February is the month of the heart -- from Valentine's Day to heart disease awareness. It's the time to focus on your heart, physically as well as emotionally. Although it's less apparent, tending to your feelings is just as crucial as important in maintaining a healthy heart and body.
Feeling your emotions can be as rough as it is elating. However, the point is that we feel them physically. Many people feel something and then bury it deep down until they think it's gone. What you feel does not leave your body or your heart unless you confront it. Emotions are meant to be endured, not ignored. I want to help you confront your emotions, not run around them. Confronting your emotions will allow you to experience happiness, even if something sad or upsetting happens in your day.
Healing is an important process in first dealing with your emotions. Healing doesn't mean anything is "broken," it just means that there will be nurturing needed where we have neglected to do it. We are sensitive beings; we go through life so quickly that we often don't stop to ponder what we're feeling. And that's one habit that needs to be broken.
When you feel your feelings, you should sit with yourself and really feel them. When something bad happens, do you feel that terrible pain in your chest? What about when you are stressed? Do you feel yourself get cold and prickly? As if someone was poking your heart with pins and needles? What about when you feel sad? You can really feel it in your heart, can't you? All that energy doesn't just magically go away. You must coax your feelings out, allow yourself to feel safe enough with yourself and release that energy.
How is this a problem?
● Your emotions translate into a physical energy that influences your body.
● If you bottle up your emotions, they sit in your body and every action and reaction you have is affected.
● You will not feel content unless you release them.
What can you do about it?
● Meditation is a great way to stop and think about what you are feeling. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed and sit with your eyes closed. It may be uncomfortable at first, if you are not used to being alone, but it will be worth it. Endure your feelings. Do not let anything distract you.
● When something happens that you know will elicit an emotional response from you- stop and question it. Why do I feel this?
● Identify your feelings. Sometimes people mistake happiness for other emotions. Identify what you are feeling and why you are feeling these emotions.
● Confront your feelings and be honest with yourself. Honesty is key in peeling back your layers of built up emotions.
● Once you confront it, release it. Feel it as hard as you can, and when you can feel it no longer, let it go. Acknowledge you were feeling a certain way and then settle down for some more peace and quiet time.
Why is releasing yourself from this energy good for you?
● Your body pays the price if you don't. All that energy, all those knots in your chest make an impact.
● Your heart gets congested. If you don't clear out your bottled up feelings, you won't be able to embrace the cleanliness that your body deserves.
● Although being honest with yourself may hurt at the time, it will hurt less if you confront your true feelings. Trust me, you will find peace.
Your emotions can often manifest themselves physically, so it is important to be aware of how you are feeling and how your body is responding. What's happening on the inside can be just as painful as a broken bone. Unfortunately healing your emotions is a little more tricky. Start by taking things slow and easy. Take deep breaths and take a few minutes each day to allow yourself to rest and be in peace. Pause and think about what you're feeling and why you are feeling that way. We can all make time for healing -- it's something everyone deserves. Remember to always love yourself inside and out. Your body and your mind. Everyone deserves to be genuinely happy and healthy.
This simple practice of self-love and healing your emotions truly freed me from almost a decade of chronic illness and pain and I am forever grateful. I hope you too can release your emotions and truly feel how amazing and light it can be to just let go.