.
- Sit with your emotions
When you have lost your way, the only thing left is to slow down and just observe with a desire to understand. We need to remember what emotions are—a wave of energy that offers an opportunity to evolve in our human experience. It is that simple. Don’t judge, just be the observer and look for ways to progress.
Additionally, you may want to become aware of the behaviors you may engage in to avoid your emotions. Many try numbing with an addiction (food, drugs, sex), and this only results in a moment of instant gratification instead of long-term emotional health. Numbing can quickly take control, causing you to lash out and misdirect frustration, which really comes from the lack of understanding your emotions. These are just a few of the many behaviors that stem from emotional repression.
- Move Emotions Up and Out
Many, including myself, have taken the route of traditional talk therapy. For years it was even considered cool to go lay down on a therapist’s couch. However, there we sat talking about the same things in life, over and over. At some point, in order to evolve, we must move how we feel forward; this means letting go of how this will look in the future or how it looked in the past.
Feelings are a gift to help you transform, and there are many tools to move emotions through you. However, you have to find what works best for you. Here are a few places to start:
Forgiveness of self
Forgiveness does not have to be a two-way street; just let go of your story and recognize we are all here to make mistakes in this human experience.
The physical practice of yoga and breath
Yoga asanas allow you to focus on the releasing of emotions. The practice of yoga is intended to help you surface your emotions in a gentler way. This is why when we attend a hip opener class we may feel emotional afterward, as we store emotions in our physical body. Pranayama is personally my favorite way as I intentionally set a breath cycle to visually release things that are no longer serving me.
Crying
Crying is one of our greatest emotional releases. Yes, our society has turned this into a form of weakness by telling us big boys and girls don’t cry. We need to work together to change this perception. We ALL need to cry! Next time, instead of telling your friend not to cry give them a hug and let them cry it out. Give your friend the space to be vulnerable and release. You do not have to be the "fixer."
- Let Life Teach You
Many of the challenges in our life come as a gift to teach us a lesson. With this gift we need to accept responsibility for our own healing, as only YOU can be your FIXER. Start with the relationships in your life, as this is usually a great source of emotion for us all.
Just as with our emotions, we need to evolve in our relationships, too. This means we sometimes get angry or frustrated within the relationship. Instead of reaction and blame, sit down (face to face) and have a gentle conversation to understand how you got there and how to move forward. Maybe it is time to let go, but finding and appreciating the love with compassion will pave a beautiful road with the gift of a lesson.
Understanding emotional wellness will be the greatest gift we can give our children and ourselves.
Now more than ever, we need to embrace our emotional wellness as we continue to live in a world that is moving at epic speeds.
The increasing level of technology that continues to remove emotion and connection from our conversations and experiences is ‒ and will continue ‒ to negatively impact us if we don’t start to pay attention.
The good news is that many of us are sensing that we need to find the courage to break this cycle. This will only allow for us to grow and re-align with our whole, authentic being.
Explore Your Emotional Authenticity
Want to raise your vibration? If you have been ignoring your emotions, then you’re creating vibrational density. Learn to let your emotions become your allies through your life’s journey.
Take the next step and move past judgment, away from fear, and beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone when you [become a member of Gaia (/plan-selection). Start your streaming here with [Signing Your Soul Signature with Panache Desai](/video/signing-your-soul-signature-panache-desai}.
